According to the USA Pickleball Association (USAP), this low-stakes game is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, with a reported 4.8 million new players since 2021.
Pickleball has caught on for a number of reasons, but mostly for the fact that it’s a fun way to exercise and easier to play than tennis because it requires less court space. There’s even evidence to indicate that playing pickleball can increase muscle strength and hand-eye coordination.
If you want to try it out for yourself, it’s fairly inexpensive to do so. Gameplay only requires a paddle and a ball, and you can make a court just about anywhere (including on a public tennis court).