Pickleball, one of the fastest growing sports across the world, has firmly sunk its teeth into Kolkata. The game is simple, inclusive and fun, so, it’s no wonder that the sport is a trend that is here to stay. Speaking to players, enthusiasts and court owners, My Kolkata brings you the lowdown about how pickleball has caught the fancy of the city. If you are curious about the sport and how or where to play it, we’ve got you covered!
Origins of the game
It is quite interesting to learn that the lack of badminton equipment led to a whole new sport being invented. In 1965, Joel Pritchard was at his Bainbridge Island home in Washington. After a round of golf with his friend, Pritchard wanted to use the badminton court at the old property, but couldn’t find the equipment. Along with his mate Bill Bell, they managed to find a plastic ball and ping pong paddles and started making rules. Over time, the rules were finalised and today the game is a global sensation. Read this for the history of the game.
Kolkatans across demographics have taken to the sport
How to play? Who’s playing the sport?
Unlike some other sports, pickleball doesn’t require much equipment. And most of what it needs is readily available. From rackets to balls, you can find it all online easily. The ball itself is made of plastic and has either 24 or 40 holes in it, making the ball much slower than a tennis or table tennis ball once it comes off the racket. The ideal pickleball racket would be right in between the size of a TT or tennis racket. A completely plain surface, with no rubber pads like TT rackets or strung ones that are used for tennis, pickleball rackets are made from carbon fibre or wood.
From Leonardo DiCaprio to Drew Barrymore, and even popstar Taylor Swift, the game has rooted itself deep into the hearts of several celebrities who want to play a sport without risking injury much. Closer to home, power couple Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal, too, have taken quite a liking to the sport.
The ball used in pickleball has 24 or 40 holes and is made from hard plastic, while the paddles are made from wood or carbon fibre
The game itself is quite easy paced and fun for everyone. Unlike other sports that require you to be fit and young, pickleball is something that can be played across ages. The lack of physical and technical attributes required make it a sport that is simple to pick up and fun to the point of being addictive. “I am from a tennis background and my friends play other sports like badminton or squash. I couldn’t play them and they wouldn’t play mine. So, pickleball is common ground… it’s just easy for everyone” said Manish Sikri, secretary of the Bengal Pickleball Association, when asked why the sport is becoming such a craze.
Even those with back, knee or elbow trouble can play this sport without worrying about getting injured. Those who have been wanting to play sports to socialise can also use pickleball as a ‘networking sport’.
Where to play pickleball in Kolkata
Ballygunge Arena has two indoor courts, with more in the pipeline
Currently, there are 32 functional courts in the city, with new courts opening almost every week. With indoor air-conditioned and outdoor options, some of the major venues include:
- Turf XL: four courts in New Alipore, one in Sector V
- Stadel, House of Sow, Silver Spring and Sky Turf: single court each
- Ballygunge Arena: four indoor courts
- Ace Sports, Remount Road: six courts
- Scorena: two outdoor, one indoor AC court
- Royal Calcutta Turf Club: four courts
- Bengal Rowing Club and Calcutta Punjab Club: single court each
- Tollygunge Club: two courts
- Horticulture Gardens: two courts
Note: The clubs that have courts allow guests, but only when they are accompanied by club members.
“Everyone is hankering for courts, so across the pickleball groups, it’s like fastest finger first. Even when someone cancels a booking, it’s instantly taken up by others. The situation is getting much better as we are expecting to have 33 courts by the end of November in Kolkata,” says Sikri.
Girl power and pickleball
From not playing any sport to falling in love with pickleball, Disha Sikri now has a large community of women who actively play the sport
Pickleball has become a game-changer for women. Disha Sikri, a 34-year-old who runs a digital marketing agency, got into the sport by chance and now it has become something she really looks forward to. “I used to accompany my husband to these games and they would make me play the last 15 minutes. I started getting the hang of it. Playing with the boys, I started to enjoy the sport, but then, they were better than me. So, I formed a community of women players.”
Today, her group includes 100 women, most of whom play twice a week, creating a vibrant community of female pickleball enthusiasts.
Pickleball gets competitive
The sport is not just about leisure. There are already competitions underway, like the first edition of Bengal Open that took place in November 2023 and saw 140 registrations. The same tournament had nearly 300 registrations this year– a significant marker of the sport’s growing popularity.
