Novak Djokovic To Play Pickleball Ahead Of U.S. Open After Saying It ‘Endangered’ Tennis

In a surprising turn of events, tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who recently criticized pickleball for “endangering” tennis, is set to play a pickleball match against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The match will take place during The HEAD NYC Mash Up, just days before Djokovic defends his U.S. Open title. This move highlights the growing popularity of pickleball, even among top tennis players, despite Djokovic’s earlier concerns that the sport’s rise could threaten tennis at the club level. The event will also feature two-time major tennis champion Barbora Krejcikova, adding further star power to the crossover between the two sports.

Djokovic’s comments last month at Wimbledon underscored his worry that tennis might lose ground to pickleball and padel, especially at the grassroots level, due to their cost-effectiveness and rising popularity. However, despite his earlier reservations, Djokovic now joins the ranks of other tennis greats like John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, and Andre Agassi, who have embraced pickleball. The participation of Djokovic in a pickleball match, especially ahead of a major tennis event like the U.S. Open, is seen by some as a potential boost to both sports, promoting racquet sports in general.

As Djokovic heads to New York, he seeks his record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, which would surpass Margaret Court’s all-time record. Some, like former British No. 1 Tim Henman, believe that Djokovic’s recent Olympic gold might free him up mentally, allowing him to play with less pressure and possibly dominate at the U.S. Open.