Tennis Strikes Back as Pickleball Claims More Courts

The turf war between tennis and pickleball is heating up as 10% of U.S. tennis courts have been repurposed for pickleball. With the rapid growth of pickleball participation, tensions are rising as both sports vie for court space. The USTA is concerned about tennis’s future and has initiated countermeasures, including Red Ball Tennis, to attract new players. Despite these efforts, the economic appeal of converting tennis courts into pickleball courts continues to drive the shift.

Pickleball’s meteoric rise, driven by a 223.5% increase in participation over the last three years, has put a strain on available court space, forcing tennis facilities to adapt. Private clubs, incentivized by the potential to host more players on pickleball courts, are converting tennis courts at an accelerating rate. Tennis leaders, including Novak Djokovic, are expressing concerns over the impact this could have on the long-term growth of tennis, as pickleball’s appeal grows.

In response, the USTA has been promoting Red Ball Tennis, a tennis-adjacent, low-impact game aimed at attracting casual players who enjoy the social and accessible aspects of pickleball. However, the question remains whether these initiatives will be enough to protect tennis from losing further ground to pickleball’s surging popularity.