I used to be a tennis purist. What’s pickleball? Platform tennis? Padel?!
It seemed as if a new racquet sport was being rolled out every week. I was
averse to anything new; anything intruding on tennis’ territory. The first time
I played platform tennis, “Awe, this is stupid. These screens make no sense.
It’s too cold anyway!” When I tried pickleball, “The ball has to bounce twice?
What are these three numbers? Anybody can do this, it’s too easy.” While I
personally don’t think anything will ever overtake my lifelong passion for
tennis, I am now in a place of acceptance of the times. Tennis isn’t the only
show in town anymore, and that’s okay. We have to be able to make room for new
and exciting things to grow, whether that be in racquet sports or in life in
general. Although pickleball, platform tennis and padel aren’t traditionally
‘new,’ they have seen a more recent rise in popularity comparative with tennis.
Technically, pickleball and platform tennis have been around for decades, but,
specifically pickleball, have not come into the forefront until more recent
times. Racquet sports programs and its coaches have now become more versatile
because of the growing interest in other sports besides tennis. Tennis will
always be there, the mainstay, the old guard, but in these times we have to
create room for some new flavor.
If you would have told me seven or eight years ago, when I reentered the tennis coaching business that I would now be certified to teach tennis, pickleball and platform tennis, I would have probably asked
you, 1.) what is pickleball? and 2.) I barely know anything about platform
tennis and have maybe seen one court in passing. But here I stand towards the
end of 2025, having experience playing and teaching all three of these racquet
sports. My 2017 self would have definitely shunned any other racquet sport and
probably laughed at a game like pickleball. But as I got more involved and
interested in these other sports, I came to appreciate them for what they are in
their own right. They aren’t tennis, and we shouldn’t make them out to be or
constantly compare one to the other. They are their own sport, each with their
own unique skill set that certainly has transferrable aspects between all of
them. There is a traditional groundstroke in tennis that can be akin to a drive
in either pickleball or platform tennis. Each sport has volleys and overheads up
at the net, although imploring slightly different strategies and techniques
between them. Pickleball and platform only have one serve, with pickleball being
an upward swing. Tennis and padel have two serves, with tennis being the
traditional overhead swing and padel being more of a slice, cut downward swing.
Padel and platform tennis have enclosed courts, with glass and wire screens for
each, respectively. That creates play off of both the playing surface and the
surrounding barriers, a wrinkle that neither tennis nor pickleball have. The
equipment for each, including the type of ball and racquet or paddle, is unique
to each sport. The pickleball equipment is much lighter than the others, as it
uses a plastic paddle and ‘wiffle-like’ ball. Platform tennis has a heavier ball
to bounce through those cold conditions, and padel uses a slightly deflated
tennis ball but is accentuated by the turf surface. As you can see, all of these
different racquet sports have their own touch and flair that none of the others
possess.
I think that it’s time for all tennis purists to loosen their grips and
come to terms with the ever-changing racquet sports landscape. As someone who
was in that camp not too long ago, I get the sentiment. You’re resistant to any
major change, and feel it would be betraying your undying loyalty to the ‘king
of racquet sports.’ But, it is a smart business, as well as personal, decision
to embrace these other sports instead of resisting them. Go get certified to
teach another racquet sport. Play a pickleball tournament. Join a padel open
play. Once you give them a shot, I’m sure you’ll come to the same conclusion
that I did. Any positive momentum for the racquet sports industry as a whole
should not be pushed aside, rather it should be embraced and supported by the
people involved the most.
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