Panaji: The sharp thwack of a pickleball meeting a paddle cuts through the afternoon air at Assagao. Players rush towards the net, return shots and reset for the next point, while others watch from the sidelines, waiting for their turn.It is a scene that would have been difficult to imagine in Goa a few years ago.When James Anderson, 66, returned from Canada in 2022, he brought with him a new sport. Today, pickleball has spread across Goa, with dedicated courts, coaching, tournaments and the Goa Pickleball League.“I actually first played pickleball in Canada,” said Anderson, now the oldest player in the league. His sister introduced him to the sport, which he began playing more seriously before bringing it with him to Goa.“When I came back, I brought three paddles and four balls.”Anderson and a small group began playing at a friend’s property, marking out their own court. Other groups soon followed.“There were no courts before that in Goa. That was really the start of pickleball in Goa,” said Anderson.Among those early players was businessman Parag Joshi, who had played table tennis, tennis and squash. His introduction to pickleball was equally improvised.“We saw this new game, so we made the first paddles out of plywood and started playing in a smaller place where they had a net for tennis practice,” said Joshi.The plywood paddles eventually gave way to equipment bought online, while makeshift courts were replaced by dedicated facilities. The sport also found an unexpected following among older players.An improved performance followed.Joshi and Anderson won gold in the 60-plus category at the All India pickleball championships in Jammu and Kashmir in 2024. For Joshi, the sport has provided more than competition.“It’s a great networking sport. You meet a lot of people,” he said.Groups have emerged for older players, giving them an opportunity to remain active and competitive. “We have special groups for 60-plus and 70-plus. At that age, we’re keeping ourselves busy,” said Joshi.For former athlete Charmaine Godinho, 50, pickleball’s accessibility is one of its biggest strengths. A national-level ultimate frisbee player who has also represented Goa in badminton, Godinho eventually chose pickleball over tennis.“Tennis is a little hard on my body now. Doubles is still doable, but pickleball is much easier on the body.”The smaller court makes it easier for beginners and older players to participate. “It’s a very easy sport,” said Godinho. “It’s literally like when you’re a small kid and you hold a bat in your hand and hit a ball. You just put it across the net.”The progression from recreation to competition is now visible in Assagao where the Goa Pickleball League has brought players from across the state into an organised competitive format.For entrepreneur Anand Virmani, the sport’s appeal extends beyond the score.“It’s very organic. You don’t have to force it,” Virmani said of the friendships formed on court. “It’s kind of like the Tinder of friendship.”Virmani’s regular playing partner is a poker player and coach, someone he might never otherwise have met. This ability to bring different people together could also be changing how Goa is experienced by visitors.“This is changing the picture of tourism in Goa in general,” said Karan Singh, former filmmaker, and now a keen enthusiast of the sport. “People are actually coming in to play pickleball and padel over the weekend, and not just to party and drink.”