The Bengal Pickleball Association, formed in August, will be going in for Society Registration soon. With a plan of action already in the works, Manish shared a few insights about how things are likely to shape up.
Manish Sikri emphasises grassroots growth to make pickleball a truly inclusive sport
“Pickleball is a new sport, so we have the chance to do it right. We can grow this sport in an inclusive and democratic manner. Right now, the sport is only played by the elite and we want to make sure there is enough energy and concentration on the grassroots. We want to spread this sport all over Bengal and take it to the small towns. Since it isn’t an expensive sport, it’s more accessible. So, spreading it all across can help grow the sport and its reach,” said Manish about how the sport could shape up in Bengal.
Rules of the game
While the dimensions of a pickleball court approximate the size of a badminton court, the height of the net is like a tennis net. The game is more about unforced errors and is usually played in pairs. While you can always play singles, doubles allow for more people to get into it.
‘The kitchen’ is the most intriguing and most strategic part of the game. A non-volley and no-entry zone throughout the game, it extends up to 7 feet; 3.5 feet on each side of the net. While players cannot enter the kitchen, they can come right up to the line and make the game slower and more tactical. Once the ball bounces in the kitchen, you cannot hit it directly back to the other side. You have to make it bounce before the opponent in order to get the point.
The light blue area, which is 3.5 feet on each side of the net, is called ‘the kitchen’. This is the area that brings out the tactical aspect of pickleball
You serve across the court and the ball cannot bounce in the kitchen. If the ball touches the net at any point, the play continues, unlike in tennis, where it would be called a foul serve. The game stretches to 11 points, which are often short and quick. When you receive the ball after your serve, you cannot take it on the full. The ball has to be allowed to bounce before you can send it back to your opponent.
There are two interesting shots that can be played, but they need you to be agile. If the ball were to bounce at the edge of the court, you can jump in line with the kitchen outside the court to play it back. This shot is called an Erne. ‘Around The Post’ (commonly referred to as ATP) is another interesting shot, which allows you to keep the ball in play by sending it around the net instead of over. If the ball lands in the opponent’s court and they have no reply, the point is yours.
Manish Sikri explained that errors in pickleball are where the games are won or lost. “Entering the kitchen is an error that gives the point to your opponent. Tempting them to play different shots or keeping the ball in the kitchen and forcing your opponent to stretch for the ball are different ways of forcing errors. So, there are more chances of losing a game on errors than winning a game on point, which makes it very interesting and even adds a mental aspect to it.”
From the court maker’s perspective
While sports only work when there are enough people playing it, how and when did Kolkata start getting courts? My Kolkata spoke to Suraj Juneja, who has been responsible for setting up several courts across town, including Scorena, Ballygunge Arena, Spring Club and others. We also chatted with Akhilesh Jaiswal of Kick Fitness, who was responsible for setting up Scorena in 2023, the first pickleball court in the city.
Juneja, who founded East India Pickleball, has also opened a company called Quantum that makes pickleballs and rackets. He said, “I was in New York last year and I saw the rage for pickleball. I had also heard about the sport gaining popularity in Mumbai. So, I wanted to set up something in Kolkata. I had helped Scorena set up their courts and have done that for several other places as well. I have made my own brand that has pickleball material readily available at reasonable prices. We are in the works to set up 15 courts under East India Pickleball, including the first 24-hour courts in Sector V.”
From youngsters to senior citizens, everyone wants in on the pickleball action
Both Juneja and Jaiswal reiterated the inclusivity of the sport and their experience of seeing people from all age groups and all backgrounds take part. Jaiswal added, “The sport has already become a rage. I know of a tournament in Mumbai where the prize money was Rs 1 crore. There is a lot of money being pumped into the sport, and you’ll soon see a lot of big prize money tournaments in Kolkata.”
Jaiswal spoke about the socialising aspect, sharing a couple of stories from his time at Scorena. “The game has become such a social phenomenon. I know about a lady who had set up a date night at our court. She arranged for her boyfriend to play the sport as a dating activity, which was pretty sweet. There were also two or three couples who met each other while playing pickleball. It’s these kinds of stories that make pickleball such a wonderful sport to play. It is a game that can accommodate everyone so it’s a great way to form bonds with people you don’t know.”
