Yay, our pickleball special is starting! Dive into this trending sport, which is the absolute number one trending sport in the USA, is expanding rapidly in Asia and Europe, and has also arrived in Germany. Together with our pickleball expert Stefan Kornhaß, we'll present you with the most important information about pickleball. From equipment and the rules to tactics and the status quo regarding tournaments and leagues at the national and international levels. We'll introduce you to interesting pickleball personalities, wonderful pickleball travel destinations, and much more in further parts of this special. Stay tuned! So let's get the ball flying!
Before we really get started, we'd like to introduce you to our "Mr. Pickleball." We're thrilled to introduce you to Stefan Kornhaß, one of the absolute pickleball specialists in Germany and beyond.
Stefan is a true pickleball pro in more ways than one: He first came into contact with pickleball in 2016 and has been playing actively and very successfully on the German men's 50+ national team ever since. In September, he even finished third in singles at the European Championships in Rome. But Stefan hasn't only caught the pickleball bug as a player. He's also been professionally involved with pickleball for 10 years through his work as a distributor of the Gamma brand. After all, Gamma is one of the leading manufacturers of pickleball equipment.
With Stefan and his wealth of pickleball knowledge, we've put together this special for you. What we unfortunately can't really convey in text is Stefan's passion for this new trend sport. In any case, you're welcome to ask Stefan any questions you have at any time. Simply use the contact form at the bottom of the page.
Our pickleball expert
Stefan Kornhaß
Pickleball is a relatively new and extremely popular sport, especially in the USA, that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Pickleball is perfect for all ages, very easy to learn, and incredibly fun and social.
Pickleball was invented in the USA in 1965. Its origins likely originated on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, Washington State. There, three fathers and friends, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, were looking for a spontaneous activity for their children. A perforated plastic ball and paddle-like rackets were at hand, and off they went on a makeshift court. Pickleball quickly evolved and became increasingly popular in the years that followed. Today, pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the USA and worldwide.
The court is 6.10 m wide and 13.41 m long (similar to a badminton court). There is a non-volley zone (also called the "kitchen") of approximately 91 cm on each side of the net, where volleys are not permitted.
In sports halls, badminton courts can easily be used, with the Kitchen Line attached as an additional line. Pop-up courts can be quickly installed on any hard surface or parking lot. Specialized pickleball courts with foundations, etc., cost between €20,000 and €50,000.
The equipment includes:
Lightweight paddles are made of composite materials, while premium paddles feature carbon or graphite surfaces. Rackets typically cost between €30 and €300, depending on the material and brand.
Raw Carbon Fiber Airbender
For Tournament Players
€ 209,-
Raw Carbon Fiber Obsidian
For Tournament Players
€ 199,-
Rainmaker Paddle
For beginners and advanced paddlers
€ 109,-
Starter Paddle Fusion
For beginners
€ 59,90
The starter sets, consisting of several paddles, balls, and a net, are ideal for schools. Gamma offers preferential prices for these packages.
Pickleball is generally played with plastic balls with holes in them. There are lighter indoor balls and heavier outdoor balls. These balls are reminiscent of children's street hockey balls. Balls cost between €2 and €5 each. You should always look for good quality balls. There are many low-quality balls available, and they simply break too quickly. The list of manufacturers listed by the USA Pickleball Association offers helpful support: https://equipment.usapickleball.org/ball-list/
The game is played on a small, rectangular badminton court. Up to four pickleball courts can be set up on a tennis court.
It's played either in singles or doubles. The goal is to hit the ball over the net in such a way that the opponent can't return it. There are certain rules, such as the so-called "kitchen," a no-volley zone where the ball may not be hit directly from the air.
The game begins with a serve, delivered diagonally into the opposite service court. Unlike tennis, there is only one attempt at serving. The serve must always be delivered from below the waist.
Points can only be scored by the serving team. A match goes to 11 points, with a lead of at least two points required. In tournaments, some games are played to 15 or 21 points and to two or three sets.
A fault occurs when the ball bounces outside the court lines, touches the net during a serve or rally, or a volley is played in the kitchen.
Pickleball generally involves a lot of volleying, especially close to the kitchen zone. This creates exciting, fast-paced rallies.
A popular game strategy is the so-called dink . This involves standing as close to the kitchen as possible and hitting the ball either just over the net into the kitchen or to the opponent's feet.
Pickleball is gaining increasing popularity worldwide, especially in the USA, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Pickleball is also experiencing a trend in Germany. There are currently 50-60 clubs registered with the German Pickleball Association, and around 200 playgroups (i.e., non-club-based game meetings). In total, approximately 10,000 players are active in pickleball. The number of players has doubled in the last two years. Our expert Stefan predicts a fivefold increase in the number of active players in the next three years. Similar to padel a few years ago, professional investment is also evident in pickleball, which will further intensify this trend.
In Germany, there are currently two leagues: West, North, and South. In the North, approximately 30 teams compete in the North and Oberliga, as well as various regional leagues with seven divisions each, with promotion and relegation rules similar to tennis. The West has only been playing in an organized format for three years and has a 1st and 2nd division. Team matches usually consist of double-header matches with multiple teams or individual matches.
The pickleball tournament scene in Germany is steadily growing, both in terms of the number of tournaments and the number of participants. Tournaments are played at various skill levels (DUPR - comparable to the LK in tennis). There are doubles and mixed doubles matches, and then different divisions depending on the participant. Larger tournaments have age groups. Major tournaments in Germany include the Hamburg Open (170 participants), the German Championships, the Gifhorn Open, and the tournament in Burgholzhausen with approximately 300 participants.
International tournament series such as the Road to Arlberg or the World Pickleball Championships are becoming increasingly professional, particularly due to ever-increasing sponsorships. In the US, there are professional pickleball leagues where pro players already earn six-figure salaries.
Our expert Stefan participated in the recent European Championships in Rome as a player in the 55+ age group. Teams from 24 countries, each with two men and two women per team, competed in the open and 50+ age groups.
Tennis icons Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi discovered pickleball quite by chance during the coronavirus pandemic. Pickleball fever completely gripped them, and they've been playing pickleball several times a week ever since. And—as expected—they've been very successful: last February, they won the Pickleball Slam, one of the most important pickleball tournaments, for the second time. Genie Bouchard and Andy Roddick were also in the competition. Former tennis pro Jack Sock is now also a passionate pickleball player.
As part of our pickleball special, we'll introduce you to some interesting pickleball players. And, of course, you'll find out which of our travel providers already offer pickleball packages. So you know exactly where you can try out this trendy sport on your vacation.
Then simply send us your question using our form. Our pickelball expert Stefan Kornhaß will be happy to answer your questions.
On our pickleball inspiration page, you'll find all blog posts about pickleball, as well as current pickleball camps and TennisTravellerhotels where you can perfectly play pickleball.
Register now and be the first to know about new tennis hotels and tennis camps as well as great promotions.
You can unsubscribe at any time. Please note our information on data protection .