Tennis goes on the offensive to stop the rise of ‘hideous’ pickleball

According to the Associated Press, Hainline expressed concern that tennis courts are increasingly being used for pickleball.

“It was a great, organic grassroots movement,” Hairnline said of the rise of pickleball, “but it was a little anti-tennis.”

The Associated Press points out that while pickleball was played at the French Open in May, it was frowned upon at the U.S. Open currently being held in Queens.

And the USTA is going on the offensive with a new game of its own: red ball tennis. According to the USTA’s website, the USTA plans to offer the game as a pilot project this spring. The game features a smaller, strung racket, a lower net and a larger, less compressed ball.

It’s best played on pickleball courts, Hainline told AP.

The head of the US Pickleball Association did not seem concerned about the prospect of being able to play on red ball pickleball courts.

“I don’t like it, but there’s so much happening in pickleball, so many good things. I’m going to stick with what I can control, take advantage of the growth and support this game,” Mike Nealy, CEO of Pickleball USA, told AP.

There is a third competing game: Padel. While padel is becoming increasingly popular, it is played on larger enclosed courts, meaning it does not compete in the same turf wars.

Neither the USTA nor USA Pickleball immediately responded to Business Insider’s request for comment.