Nick Kyrgios is thrilled about the Pickleball Slam’s TV ratings exceeding the ratings of some noteworthy sporting events.
Pickleball has been touted as “the fastest growing sport” in the United States since 2020. Recently, an inaugural event called the “Pickleball Slam” - inspired by the Grand Slams in tennis - was held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Tennis legends Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and Michael Chang were invited to participate in the event, with a purse of $1 million.
The Slam was telecast on ESPN on Sunday, April 2 and as per new reports, the tournament surpassed the ratings generated by some major sporting events such as the NBA, NHL and MLB.
Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios expressed his excitement about the news on his social media.
“Exactly what I want to hear,” Nick Kyrgios wrote on his Instagram story.
Kyrgios has been actively promoting the paddle sport ever since he announced his investment in it. The Aussie athlete is the co-owner of sports team Miami Pickleball Club, alongside four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and other celebrities such as American footballer Patrick Mahomes and musician Kygo.
"Tennis is by far the toughest sport in the world" – Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios may have jumped on the pickleball bandwagon, but the athlete has maintained that tennis is the toughest sport in the world. Kyrgios recently revealed his opinion on social media in response to a discussion which suggested rugby as the toughest sport.
"Tennis is by far the toughest sport in the world. I'm not even kidding," Kyrgios wrote in response to a question if NRL is the toughest sport.
He backed his views by recalling his tightly fought 2017 Miami Open semifinal match against tennis legend Roger Federer, which went in the latter’s favor after a three-and-a-half hour intense battle.
"Anyone who thinks tennis is easy, goodluck. Match went for about 3 and a half hours," he wrote.
Nick Kyrgios has been part of some of the most memorable match-ups in the sport. He is, however, yet to make his presence felt in the on-going season. The Aussie is yet to play a single competitive match in 2023.
He has missed the entire first half of the hard court season and his only appearance has been in an exhibition match against Novak Djokovic on Rod Laver Area in the lead up to the Australian Open.
The 27-year-old, who was suffering from persistent knee discomfort, has been sidelined from the tennis courts due to knee surgery. Kyrgios has been recuperating ever since and has been posting training updates with fans on social media. Nonetheless, the athlete is yet to announce a return date.