Can you name one thing that tennis has done in the past 2 years to counter the threat from padel and pickleball? - Mark Petchey flags increasing popularity of fun racquet sports
The growing popularity of racquet sports such as pickleball and padel and its possible impact on the game of tennis was highlighted by former player and coach Mark Petchey. The Brit opined that administrators weren't doing enough to counter the threat from other racquet sports.
Petchey, who now works as a television commentator and analyst, also came up with a few suggestions to try and make the sport of tennis appealing to viewers.
@rennaestubbs @ClubLeftTennis @TennisChannel With the obvious growing interest in Pickleball and Padel and not just here in the USA but UK/Worldwide plus eSports can you name one thing that tennis has done in the past 2 years to counter the threat that you have to be an ostrich to not see? More content for TV companies 1/2
@rennaestubbs @ClubLeftTennis @TennisChannel At events or behind the scenes with players at home? Off season content that is cool? More access to players at events? Top players more accessible to come to the various TV desks on site? Coach interviews mid match to get some insights? I’ll wait….
"With the obvious growing interest in Pickleball and Padel and not just here in the USA but UK/Worldwide plus eSports can you name one thing that tennis has done in the past 2 years to counter the threat that you have to be an ostrich to not see? More content for TV companies.," Petchey said.
"At events or behind the scenes with players at home? Off season content that is cool? More access to players at events? Top players more accessible to come to the various TV desks on site? Coach interviews mid match to get some insights? I’ll wait," he added.
The former player and coach went on to elaborate that the "threat" posed by padel and pickelball would force tennis to make changes, thereby improving the sport and its outreach.
@rennaestubbs @ClubLeftTennis @TennisChannel There is so much that could be done and I am delighted with the threat pickleball and Padel poses because at some point tennis is going to be forced to make its product the best it can be for the era it’s now involved in its going to be even more niche
The sport of padel is governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP), according to whom the game is played by over 25 million people across 90 countries. Padel is currently played by six million people in Spain, making it the second-most popular sport in the country after football.
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As for pickelball, the game was invented in 1965 according to uspickleball.org, which describes the game as one that is "easy to start but hard to stop."
How popular is tennis vis-a-vis other sports in the USA and the UK?
Tennis ranks as the sixth most popular sport in the USA as per estimates.
Taylor Fritz is the only American currently in the top-10 of the ATP rankings, unlike past decades that featured multiple Grand Slam champions like Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi (among others) at the World No. 1 spot.
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff currently feature in the top-10 of the WTA rankings but are yet to win a Grand Slam title. The last American woman to win a Grand Slam title was Sofia Kenin, while Andy Roddick was the last American man to clinch a Major title.
@rennaestubbs The real problem with tennis in the USA is its declining popularity. Grand Slams are being moved to streaming and secondary sites, and the Tennis channel..
You have mens Golf every weekend on broadcast TV, or main sports cable channels..
American football (NFL) ranks as the most-watched sport in the USA, followed by baseball (MLB). Basketball (NBA) currently stands third with ice hockey (NHL) coming in fourth.
Football is the most popular sport in the UK, followed by cricket and rugby according to sportsbrowser.net while tennis comes in fifth after rugby. Cameron Norrie is the only Brit in the top-10.