"Dumbest game" - Serena Williams' ex-coach mocks Pickleball after video of a verbal spat between teams over winner goes viral
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs has always expressed her contempt for pickleball and voiced her strong views once again.
At the 2022 PPA Championships in Vegas, Leigh Waters and Anna Leigh Waters took on Yana Grechkina Newell and Regina Franco Goldberg in the women's doubles quarterfinal.
During the match, Leigh Waters faced a series of lobs as she found it difficult to return with the blazing sun blinding her. At one point, she got furious with her opponents' tactics and looked to pick a fight, before being held back by her teammate.
Her opponents could be heard asking her to calm down as it was just a strategy.
Rennae Stubbs, who coached Serena Williams for a brief period last year, shared a video of the incident and mocked both Leigh Waters and the sport.
"Imagine playing a sport where u get upset with your opponents for playing a shot that wins them the point! Dumbest game even," she wrote on her Instagram stories.
"Also Karen calm down," she added.
Rennae Stubbs' dislike for pickleball is well documented. She once remarked that she would rather watch paint dry than spend time on pickleball.
When news of investments by Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka, and Kim Clijsters, among others, in America's Major League Pickleball (MLP) broke out, she took to social media to express her strong dislike for the sport. She also stated that she was not a fan of tennis stars investing in it.
"Just to let everyone know, I will NOT be investing in a Pickleball franchise & will never turn a tv on to watch Pickleball. I would rather watch paint dry. Why all these tennis players think Pickleball is worth investing in & not the game that made them all the $$$ is beyond me," she tweeted.
Just to let everyone know, I will NOT be investing in a Pickleball franchise & will never turn a tv on to watch Pickleball. I would rather watch pain dry. Why all these tennis players think Pickleball is worth investing in & not the game that made them all the $$$ is beyond me.
Later, when several former tennis players geared up to participate in the Pickleball Slam, she accused them of taking to the sport only for the money on offer.
John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Michael Chang headlined the first-ever Pickleball Slam at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, on April 2. In the singles contest, McEnroe took on Agassi while Roddick faced Chang.
Later, McEnroe and Chang teamed up against Agassi and Roddick in the doubles. The winners would share a $1 million prize money pool.
Stubbs again took to social media to criticize the former players for promoting pickleball for money.
"Pickleball (NFT/Crypto bros) throwing sh*t tons of money at some of the greats of the tennis game to give it credibility. They all think it's a joke and embarrassing but they're happily taking their money," Serena Williams' former coach tweeted.
Pickleball (NFT/Crypto bros) throwing shit tons of money at some of the greats of the tennis game to give it credibility. They all think it's a joke and embarrassing but theyre happily taking their money. twitter.com/fangsbites/sta…
Serena Williams: "I love pickleball"
While Rennae Stubbs remains unconvinced by pickleball, her former charge Serena Williams loves the sport. In a conversation with Ellen DeGeneres last year, Williams joked that she could see herself taking to pickleball as her second career.
"I love pickleball. Isn't it fun? And I love that it's everywhere now. That could be a second career of mine too," she said.
When she was told about the sport not offering as much money as tennis, she joked that she would stick to tennis only.
"True [the money isn't as good]. Imma stay in tennis then," Serena Williams added.
On being told that a lot of people who play tennis disliked pickleball, she said they were being too serious and stated that she loved pickleball as she doesn't have to run much, in comparison to tennis.
"I love it, it's a lot less running. Those people [who hate the sport] are too serious," she stated.