Several former and current tennis players from United States and other countries are switching to sport called pickleball. The sport of pickleball is gaining popularity rapidly in the US and across the world. Jack Sock, Kaitlyn Christian, Sam Querrey and Donald Young are some of the American tennis players who have been signed into Carvana PPA Pickleball Tour.
Sock has announced that he would retire from tennis after 2023 US Open. To the surprise of many, Sock is retiring at the age of only 30 years while senior tennis players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic continue to play the game.
One of the reasons for switching to pickleball is that the sport is less demanding on the body. As pickleball becomes more popular, it will draw sponsors and huge number of spectators, thus narrowing the pay gap as compared to a sport like tennis.
The 2023 Carvana PPA Tour to which the tennis players have switched to for playing pickleball, has a total prize money purse of $5.5 million. Moreover, the official website of the tour promises equal play and pay to top male and female players.
ALSO READ| Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem: Is Javelin Throw the emerging battleground in sports between India and Pakistan?
All about Pickleball
Pickleball is sort of a combination of tennis, table tennis and badminton and the game was invented in 1965.It is played on a rectangular court measuring 44 foot by 20 feet with a flat paddle and a perforated plastic ball. The height of the net that divides the court at the center is 34 inches.
It can be played with two players(singles) or four players(doubles). It is the fastest growing sports in the United States.
www.hindustantimes.com
Source link