Tennis legend John McEnroe absolutely rips pickleball
(BVM) – Pickleball has become one of the fastest-growing sports in America and has quickly become a favorite hobby of many athletes. But not John McEnroe.
The tennis icon appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss an upcoming pickleball event that he will be participating in. Despite his involvement, the 64-year-old does not understand the phenomenon.
PickleBall DID NOT deserve that @JohnMcEnroe 😂😂 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/fVb1Ccu3zS
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 23, 2023
McEnroe went on to criticize the sport in comparison to tennis.
“It’s like a poor man’s arena football,” McEnroe said.
When asked about the long-term potential of pickleball ever surpassing tennis in terms of popularity, McEnroe was coy about that possibility.
“If that happens, then there will be an apocalypse,” McEnroe said. “If we even get close to that, we’ve got some serious problems.”
In the interview, he included criticisms of the sport such as the racket size, limitations of what you can do with the ball and even the ball itself.
But on April 2, McEnroe will be picking up a paddle when he joins Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Michael Chang in the Inaugural Pickleball Slam in Hollywood, Florida. The winner will receive a one million dollar prize.
Outside of that, another reason McEnroe told McAfee that he was participating is the hope that it may create more buzz in the tennis world.
Agassi however views it differently than his former rival.
“Tennis and pickleball don’t have to be competitors. We’re really not,” Agassi told Jesse Scott of the Miami New Times. “I’m biased (toward) tennis because it’s given me my livelihood, but transferring tennis skills to other racquet sports can be a really fun thing to do. I would say (pickleball) is very unique in that it’s the antithesis of tennis in so many ways. In pickleball, you have to let the ball come to you; rather, you go to it in many instances. Those adjustments can be challenging and fun.”
Maybe after their tournament in April, McEnroe will become more of a friend than foe of the sport.
