Nearly 20 million people played pickleball in US in 2024, new report says

Pickleball players play at a Pickleball Kingdom location

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Pickleball was the fastest growing sport in America last year. That probably sounds familiar because it’s the fourth straight year that’s been the case. There were an estimated 19.8 million players in the U.S. in 2024, an increase of 45.8% from the previous year and a 311% jump […]

Opinion: Community and inclusivity aspects fuel pickleball’s rise despite tennis friction

A pickleball court with tennis courts in the background.

Editor’s note: This piece was originally posted in The Kitchen’s Facebook group by reader Jacob Bijo. Pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the world, has captured the hearts of millions with its unique blend of fun, accessibility and community spirit. But as its popularity soars, it faces an unexpected adversary: the tennis community. From dismissing it […]

Opinion: Ben Johns might be better off with Andrei Daescu moving forward

We’ve now seen a month’s worth of play from Ben Johns with men’s doubles partners not named Collin, and much like the second half of 2024 with his brother, the results have been a mixed bag. He’s teamed up with three different men’s players in four tournaments since he and Collin won the PPA Tour […]

What pickleball players can learn from table tennis

A ping pong paddle and a pickleball paddle against a pickleball court background

Pickleball and table tennis may seem like distant cousins—one played on a small table, the other on a larger court—but if you’ve ever watched an elite table tennis player step onto a pickleball court, you know the transition can be scarily smooth. The fast hands. The wicked spin. The ability to read opponents and shape […]

Poaching in pickleball: A doubles strategy that wins points

A pickleball player about to poach a ball, opening up expectations and patterns to manipulate later in the game.

While focusing on your shots and form at any level is advised, part of any pickleball strategy needs to consider what your opponent sees. After all, pickleball is about patterns, which means pattern disruption can be the difference during any given point. Take this footage from my latest rec sesh as an example: In this footage […]

Prison pickleball turns violent for convicted killer Scott Peterson

An aerial view of Mule Creek State Prison

Pickleball is supposed to be a game that builds community, even inside a maximum-security prison. But for convicted murderer Scott Peterson, a match at Mule Creek State Prison turned violent. TMZ reports that Peterson, 51, was attacked by a fellow inmate on March 9 while playing pickleball. The fight allegedly started when Peterson hit the […]