Pickleball becomes smash hit in Singapore and beyond thanks in part to Taylor Swift
- More people in Asia across age groups are picking up pickleball as it is no longer seen as a racquet sport mainly for seniors
In the flurry of the fast-changing fitness landscape, pickleball – a paddle sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis – has become the unlikely star of recreation among the younger generation in Asia, shedding its former label of being a racquet sport for seniors.
For 27-year-old Singaporean, Jeremy Soh, pickleball had started as a means to an end. He and his fiancée, Jeovanne Poernomo, 23, were on the lookout for a sport suitable for their parents when he stumbled across pickleball.
“It is marketed to be more friendly for people who are slightly older, who have mobility issues. Our parents have not exercised for 20 years so we thought this would be a great opportunity to introduce the sport to them,” he told This Week in Asia.
But what turned out as an activity for their parents quickly transformed into a passion for the couple, propelling them to travel to the likes of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam for pickleball competitions and even setting up an academy and facility of their own – just months after they picked up their first pickleball paddle in November 2023.
