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via Getty

via Getty

Since his retirement, Roger Federer has tried his hands at multiple things. Be it an art exhibition or co-chairing the world’s most hyped Met Gala ball, he is doing it all. Moreover, he has kept his eyes on the changes the tennis realm is undergoing too. The evolution of pickleball is one of the things that has caught the eye of the Swiss Maestro.

Expressing his views on the rise of this new sport, Federer has cleared his take. A master of his trade, Federer has taken tennis to the nooks and corners of the world with his astounding legacy on the court. So, as he sees the rise of pickleball, he clears his allegiance to his parent sport.

Roger Federer on the rise of pickleball and its effect on tennis 

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The Swiss Maestro breathed tennis since a little boy. Starting his career as a ball boy, Federer has now become the face of tennis. Seeing the rise of similar racquet sports owing to tennis has undoubtedly brought him happiness.

In his interview with The Wall Street Journal, he stated, “As a tennis player, I’m very happy these racket sports are growing. Pickle is easier than tennis, and I think that’s great.” He confessed that while watching the highlights of Jack Sock playing doubles in pickleball, he had a gala time.

However, he did not hide his underlying apprehension which has become a concern because of the constant rise of pickleball.

via Reuters

He stated, “I just hope that not too many tennis courts will be lost because all these pickleball courts were built.” This is a growing concern in the USA as tennis courts are rapidly being turned into pickleball courts.

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Besides that, Federer revealed his interaction with the new sport as it swiftly rose to the limelight.

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Has Federer tried pickleball? 

With the rise of pickleball, Federer has seen the growth of the sport. However, he still has not had the opportunity to try it.

He stated, “I haven’t tried it because of the knees, and also because I haven’t come across many courts.” However, there are other racquet sports Federer has tried. He stated, “But I’ve played paddle twice, and I played squash with my dad growing up, so I have played easier tennis games.” 

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Still recuperating from his knee surgery, Federer has stayed away from pickleball. However, do you think he should give pickleball a try after he gets better? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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