Pickleball could make it to Olympics sooner than we anticipate: Andre Agassi

Pickleball could make it to the Olympics sooner than expected, says eight-time Grand Slam winner and tennis legend Andre Agassi. Speaking at the launch of the Pickleball World Ranking (PWR) DUPR India League, Agassi highlighted the major reasons behind the game’s rapid growth, citing its inclusivity across all age groups and its affordability.

Agassi, the co-owner of Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), which claims to be the most accurate rating system in pickleball, emphasized the ease of learning the sport compared to tennis or cricket. “Pickleball is a sport that is mentally and physically stimulating and can be played by three generations of a family together,” he said.

Speaking about the success of pickleball in America, Agassi said, “We have 30 million people in America now playing it, more or less, and I promise you, it's still at its infancy.” He noted that the sport is growing rapidly in the US and has significant potential to gain popularity in India as the PWR-DUPR India League begins next month.

“Pickleball has also had a positive impact on tennis,” Agassi added. “I've seen many clubs throughout the United States that were struggling economically. They've taken one tennis court and turned it into three pickleball courts or two pickleball courts. All of a sudden, eight people are playing in the same space as one tennis game, and economically, they were able to stay alive.”

Encouraging parents to teach their children pickleball, Agassi said, “First of all, it's not going to make you go broke like other sports such as tennis. It's affordable. You can experience success early, which is great for a child's social development.”

The Pickleball World Rankings (PWR) previously organized the India Masters tournament in New Delhi in October 2024. The Mumbai leg of the PWR DUPR Indian League is set to start in January 2025 and will then move to Tsu, Japan. The league will continue its events across India throughout 2025, visiting Ahmedabad in March, Pune in June, Bengaluru in August, Hyderabad in September, New Delhi in October, and Chennai in November.

PWR, a collaborative effort between The Times Group and Pickleball League Asia, supported by the Indian Pickleball Association, the Asian Pickleball Association, and the Global Pickleball Federation, is playing a significant role in elevating India’s presence in the international pickleball community.