Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors. It was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington.[1]
Aspects of the sport resemble tennis and table tennis, but pickleball has specific rules, paddles and court dimensions. The court is 44 feet (13.4m) long and 20 feet (6.1m) wide, and the paddle is larger than the one used in table tennis. The hard plastic ball used in pickleball produces less bounce than tennis balls. On each side of the net is a 7-foot area (2.1 m) known as the non-volley zone (or the kitchen); a player standing therein may not strike the ball until it has bounced. The rules specify side out scoring, where only the server side can score a point. The limited bounce, non-volley zones, and underhanded stroke, with which all serves are made, combined with hard drive shots and overhead smash shots, give the game a dynamic pace.[2]
After its introduction in 1965, pickleball became a popular sport in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and gradually grew in popularity elsewhere. By 2023 it was estimated to have over 8.9 million players in the United States.[3] For three years in a row, 2021, 2022, and 2023, the sport was named the fastest-growing sport in the United States by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The growing popularity of the sport has been attributed to its short learning curve, its appeal to a wide range of ages and fitness levels, and its low startup costs.
Two professional tours were established in the United States in 2019 and shortly thereafter two professional leagues were established. Pickleball is also growing in popularity outside the United States with a professional league already operating in Australia, and another being developed in India for the 2025/26 season.
