Played on a court that is 6.1 metres x 13.41 metres (the same size as a badminton court), Pickleball has a low net, underarm serves, and a non-volley zone known as “the kitchen”.
It has had stratospheric uptake in the US, where the number of people playing the sport grew to more than 37 million in the year to August 2022, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals.
MLP started in 2021 after the pickleball craze took off. It consists of 24 teams – 12 in its premier level and 12 in challenger level. NBA stars James and Michael Jordan, Kyrgios, musician Drake and Naomi Osaka have all invested in pro-teams, while Australia’s top pickleball player, Sarah Burr, was drafted by Arizona Drive – which counts American swimming legend Michael Phelps and NBA star Devin Booker among its major investors.
People play pickleball on newly installed courts in Central Park, New…
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