Pickleball, a light, innovative and addictive pickleball sport

A cross between tennis, table tennis, padel and badminton, pickleball is a racket sport that will please athletes who love lightness and dynamism. This fun game has seen a huge increase in popularity over the past ten years. It is starting to become more popular in France.

What is pickleball?

Pickleball was invented in 1965 in the United States, specifically on Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Seattle (Washington State).

Its creators were looking for a different kind of fun racket sport whose rules were easy to understand. They tested different ways of playing (over a badminton net, hitting the ball on a hard surface, etc.) before making their decision.

A few fun details: The name of the system comes from the family dog, Pickle, who loved to chase a ball! A dog that will see his name passed on to future generations…

Pickleball can be played indoors or outdoors, singles or doubles. More than just punching power or speed, this sport requires precision and strategy in order to surprise your opponent.

It is important to be in good position on the ground rather than using your strength. In addition, the long and lively exchanges will appeal to all those who like a challenge.

How is pickleball played?

As for equipment, you should have a perforated plastic ball, also called a whisk ball. It weighs only 7 grams, approximately five times less than a tennis ball. This is also why pickleball in France is called “light tennis”.

A double badminton court and a tennis-like net are used. Typical snowshoes are generally 40 cm high and 20 wide and are very light.

To play pickleball, it takes two or four people. The serve is performed by moving the racket from bottom to top (tennis spoon serve).

As with most racket sports, the aim of the game is to send the ball over the net and into the opponent's playing area, without the latter being able to intercept it.

The match was decided with eleven points, with the need to advance by two points to achieve victory.

There are some rules for pickleball. One of the rules of double bouncing is: The ball must bounce once on the floor before you can return it. In addition, it is necessary to be far enough away from the net, in the no-go zone (2.13 meters on either side of the net), to be able to hit the ball.

Here's a video to see how the match goes

If you are interested in this sport, go to the Pickleball France website, the National Association of Pickleball France. There you will find information such as where to play, equipment as well as tournaments and events.