If you have been itching to try Pickleball or Tennis, you will have a chance to do so at the Tennis and Pickleball Festival on 17 February 2024 morning.
Tennis and Pickleball Festival on 17 February
Whether you are a complete noob or a fan of the sport, try the popular racket games indoors rain or shine. Singapore tennis club Play! Tennis and its sister club Play! Pickle invites families to pick up a tennis racket of a pickleball paddle at the indoor courts in Kallang’s Red Quarters.
Come with your sports gear and everything else will be provided at Play! Tennis and Play! Pickle’s inaugural festival.
Expert coaches will be present to provide participants with a taster experience of both sports in a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. These might be sports to add to the list of family-friendly activities on the weekends!
Families with children above 5 can hit some balls, get tips on how to play Tennis and Pickleball and learn how to improve their game. Everyone can meet like-minded racket sports fans at the festival.
Participants can cast their vote for the sport preferred after trying both sports. Those to pick the “winning” sport can score prizes!
Differences between Tennis & Pickleball
Tennis is a popular racket sport played on a large court. The game is played with overhead serves followed by rallies of groundstrokes and volleys played from the baseline and net respectively.
Players strategise to outmaneuver their opponent, aiming to hit the ball beyond their reach or force errors.
Points are scored when a player fails to return the ball in bounds.
Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, thrives on a smaller court. Matches start with underhand serves, transitioning to volleys and dinking (soft shots) around the non-volley zone line near the net.
Emphasis is on control, placement, and quick reflexes as players maneuver in close quarters. Players usually play as doubles. Points are similar to tennis, leading to best-of-three set games.
The differences in the two sports lie in court size, playing style, and equipment.
Tennis demands power and athleticism across the court, while pickleball focuses on finesse and strategy in a smaller space. Paddles replace heavy racquets, and a plastic ball with holes slows the pace compared to the bouncing felt ball of tennis.
Darren Teo, the founder of Play! Tennis and Play! Pickle, who has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching, says, “Tennis has been around for much longer than pickleball, which is a relatively new sport. They’ve been endlessly compared due to their similarities, and at our Tennis and Pickleball Festival, we want to find out which is the more popular sport. But really, the winners would be the players who show up to learn, play and socialise, whichever sport they prefer. It’s our goal to promote an active and healthy lifestyle and build a community of tennis and pickleball enthusiasts.”
Try Two Racket Sports in One Morning
Tennis and Pickleball Festival by Play! Tennis & Play! Pickle
Where: Red Quarters, 26 Jln Benaan Kapal, Singapore
When: 9 am to 10.30 am (Session 1) and 10.30 am to 12 pm (Session 2)
Cost: $58 per pax (inclusive of indoor tennis and pickleball taster sessions guided by expert coaches, complimentary Pickle! Juice; equipment and balls provided)
To register for the festival, click on this link
