That family game caught on and is now the fastest-growing sport in America, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Pickleball can be played in singles or doubles, indoors or out. The rules are simple, and game play lasts only to 11 points. While you can really exert yourself playing, it’s nothing like running across a court and leaping into the air for a tennis ball, making it a true lifelong sport.

“There’s almost no age restriction,” said Devan Egan, owner and co-founder, Club Pickleball USA. “In other sports someone who’s really good will have a hard time having fun playing with someone who’s brand-new. Whereas in pickleball, the skilled player still has a good time with the beginner.” He credits pickleball’s short learning curve and inexpensive equipment for its welcoming character.

Even renowned tennis pros are getting in on pickleball. In 2023 John McEnroe said, “Pickleball sucks,” but found himself playing in a doubles tournament later that year. Pickleball Slam pitted McEnroe and Michael Chang against Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick for a $1 million purse, which Agassi and Roddick took home. On Feb. 4, 2024, Pickleball Slam 2 will match McEnroe and Maria Sharapova against Agassi and Stephanie Graf live on ESPN, with an amateur slam in the days preceding.