Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner will rekindle their rivalry just before the 2024 US Open, but it won’t be on the tennis courts.
Djokovic and Sinner have already played seven times on the ATP Tour, with the Serb enjoying a slender lead in their head-to-head (4-3). However, the Italian has notched each of his three wins in their last four bout.
That includes an incredible comeback in a crucial Davis Cup rubber last season and a very impressive four-set win en route to his first Grand Slam title win at this year’s Australian Open.
In a recent announcement, the two men will square off on a pickleball court in an event organized by Head, the premier manufacturer of sports equipment, including tennis rackets.
Of late, the company has ventured into the pickleball market and has already established itself as a dominant force in that department, with a variety of paddles already becoming prominent.
Djokovic is one of the company’s most famous tennis players who has endorsed their rackets. Sinner has joined him, with the 23-year-old having signed a lucrative long-term deal not long ago. The event dubbed the HEAD NYC Mash Up, will also include Wimbledon women’s champion Barbora Krejcikova in its lineup.
Djokovic’s participation in his pickleball debut, which is scheduled on Thursday before the US Open draw (where they will be the top two seeds), represents a paradox to his recent comments about the new sport.
Just a month ago, while competing at Wimbledon, the former World No. 1 opined that tennis was "endangered" with the rapid growth of pickleball.
"Ever wondered what it’s like to see these legends in action playing a different sport? Don’t miss this chance to see them like never before!"
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is concerned that tennis courts will become stagnant and will eventually be converted to pickleball courts. Djokovic did raise some valid points, as pickleball is more economical in the short term and the long run.
First, the sport appeals to a broader demographic than tennis because it is easier to learn and play. Moreover, it is less strenuous to the body than tennis. This explains why even retired tennis players can enjoy a second career in pickleball.
Jack Sock and Sam Querrey are some of the notable names who have turned pros, while Eugenie Bouchard has also tried the paddle sport this year and has only sporadically featured on the tennis tour.
Tennis legends like John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, and Steffi Graf have also competed in lucrative pickleball tournaments in the last 18 months.
Secondly, pickleball courts are much smaller and easier to set up and maintain than tennis courts, which require constant daily monitoring and money to keep them in excellent playing condition.
In the last couple of months, there has been a surge of new players taking up pickleball outside the United States, with Roland Garros organizers unveiling pickleball courts during the French Open clay-court tournament.
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