Rachel Stuhlmann, regarded as one of the world’s foremost tennis influencers, is back in the pickleball consciousness after her latest comments advocating for a balanced perspective when it comes to assessing the impact of pickleball on the tennis community.
Sweet Harmony
We recently featured her views on pickleball noise and how she believed it wasn’t really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
She’s now taking that one step further by claiming that there’s no reason that both sports cannot coexist in sweet harmony.
All this despite the increasing conversion of tennis courts to pickleball venues in various U.S. cities, including Salt Lake City’s recent decision to do so, which was driven by substantial public support.
Practicing What She Preaches
The former University of Missouri Tigers tennis star Stuhlmann regards engagement in either sport as a positive move.
She is even practicing what she preaches and is venturing into the realm of pickleball herself, unveiling a project akin to the Top Golf experience tailored for tennis enthusiasts.
Her ultimate aim is to embrace all facets of ball play on a court.
“Not ‘Wreaking Havoc’”
“[Pickleball] is not ‘wreaking havoc’ on tennis,” the “tennis influencer” told OutKick. “I think pickleball is a great and healthy social activity for people.
Although her tennis background was evident as she then added, “Sometimes it is annoying to go to courts and see that they’re being used as pickleball courts or converted into pickleball courts.”
She continued, “When it comes to the two sports, it seems like right now, more people play pickleball than watch it, and more people watch tennis than play it.
“Pickleball is easy for anyone to pick up, while tennis can be intimidating to some people. That’s why my mission has always been to make the sport more mainstream, relatable, and accessible.”
Her final comment was intriguing: “Professional pickleball is interesting- what other sport can you pick up for the first time in your 20s, 30s, or 40s and be the top 10 ranked players in the world? No other sport.”
Martina Navratilova
As OutKick points out, the tennis great Martina Navratilova was quoted as saying in 2022 that pickleball players should pay for their own courts and leave tennis alone.
In stark contrast, Stuhlmann avoids taking sides and recognizes the overall benefit of increased sports participation for the industry.
Currently involved in a venture developing a social, inclusive, and enjoyable tennis experience akin to the Topgolf model, Stuhlmann sees room for growth in tennis despite pickleball’s surge in popularity.
However, it is worth noting The United States Tennis Association reported a significant rise of one million players in 2022, solidifying tennis as a dominant player with 23.6 million participants, surpassing the combined numbers of pickleball, badminton, racquetball, and squash.
Topgolf/Tennis Project
While details on the Topgolf/tennis project remain under wraps, it might indicate a genuine investment in court sports in a nation that has awaited a male American champion since 2003.
As for Navratilova, her pickleball hardline eased, and she has recently said, “The more racquet sports, the merrier.”
Eugenie Bouchard
In another related story that PickleballUnion covered, former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, a former world No. 5 ranked player also with a substantial Instagram following, announced her professional foray into pickleball at the age of 29.
That decision marked a seismic shift in the racquet sports landscape.
Ultimately, Stuhlmann’s advocacy for coexistence between tennis and pickleball strikes a chord and is surely the way forward.
Even steadfast advocates of both sports must recognize the advantages of a mutually beneficial future.
Stuhlmann’s influence and timing may just make her a pivotal figure in making this vision a reality.
