"They can definitely co-exist": Macci weighs in on growing popularity of pickleball in the US

Rick Macci commented on the growing popularity of pickleball in the USA.

The former coach of Serena Williams spoke with Sportskeeda and discussed the pickleball and its future in terms of fan interest. Macci argued that this sport can be more appealing to older individuals and that it is gradually attracting new sponsors.

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"[Pickleball can absolutely coexist with tennis]. I think they can, I think pickleball is gonna have its niche and I think it is here to stay. I think for people in country clubs and older players, they can find a lot of enjoyment and a lot of physical fitness in that,” Macci said.

“So they are attracting that audience. But now that it is attracting sponsors and there's money involved, and there's tennis players that are crossing over, it is really gonna raise the awareness of pickleball. It is only gonna grow and grow and grow. But they definitely can co-exist," he added.

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The coach, who has trained other Grand Slam champions and former world No. 1 players such as Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, and Andy Roddick, commented on the differences between tennis and pickleball, also highlighting the relevance of padel:

"The reviews I've gotten, everybody loves it. We have it here at the park, at the Rick Macci tennis centre in Florida, everybody loves it. In my opinion, they are two very very different sports but because there's a padel, they're always going to go hand in hand.”

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“We're going to see tennis players, once they stop playing tennis, because they already have the touch, the hand-eye co-ordination, the feel, you're gonna see more and more players, when they retire from tennis, they're gonna play pickleball," Macci concluded.