"First taking over the courts, then the tournaments", "Get that grandma sh*t out" - Pickleball being included at Miami Open 2024 angers tennis fans

The inclusion of pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, in the 2024 Miami Open has angered tennis fans.

The paddle sport experienced a remarkable surge in popularity across the United States. It also earned the distinction of being the fastest-growing sport in the country. As a testament to its rising fame, the Pickleball Slam was introduced last year.

The 2024 Miami Open which is played at the iconic Hard Rock Stadium will begin on March 17 and go on until March 31. The organizers recently announced that this year's tournament will introduce a wheelchair event and will also see the inclusion of Major League Pickleball (MLP). It will be the first time that both events are incorporated into any 1000 series tournament.

MLP will begin from March 27 to 29. The event will showcase a pro-am and two-day tournament, featuring a star-studded lineup of 16 of the world's best players.

Despite being pleased with the addition of a wheelchair event, tennis fans expressed their discontent regarding the inclusion of pickleball. They took to social media to voice their displeasure.

Venting their frustrations, one fan voiced concerns about the potential dominance of this paddle sport, fearing it would gradually replace tennis on both the courts and the tournaments which people love.

"So this is how it ends, first taking over the courts I love and then the tournaments," a fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another fan expressed their support for the addition of a wheelchair event, but was perplexed by the inclusion of the paddle sport which according to them is played by grandmothers.

"I’m all for wheelchair tennis…but why in the hell are they adding pickleball? Get that grandma sh*t out of here," the fan posted.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

Pickleball Slam 2023 outperformed MLB, NBA, and NHL in TV ratings

John McEnroe Debuting OWL Paddle

The 2023 Pickleball Slam saw the participation from American tennis legends, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, and Michael Chang. The matches took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and the tournament also had a $1 million prize purse.

The tournament was broadcast live on ESPN US. According to Yahoo News, ESPN's coverage of the Slam attracted a viewership of 237,000 adults under the age of 50, surpassing the viewership of 13 nationally televised MLB, NBA and NHL games.

The Slam even outperformed several international soccer matches, including those from the Premier League, Liga MX, Bundesliga, and MLS.

The second edition of the Slam will commence on February 4, 2024. The main event is a mixed-doubles clash between the legendary pairs of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, and John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova.