The Racket Sport Rivalry

For more than a century, tennis has ruled the world of racket sports, crowned by global stars, billion-dollar tournaments, and a reputation for athletic and cultural prestige. Yet on courts from Miami to Madrid, quieter challengers are gaining ground. In this episode, we explore how padel and pickleball—easier to learn, more social, and especially appealing to older players—have surged in popularity, accelerated by the pandemic and changing leisure habits. As tennis loyalists bristle at the rise of these simpler games, the story echoes an old sporting cycle: today’s establishment once displaced its own predecessors. The question now is whether tennis can adapt to a shifting audience—or whether the future of racket sports belongs to its fast-growing rivals.https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/05/26/pickleball-and-padel-are-challenging-tenniss-supremacy