Pickleball is different now

Vietnamese people have known about the concept of pickleball for only a few years, but no one thought that this sport, which is more than half a century old, would develop so quickly in the S-shaped strip of land. From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, pickleball can be heard everywhere, along with the proliferation of tournaments at many different levels.

From the fever

There are no complete statistics yet, but it is estimated that the pickleball community in Vietnam has about 15,000 regular players, a dream number. Much easier to play than tennis, badminton or table tennis, pickleball does not require much in terms of strength, speed, physical strength, body shape... The court also does not require too much space because a tennis court can be converted into a 4-sided pickleball court, serving more players.

With affordable costs, pickleball helps young people quickly catch up with new sports trends, while meeting both real and virtual needs, from costumes, equipment to the ability to win tournaments suitable for their level.

Pickleball is currently the most popular and favorite sport in Vietnam. (Photo: HOANG TRIEU)

Statistics from research firms show that in the third quarter of 2024 alone, total revenue from products with the keyword "pickleball" reached nearly 23 billion VND in the Vietnamese market, an increase of 149.5% compared to the previous quarter.

It is not difficult to see that the development of pickleball in Vietnam has a remarkable mark from the professional and amateur athletes who have continuously achieved success in domestic and international tournaments. It is also necessary to mention the acumen of many event organizing companies when bringing a series of world-class tennis players such as Ben Johns, Andre Agassi, Andrei Daescu, Jack Socks, Eugenie Bouchard, Tyson McGuffin... to Vietnam, participating in a series of official events and invitational tournaments, creating a fever in the pickleball community.

Come to the costume controversy

There was a time when pickleball was considered a new form of entertainment where men could indulge all day at the practice field with many "indecent" or "pretentious" girls. Many actors and models "checked in" at the pickleball practice field in sexy outfits, causing a stir in the online community.

Dressing nicely and fashionably on the practice field is a legitimate need of players. However, it is unfair to give pickleball a bad reputation just because of a few cases of "over-dressing".

Pickleball fashion, like tennis, badminton or any other sport, always prioritizes comfort for the athlete. Pickleball players have to move a lot, so the outfit needs to be convenient, comfortable, and sweat-absorbent. And of course, the aesthetic factor must be taken into account. While traditional tennis fashion tends to be classic white, pickleball is breaking many stereotypes. Bright colors, fun patterns, and personality are what many fashion brands have been pursuing, contributing to improving the image of tennis players, aiming for beauty both on and off the court.

Pickleball is currently not regulated by any unified organization, so no one should expect any rules to hinder creativity in this "hot-trend" sport.

Need to be energized

From the story of two former table tennis players Ly Minh Triet and Ly Minh Tan winning the first international tournament in Indonesia, up to now, the Vietnamese pickleball community has seen many talented players, many of whom have switched from tennis. They have won many events, from invitational tournaments to official tournaments.

No one has yet imagined how much "hot" pickleball will become when more and more tournaments are held with very high total prize values, not to mention many accompanying artifacts. If Andre Agassi, Ben Johns came to Vietnam with the goal of inspiring, then great players like Jack Sock, Eugenie Bouchard, Andrei Daescu... traveled to many cities to compete and perform live on television, perhaps it should be considered that it is time for pickleball to receive all favorable conditions to develop.

Pickleball is different now, hopefully it will create momentum for the development of a suitable sport, a new strength of Vietnamese sports.

Invitation to participate in the 1st Pickleball Tournament of Lao Dong Newspaper - 2025

The tournament will be held on June 14 at THE 8386 Pickleball Club (No. 71 National Highway 13, Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) with a total cash and in-kind prize of nearly 160 million VND.

There are 2 groups for ages 18-39 and 40 and over, competing in men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. There is no age limit for guest artist pairs. The level of the pairs participating in the tournament is regulated as follows: women's doubles maximum 4.5; mixed doubles maximum 5.0 and men's doubles maximum 5.5.

The tournament officially opens for registration from April 1 to June 10.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/pickleball-nay-da-khac-196250419193751221.htm