Explained | What is pickleball, the sport that has taken the U.S. by storm? 

Despite its name, pickleball has nothing to do with pickles

The story so far: With 4.8 million players in the U.S., pickleball is now the fastest-growing sport in the country. According to the U.S. Pickleball Association, the sport has grown 39.3% in the past two years.

Pickleball incorporates components of tennis, table tennis, and badminton all into one. It can be played both indoors and outdoors, with standard court size the same as a badminton court or a modified tennis court.

The game is usually played as singles or doubles using paddles and a plastic ball with holes.

The U.S. Sports and Fitness Industry Association reported 1,193,000 college graduate pickleball participants in 2020. The sport grew 21.3% from 2019 to 2020.

Watch :2021 US Open Pickleball Men’s Singles Highlights

Currently there are around 10,000 places to play the sport in the U.S. Hotel chains like Marriott have also started providing venues to play pickleball on their properties.

From amateur events, the sport is now transitioning into well-structured professional leagues as well. The 2022 National Championships will be held between November 5 and November 13, 2022 in Holy Hill, Florida.