Here is why Pickleball is quickly becoming the go-to sport in Chennai

“After badminton or tennis, there weren’t many racquet sports left to explore. Which is why pickleball has become such a sensation in Chennai. It is relatively easy to pick up,” says Shirisha Badri of Dugout, an adventure sports arena that introduced pickleball in May this year. “We have been asked to open as early as 6 a.m., though we start at 10.30 a.m. That’s how popular it is getting.”

Pickleball, played with paddles and lighter balls, thrives in indoor as well as outdoor arenas. Though it has been making its way around Chennai for a few years, it is now gaining momentum among young players. Ranjit of Picklers Arena in Chennai has an interesting take, “It’s an all-age sport, but I have been regularly seeing people in their 50s and 60s at my court. Some of them discovered pickleball while visiting their children in the U.S. and realised how easy it was to pick up. Now, slowly but surely, people of all ages are joining the game.”

Venues coming up

Conversations about the sport are heard all over the State, and not limited to Chennai. “New venues are coming up across the State. There are three pickleball courts in Coimbatore and two in Salem,” says K. Mohit Kumar, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association. He recalls his own initiation to the sport in 2019, playing in his garage with a family friend. “That day, I realised that pickleball had the potential to expand throughout Chennai and the other cities.”

Mr. Ranjit also shares his early vision for pickleball in Chennai, inspired by his experience in the U.S. “Over there, I noticed that some tennis courts were being converted into pickleball courts, causing a lot of controversy. So, when I decided to bring pickleball to Chennai, I wanted to create from scratch.” His three indoor pickleball courts at Iyyappanthangal feature a synthetic surface laid over bitumen.

Yohan, a teenager from the city who is also a tennis aficionado, recently tried pickleball and was pleasantly surprised. “It is especially fun to play with teams and I enjoyed it even when it was only my first match because the sport is not as stringent in rules as other sports. The older people also seem to like it because they can have their daily exercise and keep fit without having to exert themselves.”

A family game

Pickleball’s roots go back to the 1960s when it was a family game in the U.S., but its popularity in India took off only recently. “The COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call for many to prioritise their health, and that’s also when the pickleball conversations took off in some cities in India,” Mr. Kumar says about the trend. “In Chennai alone, over 500 pickleball enthusiasts are associated with the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association. It is community-driven, with regular tournaments in which many young players are competing at a professional level. We have been helping the venue owners design professional courts, organise tournaments, and encourage everyone to take up the sport while social media spreads the word. This sport is for all,” Mr. Kumar adds, confirming that pickleball is not another trending sport in passing, but here to stay.

Published - October 06, 2024 11:27 pm IST