Today's Crossword: The newest racket sport is aspiring for the Olympics: Pickleball!
We find a new sport that rose in popularity during the pandemic, in our Crossword
If you pick up a racket, there are a number of games you can play – tennis, badminton, squash, and several others. But a new type of racket sport is quickly becoming popular and joining the big leagues: pickleball!
Click start to play today’s Crossword and test your knowledge of racket sports.
A mash-up of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, pickleball saw a meteoric rise in the US during the pandemic, as Americans looked for new ways to stay active. According to the US-based Sport and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), it grew by 21.3 per cent last year alone. The growing sport has a governing body – USA Pickleball – and even has Olympic aspirations.
The objective of the game, like many racket sports, involves using a paddle-shaped racket to get a perforated plastic ball over the net, and to prevent one’s opponent from hitting it back. Invented in 1965 by US Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend while they were on holiday, the game was an attempt to entertain their bored children using whatever items were available at hand.
And that’s the best part about it – it’s easy to play and it's a sociable sport, so anyone, from your grandpa to your littlest nephew, can pick up a paddle and be part of a round of pickleball.
According to a March 2021 report by the UK-based news organisation BBC, even though the sport is popular among older people, youngsters are its biggest drivers. They are embracing it with enthusiasm and are most likely to become professional players.
But currently, the sport has 4.1 million players around the world, according to SFIA – still a fraction, compared to the 21.5 million who play tennis. And to be recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at least 70 countries must have established pickleball federations. Currently, 28 countries are signed up as member countries of the World Pickelball Federation. So, there’s still a ways to go!
Would you try your hand at pickleball? Play today’s Crossword and let us know at games@gulfnews.com.