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Tennis fans reacted strongly to a recent report detailing the increase in healthcare costs for Americans caused by pickleball-related injuries.
The growing popularity of pickleball, particularly in the United States, has been a bone of contention among fans and journalists alike, with significant concerns raised over the newly emerging racket sport potentially displacing tennis.
Several tennis players have also tried their hand at the sport, with Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, and Michael Chang, among others, even competing in the inaugural Pickleball Slam in April. The event, which coincided with the Miami Open final between Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner, caused frustration among fans who criticized ESPN for prioritizing coverage for the Pickleball Slam over the Masters 1000 final.
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On June 27, American journalist Jon Weisenthal took to social media to share details from a report published by Bloomberg, which used the findings from UBS Group AG analysts to determine how injuries caused by pickleball were driving up healthcare costs.
The findings indicated that pickleball's player base had grown by 150% in 2023, resulting in an estimated $377 million in medical expenses associated to the sport.
Several fans poked fun at the people getting injured while playing a relatively slow-paced sport.
"If you get injured playing pickleball you should be put down like a racehorse with a broken leg," a fan tweeted.
"Pickleball players are the type to go to the emergency room with a sprained ankle," another user commented.
Other fans joked that the report had been funded by the tennis media to hinder the growth of pickleball.
"This is Big Tennis propaganda," a fan posted.
"This study was funded by the Tennis Industrial Complex," another fan chimed in.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
A brief look at what tennis players have said about pickleball
Following his participation in the Pickleball Slam, Andre Agassi expressed his love for the sport and disclosed his intention to continue playing it beyond the event.
"But there's tens of millions of people playing the game for obvious reasons. They love it. And I'm one of them. I'm going to play beyond this event just because I've learned it's a great form of exercise outlet," he said.
Andy Roddick also shared his delight at the growth of pickleball. However, he remained skeptical about its viewership potential as a televised sport.
"Everyone likes it instantly. It’s pretty well-regarded by people that play it,” Roddick stated. “But you also don’t know if it will ever translate to TV and be a very watchable product without knowing the ins and outs and nuances that, frankly, I don’t know that people have the time to learn."
Agassi suffered a singles defeat to John McEnroe (15-13, 16-14) in the Pickleball Slam. However, he bounced back to claim a doubles win over McEnroe and Chang (21-15, 21-23, 12-10), alongside Roddick.
