Pickleball preferred over tennis: Channel interrupts broadcast of San Diego Open matches involving Coco Gauff, Bianca Andreescu, and Madison Keys to show pickleball event

Pickleball has been gaining more and more popularity of late and in that regard, it now seems to be competing against the sport it resembles the most - tennis. The sport has been stealing screen time from the ongoing WTA San Diego Open, much to the displeasure of tennis enthusiasts.

The Tennis Channel is the official broadcaster of the San Diego Open in the United States and has received complaints from tennis fans on social media for cutting away from tennis matches to broadcast a pickleball event, showing both events on split screens.

The WTA matches included those involving top American stars Coco Gauff and Madison Keys, and Canada's 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu. Gauff and Andreescu faced off in a thrilling Round of 16 match at the San Diego Open on Thursday, while Keys took on Daria Kasatkina on the adjoining court.

Pickleball matches were even being shown on the Tennis Channel broadcast during the Aryna Sabalenka-Sloane Stephens Round of 16 match on Thursday.

Former player and current tennis commentator/analyst Rennae Stubbs also reacted to the issue, showing her displeasure.

The paddle sport's popularity has been on the rise, especially with the likes of NBA legend LeBron James and NFL legend Tom Brady joining a group of owners for the 2023 Major League Pickleball teams. The ownership group also includes former WTA World No. 1 Kim Clijsters and former top-10 player James Blake.

Former tennis player Noah Rubin recently announced his decision to pursue the sport, just weeks after announcing his retirement from professional tennis.

"The tennis court is way too big, there's way too much ground to cover. I recently came across the pickleball court, and it clicked, this is where I belong, this is home now. And in this sport, size doesn't matter," Rubin said in a video posted on his social channels.

"I knew the sport was growing and there was potential there, but I wasn't really sure about it until we started hitting that day," he added.

The sport is famously known as a fusion between tennis, badminton, and ping-pong and is played on a court with smaller dimensions as compared to a tennis court.

"Watch out tennis, Pickleball is coming for you" - Judy Murray

United States v Great Britain - Davis Cup by Rakuten Group Stage 2022 Glasgow

Tennis coach Judy Murray, mother of British tennis greats Andy and Jamie Murray, reacted to the news of Rubin's shift to the paddle sport and warned tennis of the sport's rising popularity. Murray is the sport's ambassador for Scotland.

"Watch out tennis. Pickleball is coming for you," Judy Murray wrote on Twitter.

She reacted again upon learning of the news of Brady joining Clijsters in the ownership group of a team in the MLP.

The MLP was formed in 2021 and the 2023 season is set to be the most followed season so far with the involvement of the likes of Brady, James Blake, and Clijsters.