The fact that there’s no pickleball emoji is something that I truly marvel at every single day.

I’m sickened at the audacity of Apple to not feature a special digital image for me to use when I text the gals about hitting the court together.

Finally, though, the sweet day has come. For some iPhones.

It’s called Apple Genmoji. Basically, you can design a custom emoji called a Genmoji – in which a pickleball can easily be created. In your messages, click on the icon and simply describe what you want your Genmoji to look like. 

For example, you can type “Pickleball” and watch artificial intelligence create a Genmoji that resembles what you’ve described. Now, you can actually have a pickleball emoji that lives next to your favorite pickle and tennis ball emoji and can be texted like a regular emoji. 

Some of these AI Genmojis are great, exactly what we’ve been asking for with a pickleball emoji. An image with an adorable little wooden paddle with a green wiffle ball. Or a bright red paddle hitting a ball over a brown net. 

However, it is AI. And AI is at the stage where there’s some decent images, and there’s other images that are so wrong it’s almost laughable - like too many fingers on a human hand. So AI’s interpretation may look a little wonky. 

For example, two pickleballs morphing in the paddle. Or another image of a padel paddle morphing into the net. Or a single paddle that features two handles. But, it’s all a part of the AI fun.

But these “bad” Genmojis are all a matter of perspective. At first, the Genmoji of a pickleball splattering onto a court may look incorrect, because pickleballs are plastic and physically can’t splatter like liquid. 

But I think it could work in the situation where you were texting your doubles partner about how you were playing so well – the pickleball splattered into the court after your incredible drive. 

Currently, it’s in beta for iPhones 15 or higher, so I guess it’s time for me to upgrade my phone. 

Unfortunately, not everyone can use this fun new feature. But this certainly means we’re one step closer to an official pickleball emoji. And hopefully, one that looks like an actual paddle and pickleball. 

But may I make a request against a wooden paddle emoji? No one plays with those anymore, Apple. Stay up with the times and make a black paddle with a cool blue rim and logo. Maybe take it up a notch and make it a tiny little Selkirk or JOOLA. 

Have you tried out the new feature to create a pickleball emoji? Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).