Navratilova gives verdict on highly discussed pickleball: “Will only play if I can’t run at all anymore”

Martina Navratilova gave her verdict on the new emerging sport that has caught the attention of the tennis community.

Pickleball is growing in popularity rapidly in the US with the tennis community being put on alert. The game is a padel-based sport that is similar to tennis but incorporates elements from table tennis and badminton as well.

It's been a hot topic in the tennis community with former players like James Blake and Kim Clijsters investing in it. Judy Murray is involved with the sport in Scotland and joked that it could rival tennis in popularity. Former Wimbledon junior winner Noah Rubin recently switched to the sport from tennis creating headlines as well.

None of that is impressing Navratilova who said:

"Biggest reason pickleball is so popular, (in my not so humble opinion), is that you can be decent and feel successful rather quickly. Unlike tennis, which- in the words of my friend Joel Drucker- takes a long time not to suck."

Even though that reads as a dig, Navratilova added another tweet where she called the sport 'great' but admitted, she won't be switching to it as long as she can still run:

"It’s a great sport for sure:), will only play pickleball (who came up with that name?!?) if I can’t run at all anymore."