Renowned tennis coach Judy Murray recently voiced her support for pickleball after attending the Skechers Pickleball Scottish Open at the National Badminton Centre at Glasgow Club Scotstoun.

Murray is the mother of former British tennis star, Andy Murray. 

“It’s just fun and engaging, and it’s incredibly inclusive. For Scotland, it’s a perfect fit for us,” she said. “We have terrible weather and we have badminton courts everywhere – in every community center and sports center. Even church halls have badminton courts. In terms of setting up quickly, I think it’s a perfect fit for getting more people more active, more often in Scotland.”

Murray is a perfect advocate for the sport, which continues to skyrocket in popularity overseas.

She certainly doesn't see tennis and pickleball butting heads as rivals. That's for sure.

“It’s a perfect transfer out of tennis into something that will keep me in a similar game,” explained Murray. “But at the other end of the scale, I could also see how it’s a great introduction to any kind of racket sport because it’s so doable.” 

With players from 14 different countries participating in the tournament, the Scottish Open was a major success. Notable players included former Team Scotland Commonwealth Games table tennis pros, Lucy Elliot and Corinna Whitaker-Stone, and European pickleball champion Louis Laville, who claimed the Triple Crown. 

“The level of competition was incredible, and we had a phenomenal team of volunteers and supports from fans,” said Mhairi Adam, chair of Pickleball Scotland. “This year’s tournament was particularly special, featuring our first youth competition and the third wheelchair event, both of which added to the excitement of the final day.”

Currently, it’s estimated that there are 30,000 pickleball players in England with a 40% increase from June 2023 to June 2024. 

“I’m absolutely convinced that, with the right funding and institutional backing from sportscotland, pickleball will become Scotland’s leading racket sport by the end of this decade,” predicted Anne Smillie, former chief executive of Badminton Scotland and current board member of Pickleball Scotland. “It’s the fastest-growing sport I’ve ever seen.”

When you have legendary tennis stars, coaches, and big-name brands like Skechers promoting the sport across the globe, it’s no wonder pickleball is growing internationally. Now, will it beat padel? Only time will tell.