Nick Kyrgios gives his thoughts on whether pickleball is a threat to tennis
Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images Nick Kyrgios has long been one of tennis’s more polarising figures, and even when he’s not in the spotlight, there always seems to be something keeping him in the conversation. Injuries have taken their toll on the Aussie, pulling him further away from the main stage. He hasn’t yet found a way back to the kind of form that once made him such a threat on tour.
But there’s been an upside. Away from the daily grind of competition, Kyrgios has put his energy into new ventures outside of tennis. He’s started up a podcast called Good Trouble and has even begun making moves into pickleball.
Some people view it as a rival to tennis, but Kyrgios doesn’t see it that way. Instead, he’s used this new path to build partnerships and tell his story through Tennishead. Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images Nick Kyrgios shares his thoughts on whether pickleball will compete with tennis When asked if he thinks pickleball could become a serious threat to tennis, Kyrgios didn’t hesitate to dismiss the idea.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “They are very different games, and they shouldn’t try to compete. ” He went on to explain that the two sports don’t need to be at odds and suggested that there’s room for them to work together rather than one overtaking the other.
The 30-year-old added: “It would be unbelievable if, somehow, they came together and held joint events. I do think pickleball probably has a younger reach because it isn’t so ‘corporate,’ you can wear whatever and do whatever. ” There is clearly unfinished business with tennis, however, and Kyrgios exclusively outlined his plans for the French Open and Wimbledon to Tennishead as well.