Pickleball now fourth biggest sport in the USA, rises 52% over the past year in sporting explosion
Tennis NewsSaturday, 02 March 2024 at 01:00
Pickleball is going from strength to strength in the USA with
an impressive rise in participants at different levels. In the recent past,
there has been a host of veteran or retired tennis players who joined pickleball
including the likes of Sam Querrey and Jack Sock.
As per the latest report, in the USA alone, there has been a
52% rise in people playing pickleball over the last few years.
As per the 2023 Topline Participation Report from the Sports
and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), roughly about 13.6 million Americans played pickleball in 12 months.
The report stated that the 12 months before that witnessed
roughly around 8.9 million Americans playing pickleball. It is widely believed
that such an interest in pickleball is largely down to its accessibility and cost-effectiveness.
Earlier, Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard, who is
perhaps the most high-profile tennis player who has announced to become part of
both pickleball and tennis, expressed optimism in the past that she will be able
to get more fans to switch to a newer format.
“Wow, I would love to have accomplished really cool things
in pickleball,” she said back then. “I would have loved to help grow the sport.
I think if I can bring over some of my fanbase, tennis fans to pickle and even
vice versa, pickle to tennis."
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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