Can Tennis And Pickleball Co-Exist?
Pickleball and tennis are in a growing turf war. Some local tennis courts are becoming overrun by new sports enthusiasts. The sound of a tennis ball bouncing around is being replaced by paddles and the booming of a plastic Wiffle twack! With growing animosity between the two camps, can tennis and Pickleball co-exist?
There is enough room on the green asphalt for tennis and Pickleball. Tennis and Pickleball can co-exist. Tennis has been able to share courts with other racket games, and Pickleball should join the list. With rules regarding sound adhered to, tennis and Pickleball can co-exist peaceably.
Tennis courts have begun to accommodate Pickleball, but tennis players have griped against the new sport that has dropped onto the scene. Watching this sport blossom is an exciting experience. The pickleball invasion is here, and this unique sport isn’t going anywhere soon.
Tennis And Pickleball Sharing Courts
There is a way for the two sports to work together. It should be exciting to watch a new sport grow, and the court has room for both tennis and Pickleball. The tennis community simply needs to give Pickleball a chance.
Tennis players and Pickleballers will have to find a compromise as the demand for more Pickleball courts is skyrocketing. Pickleball isn’t a direct threat to tennis; the players simply need space to enjoy their pastime while enjoying more respect and community space.
Pickleball may not be recognized as an official sport yet, but over one million Americans have played it to date.
Pickleball has even caught the eye of celebrities. Those who have already picked up a paddle include the Kardashians and Bill and Melinda Gates. A segment of the Kardashians playing Pickleball aired on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, bringing the sport into the spotlight.
Pickleball may be stepping on the white tennis shoe-clad community that has already established itself as tennis players see their courts shrink into smaller spaces, with new lines and nets accommodating Pickleball players.
Yet even with Pickleball being a relatively new sport compared to other racket games, which have been around for far longer, tennis players are less welcoming. Tennis has opened and shared its courts with other sports in the past. Pickleball threatens tennis players and is an uncomfortable new presence on their terrain.
Among the games played on tennis courts are badminton, dodgeball, and many others.
Eventually, tennis players and Pickleballers will have to find a compromise as the demand for more Pickleball courts is skyrocketing throughout different communities. Pickleball isn’t a direct threat to tennis; the players simply need a space to enjoy their pastime.
Tennis And Pickleball, How They Differ
The fact that it lends so much to other racket sports may contribute to all the hate directed at Pickleball.
Pickleball is not a blatant rip-off of other racketing sports. Instead, it has been molded and borrowed to create an improved, more accessible sport. The game is also slower-paced, and there’s less ground to cover than tennis, making it more understandable for beginners.
Pickleball combines three sports – badminton, tennis, and ping-pong. The game borrows rules from other racket sports to create its own rules and regulations.
Pickleball is not like tennis at all. The look, rules, and equipment are distinctive from tennis. Pickleball is easy to play, and Pickleball players welcome newcomers.
The game uses a plastic Wiffle-like ball, which results in a lower bounce and better ball control. A pickleball game involves players serving underhand, which is easier to return and hit. A pickleball paddle is easy to handle versus a tennis racket due to its shorter, lighter, and smaller design.
Pickleball is an inside and outside sport and requires less space than a tennis court. The pickleball court is approximately the same size as a badminton or basketball court. In Pickleball, a new player can enter the court and walk off with the title of ‘new Pickle champion’ within a day.
Pickleball Is Really Noisey
Pickleball has a significant drawback when it comes to noise. No longer are the courts littered with the echo of grunts nor the familiar sounds or dull thud a tennis ball makes against the tight strings of a racket.
Instead, the sound of a pickleball striking a paddle is loud, sharp, and noisy – about 20 -25 decibels louder than a soft tennis ball striking a tennis racket.
Anyone who lives near a Pickleball court is bound to understand why the constant noise of swatting Pickleballs on the courts can be extremely frustrating and irritating! Not to mention the players calling out to each other throughout the game! As multiple games occur during the day, it is understandable why hearing Pickleball constantly could become an issue to local residents.
Finding A Solution To Pickleball’s Noise Problem
As Pickleball’s popularity has soared, more courts and resources are sought by Pickleball players, leaving parks and recreation departments with the issue of keeping both sides, players and local residents, happy.
There has been a growing backlash against Pickleball in communities across the country. For those in residential areas, it’s a nuisance. Homeowners and residents near courts report noise-induced stress and anxiety-provoking for residents. Some places have banned it due to complaints of noise.
The noise is another issue among tennis players. Tennis requires focus to keep an eye on the ball, hence why the crowd is silent in professional matches. A split-second interruption in a game or a break in attention could potentially mean losing a match. The noise has caused quite a pickle.
There are ways to reduce the noise caused by the game. A court owner must know where Pickleball games are placed and determine whether it is within earshot of anyone. Rules, set playing times, and sound-proofing rooms are all viable options to accommodate Pickleballers while appeasing the local residents.
These suggestions are scraping the surface of solutions to an issue that will grow as Pickleball becomes increasingly popular. Pickleball and tennis players should discuss how to accommodate both sports.
Conclusion
The sports scape is constantly changing. Other sports have shared and made space. If tennis courts have rules and regulations on pickleball noise issues, there is no reason why they cannot exist together.
