John McEnroe’s Polarizing Views on Pickleball

Pickleball has surged in popularity recently, captivating many sports enthusiasts. Yet, it receives mixed reactions from tennis legend John McEnroe. During his and his brother Patrick’s alternate French Open coverage, “The MacZone,” McEnroe commented on tennis star-turned-pickleball player Genie Bouchard.

McEnroe, known for his candidness, voiced his disdain for the sport. “She leaves the sport to play that damn stupid pickleball,” he remarked. Bouchard, however, countered his criticism, noting he had played the sport too. McEnroe clarified his position. “I played two weekends, and they paid me more money for that than I got paid for tennis,” he explained. “And I was playing tennis players, so that’s a little different than playing some pickleball people.”

This distinction seems crucial to McEnroe, suggesting that his participation was more of a financial decision than a sport endorsement. His views contrast with other tennis icons like Andre Agassi, who praised pickleball following his professional debut.

Despite not embracing the sport entirely, McEnroe does point out areas for improvement. “The sound of the plastic ball; you know how when you hit a tennis ball it sounds awesome? But when you hit a pickleball, personally, I think [the sound] is a big negative,” McEnroe commented. This sentiment echoes those who find the noise less appealing compared to other sports sounds.

Aside from noise, McEnroe suggests the sport’s name might deter some from taking it seriously. The peculiar name “pickleball” often leads to misconceptions, as he humorously recounted from his high school days when he thought it was simply fabricated by his gym teacher.