Who was Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr? Remains of US soldier who fell off cliff in Morocco found in oceanLt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., an Air Defense Artillery officer, was found dead after going missing during the African Lion military exercise in Morocco. Published on: May 11
A body found in New South Wales is thought to be that of a man wanted over the murder of three people in a small Australian town in January. Julian Ingram was on bail for domestic violence offences at the time of the killings of his pregnant ex-partner Sophie Quinn
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay visited former Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence. This meeting occurs days before the government faces a crucial floor test in the Assembly. Vijay also met MDMK founder Vaiko. The visit follows recent sharp criticism from Vijay regarding the state's
A new rural employment law, the VB-G RAM G Act, will replace MGNREGA on July 1. The government states it offers 125 days of guaranteed wage employment and aims for rural transformation. The Congress party criticizes the move, calling it an exercise in centralisation
Barcelona turned the Clasico into a coronation on Sunday (May 10, 2026), swatting aside Real Madrid 2-0 at a roaring Camp Nou to claim their 29th LaLiga title. Hansi Flick’s side moved to an unassailable 91 points, 14 clear of second-placed Real with three games remaining
Pickleball picks up in Thiruvananthapuram
Pickleball picks up in Thiruvananthapuram
Ajay Thomas' first encounter with pickleball, a paddle sport played with a perforated plastic ball, happened a little over a year ago in Chennai, during a corporate team outing. Within a few minutes of playing the game, Ajay, an athlete during his early days, could rally with ease. Later, when he moved to Bengaluru, he became further acquainted with the sport while witnessing the growth of communities surrounding the sport. Soon, Ajay started Spinz Pickleball (Instagram handle: @spinz_pickleball), a space exclusively for the sport, with his schoolmates Sharath Varghese, Yadu Manoj and Lawrence Moraira, at Pongumoodu in Thiruvananthapuram, where the sport has been gaining momentum during recent months.
Much like Ajay, entrepreneurs are setting up courts exclusively for pickleball across the Kerala capital after being exposed to the sport in Tier 1 cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, among others. Ventures such as The Happy Court, Sportonix Pickleball, and Zero Fitness Performance Studio have helped forge a following for the sport in the city, initially played on badminton courts due to the similarity in dimensions of the court.
A pickleball player smashing | Photo Credit: Gautham AG
The game has its origins in the US, in the ‘60s, and is played on a court which is 44 ft long and 20 ft wide. The serves are either underarm serves or drop serves, in which the player drops the ball to the ground and hits it on the bounce to the player diagonally opposite them. “There are different balls, varying in number of holes, thickness and aerodynamic qualities. The choice of balls is influenced by whether the game is played indoors or outdoors. We use a ball with 40 holes,” says Kishore K, co-founder of The Happy Court (Instagram handle: @thehappycourt), located at Kulathoor.
Players at The Happy Court | Photo Credit: Nainu Oommen
“When we began the space in January, very few people knew about the sport. Initially, it was just a few players from Trivandrum Tennis Club and a few of my friends. We had to teach them the game without taking any payment for it,” he says. Kishore currently works remotely for a US-based company and is an All India Pickleball Association level 1 certified coach.
“By March-April, we began getting regular customers,” adds Kishore, who founded The Happy Court with his friend Bharath K, a pottery artist currently based out of Goa.
Bharath K and Kishore K, owners of The Happy Court | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Spinz Pickleball, founded in May, hosts daily open plays for people who want to try the sport for the first time, says Ajay. “If players do not have enough people to book a whole court, they can join these sessions and play together. Players are grouped based on their skill levels,” adds Ajay, who is a corporate employee in Bengaluru.
The courts are available on reservation basis or via apps such as PlaySpots, with rates starting from ₹360 and ₹480 per hour for singles and doubles, respectively. “The paddles are made of wood, carbon fibre, honeycomb material and so on, and cost between ₹1,000 and ₹25,000,” says Ajay. However, most courts provide the paddle for players.
The paddles start from ₹1000 depending on the materials used | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M
“The transition is much easier for tennis or badminton players, because it is a racquet sport,” says Joseph Charles, owner of Zero Fitness Performance Studio (Instagram handle: @zerofitofficial), located at Kesavadasapuram. A pickleball court was built at the venue seven months ago. Zero Fitness Performance Studio also provides training programmes in yoga, animal flow, MMA boxing, powerlifting, kalaripayattu and so on.
Joseph Charles, owner of Zero Fitness Performance Studio | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“Pickleball paddles are similar to table tennis paddles, and lawn tennis shots such as top spin, drive and so on are used in the game. However, if you have a tennis background, you tend to hit with a lot of power, which can force the ball out of play considering the smaller court,” says Kishore.
“It has a slightly better court structure than tennis, too. It is not an injury-prone sport like tennis and badminton, and for that, a court is important,” says Ajay, who points out that pickleball courts have seven layers of floor coating while a tennis court has five.
