By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar and Muhammad Afiff Md Adnan
KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (Bernama) -- Once a niche American pastime, pickleball is rapidly gaining traction in Malaysia. However, not everyone is thrilled.
A fast-paced hybrid of tennis, badminton and table tennis, the sport has exploded in popularity nationwide, attracting players of all ages with its accessible rules and dynamic gameplay.
Played with paddles on a court measuring 20 feet (6.1 metres) wide and 44 feet (13.4 metres) long, pickleball is being embraced both for recreational fun and competitive play.
Nevertheless, as more pickleball courts are introduced, often replacing or modifying existing tennis and badminton facilities, the sport is drawing criticism from purists of these traditional racquet games.
Complaints have emerged regarding changes to shared courts, with some players voicing concerns over the visual disruption and the potential wear-and-tear to the courts caused by the sport’s rapid growth.
Despite the backlash, pickleball’s momentum shows no signs of slowing.
“We encountered resistance early on, with some operators rejecting our requests to use their courts due to fears the ball would damage the surface,” said Malaysian Pickleball Association (MPA) president Farrel Choo Kah Thiam, who introduced the sport to Miri, Sarawak.
“But we were fortunate that others allowed us to play and we’ve always ensured to remove the tape markings after each session,” he added.
A further sticking point has been the high cost of renting courts for pickleball, with some venues charging up to RM70 an hour, although Choo explains that prices are determined by market forces and are largely outside the control of the MPA.
“When we started in Miri, court rentals were as low as RM27 to RM30 per hour,” he said.
“But as demand increases, prices rise, and the operators are responsible for setting these rates. But I believe that as more dedicated pickleball facilities are built, the cost will eventually decrease,” he added.
While some remain sceptical about pickleball’s long-term appeal, Choo remains confident that the sport is not just a passing fad.
He points to the sport’s local growth, from 2,000 active players in March last year to over 10,000 by November, as evidence of its growing popularity and potential staying power.
“In the United States, 14 per cent of the population plays pickleball. Our target is to reach 10 per cent of Malaysia’s population within the next decade,” Choo said.
Looking ahead, the MPA are exploring new avenues for expansion, including lobbying for pickleball’s inclusion in future editions of the Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
The association are also preparing to host the inaugural Malaysia Open in Sarawak in July, which is expected to attract local and international players.
As the sport continues to thrive, pickleball remains a rapidly growing phenomenon and a source of tension, challenging the dominance of Malaysia’s traditional racquet sports while carving out a new space in the nation’s sporting landscape.
-- BERNAMA
