Growing momentum: Pickleball enthusiasts hope for official recognition in coming years
They believe that exposure and marketing are key to pushing pickleball into the mainstream.
DANIAL HAKIM and WALA ABDUL MUIZ02 May 2025 05:04pm
For many young Malaysians, the growing appeal of pickleball lies in its simplicity and adaptability. Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily.
Lifestyle blogger Rane Chin believes pickleball still has room to grow before being officially recognised in Malaysian sports.
Actor Azim Yusof, known for his role in TV3 drama Melur Untuk Firdaus, believes pickleball will feature in the Olympics soon.
For many young Malaysians, namely actor Azim Yusof, the growing appeal of pickleball lies in its simplicity and adaptability. With smaller courts and less intensity than tennis, the game welcomes players of all ages and fitness levels.
“In my opinion, many Malaysians already play tennis, but tennis tends to be for those who are really active and passionate about the sport.
“To encourage teenagers to play, they introduced pickleball courts that are smaller and suitable for everyone. Even kids and teenagers can join in and play.” he said during Larrie’s pickleball-themed collection launch event at Pickle Space USJ.
When pickleball first gained traction in Malaysia, access to proper courts was limited. But with growing interest and demand, the number of facilities has significantly increased, especially in urban areas.
“When pickleball was just starting to trend, everyone wanted to try it. Now that it's more popular among Malaysians, there are courts everywhere in KL, Damansara, and Bukit Jelutong. It's a bit easier now.” Azim said.
Alternatively, youngsters aren’t the only ones interested in pickleball, as the accessibility and ease-of-play the sport affords has since attracted the mainstream Malaysian sphere. A sentiment shared by 44-year-old lifestyle blogger Rane Chin.
“I found out about pickleball two years ago from the US as it was very viral there. They had tournaments and I watched some of them, so I found it quite interesting. It's good that we have more and more pickleball courts in Malaysia now.”
A Future in National and International Arenas?
As the sport continues to evolve in Malaysia, many enthusiasts are optimistic about its potential to reach competitive platforms.
“I think in about three years, pickleball can reach the Olympic level,” said Azim. “I can see that it's gaining traction and more people are starting to play regularly.”
However, Rane believes that while the sport is growing, it still has a long way to go before it becomes as mainstream as badminton or tennis.
“Compared to established sports like badminton and tennis, those really need hard work. You have to train for so many years but pickleball is still growing and not on that level yet for now. Most players are still casual players.
“However, maybe after two or three years pickleball will be taken seriously by people and we’ll hopefully see them come out in official national games.” she told Sinar Daily.
Spreading the 'Paddle'
Both Azim and Rane agree that exposure and marketing are key to pushing pickleball into the mainstream.
“There are still people who have never heard of pickleball, and some have only seen others play it on social media,
“To expand and introduce pickleball to more people, it's all about marketing—and we need to open more pickleball courts everywhere. That way, everyone can experience it and give it a try. Events like this Larrie collection launch are a good example of effective marketing to help boost pickleball’s popularity.” Azim said.
With the continued rise of pickleball and increasing support from communities, facilities, and even brand collaborations, it may not be long before Malaysia sees pickleball represented in official national sporting events—or on the world stage.
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