Joseph, also secretary of Thiruvananthapuram Pickleball Association, points out that pickleball is something you can play as a leisure sport, unlike tennis, paddle tennis and badminton. “We have people who are into other training programmes at Zero Fitness Performance Studio, play pickleball at our court on the terrace to cool down after a session,” he says.
Pickleball court at Zero Fitness Performance Studio | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Sunish S Pillai, an employee at Technopark, who has been playing pickleball for the past three months, says, “It is a good option for a team-building exercise. Currently, everyone playing with me sees it as an opportunity to explore something new and as a stressbuster.”
Ajay says, “Many people see it as an alternate fitness plan. At the same time, it is also a place to bring family members or colleagues together.”
The owners emphasise building a city-based community through pickleball. “We want to create a group of people who are very excited to play the sport,” says Ajay, who prides himself on creating a WhatsApp community of over 200 members for the sport. “We want to make sure there is a coaching facility possible too,” he adds.
Kishore expresses his desire to introduce the Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating for players at the facility. “There are official levels to this game, which we want to introduce to the players. It would be necessary if someone is travelling to a city like Bengaluru and plans to compete in a tournament.”
Players after a session at The Happy Court | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The sport boasts a large demographic in the city, from six-year-olds to 60-year-olds. It is targeted at those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, says Ajay. Sunish, his wife and their six-year-old son book the court on an hourly basis at The Happy Court and are members of their WhatsApp community. “My son has limitations holding the paddle, yet he shows great interest. Even my seniors at work, who came to play with us once, started playing pickleball regularly,” adds Sunish, who plays the sport twice a week.
Owners of Spinz Pickleball, Lawrence Moraira, Sharath Mathew, Yadu Manoj, Ajay Thomas, with Jancy Sebastian, and Linu Merin, partners of Lawrence and Sharath, respectively. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Ajay says, “We are planning women's exclusive matchups too. Since the court is in a residential area, we have a lot of women coming to the facility. Initially, it was just men, then families and now women alone have started coming in.”
“Everyone might not like cycling or running. But pickleball is not something you do alone; it needs group effort. For a sport like this, you must continue playing and fall in love with it,” says Ajay.
Published - August 05, 2025 05:05 pm IST
Thiruvananthapuram / The Hindu MetroPlus / sports organisations / physical fitness / games
Source: TheHindu
Related Posts: Krishna played cricket first Ajay Devgn's Son Of Sardaar 2 Postponed Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla says maintaining law and order remains priority of the government Jaideep Ahlawat joins Ajay Devgn’s suspense thriller after Akshaye Khanna’s exit – report Ajay Devgn Ne Mana Kiya Kya Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff Meet Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Rodrigo De Paul Suniel, Akshay, Ajay and other Bollywood celebs extend wishes Kajol Reacts To Ajay Devgn’s Viral Dance From Son Of Sardaar 2 Ajay celebrates ‘shernis’ in his life with pics of Kajol Ajay Devgn posts rare childhood pics of daughter Nysa on her 23rd birthday
Google has settled with Black employees who alleged systemic racial disparities in hiring, pay, and advancement in a lawsuit filed in 2022. April Curley, a former Google employee, had sued the tech giant for racial discrimination, saying it engages in a “pattern and practice” of unfair
1 days ago
It’s safe to say Max Verstappen’s latest racing adventure has taken the motorsport world by storm. The four-time F1 World Champion is set to compete in the iconic 24 Hours of Nurburgring later this month — and the hype surrounding his appearance has already pushed the event to a complete
1 days ago
Beijing has confirmed that US President Donald Trump will travel to China this week to meet Xi Jinping. The visit, from 13-15 May, will be the first to China by a US president in nearly a decade - and comes at a pivotal moment for ties between the world's two largest economies
1 days ago
With rising temperatures in numerous cities of India, air conditioners have emerged once again as one of the biggest categories at the ongoing Amazon Great Summer Sale on day 4 for buyers. Several brands are offering attractive deals on inverter split ACs, smart and Wi-Fi enabled units
1 days ago
Kyle Busch update: Why did NASCAR star seek medical attention after Watkins Glen Cup Series race? Concerns pour inKyle Busch requested medical assistance during the Go Bowling at The Glen while racing in the top five. Published on: May 11, 2026 4:33 PM IST By Shweta Kukreti Share via Copy link
1 days ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to citizens to cut fuel consumption, avoid gold purchases and adopt other measures to help the country withstand global economic uncertainties amid the West Asia conflict were “proofs of failure”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Monday
1 days ago
If you opened X (formerly Twitter) today, you likely saw a name topping the charts that isn’t a politician, a cricketer, or a movie star. Instead, India is currently obsessed with two people most of the internet didn’t know yesterday: Mohan and Pooja.If you opened X (formerly Twitter) today
1 days ago
A French woman and two Americans tested positive or showed symptoms of hantavirus on Monday (May 11, 2026) as nations around the world scrambled to repatriate passengers from a cruise ship hit by an outbreak and quarantine or isolate them. Passengers from the ship began flying home aboard military
1 days ago
Isabella Stroupe GoFundMe: Family speaks out after North Carolina teen tortured, killed by BF, ‘Just like a nightmare…’A GoFundMe has been launched for Isabella Alexandria Stroupe, a 19-year-old who was found dead inside a North Carolina home. Her boyfriend has been arrested
1 days ago
P6, fastest lap: Racing prodigy Atiqa Mir makes big impact on 'dream' FIA Karting debutP6, fastest lap: Racing prodigy Atiqa Mir makes big impact on 'dream' FIA Karting debut Published on: May 11, 2026 3:38 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Valencia
1 days ago
After taking oath as West Bengal Chief Minister on May 9, 2026, Suvendu Adhikari chaired his first Cabinet meeting on Monday (May 11, 2026) and said his government has granted transfer of land to the BSF for erecting a fence along the Bangladesh border and approved immediate implementation of the
1 days ago
Constantly multitasking and exhausted? Therapist reveals 5 practices for mothers to prevent burnoutMothers often ignore their mental health, which gradually builds up and causes burnout. Know how to protect maternal mental well-being. Published on: May 11
1 days ago
When tech companies are firing employees at an accelerating pace and AI eating away those jobs that have until now been done by humans only, Nvidia founder Jensen Huang has tried to play down doomsday fears of youngsters by saying that ‘it’s the ideal time to enter the workforce’
1 days ago
Daily essential products such as soaps, detergents, biscuits, packaged foods, and beverages are expected to get costlier as leading FMCG companies are preparing for calibrated price hikes on account of rising crude-linked inflation, higher packaging costs
1 days ago
CBSE (Central Bureau of Secondary Education) results for Class 12 2026 are being eagerly awaited by millions of students across the country. Approximately 18 lakh students are reported to have appeared for the exam in the 2026 academic session across Science
1 days ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.10 vacuum cleaners that let you clean your entire home without breaking a sweatDiscover 10 vacuum cleaners with strong suction, wet and dry cleaning
1 days ago
Moments after Austria overtook Israel to win last May's Eurovision Song Contest and in doing so won the right to host this year's event, UK viewers heard commentator Graham Norton say organisers "will be breathing the largest sigh of relief that they're not faced with a Tel Aviv final next year"
1 days ago
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Monday that his government, in its first Cabinet meeting, gave its nod for land to be transferred to the Border Security Force to erect a fence along the border with Bangladesh, PTI reported
1 days ago
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday directed the state police chief to investigate a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act case filed against Bandi Bhagirath, the son of Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The chief minister “questioned” Director General of Police CV
1 days ago
As AI reshapes hiring and workforce expectations, colleges are entering a new competitive landscape where rankings alone are no longer enough. Institutions are increasingly being judged on employability, technological relevance, industry alignment, and future readiness
1 days ago
The Indian stock market fell about 1.5% on Monday amid higher global oil prices and concerns about the economic impact of the conflict in West Asia on India’s economy. The benchmark Sensex had fallen more than 1,300 points, or nearly 1.7%, at the end of the session
1 days ago
Pune to have India’s first Low Emission Zone, tourist hotspots to followIn a first for an Indian city, Pune will institutionalise a low-emission zone (LEZ) in its most polluted area, Shivajinagar in the central business district, potentially creating a template for other Indian cities
1 days ago
It’s safe to say Marcus Rashford is enjoying life in Catalonia. After arriving at Barcelona on loan from Manchester United, the England forward has rediscovered both his confidence and his spark under Hansi Flick. But on Sunday night, Rashford delivered his biggest moment yet on the grandest
1 days ago
The New Age Aspirant: Competitive exams, content, and confusionAspirants have easier access to lectures, test series than ever before. Information is no longer scarce, and that has quietly changed the way students prepare. Published on: May 11
1 days ago
Dehradun YouTuber Himadri Patel shares no 1 tip for negotiating brand deals and 1 mistake costing content creators moneyHimadri Patel says that the secret to a sustainable income isn't just about high views — it’s about treating your brand like a business from day one. Published on: May 11
1 days ago
Amitabh Bachchan asks his security to behave well with fans who come to meet outside Jalsa: ‘Janta janardhan hoti hai’Amitabh Bachchan has kept the tradition of meeting fans outside his Mumbai bungalow, Jalsa, for many years now. May 11, 2026
1 days ago
Watch: Bengaluru IT couple swims from Sri Lanka to India in 11 hours, internet calls them 'Legends'The clip showed the pair battling rough waves, strong currents and changing winds throughout the journey. Published on: May 11, 2026 4:16 PM IST By Bhavya Sukheja Share via Copy link For most people
1 days ago
