An injured Saffron Walden badminton player is finding a new lease of life back on court - after changing racket sports.

Richard Peet made the decision to retire from league competitions in badminton after aggravating his back.

That was three years ago but it didn't sate his competitive urges and so he returned to the court, although this time in pickleball, one of the UK's largest growing sports at all ages.

Played using paddles and a perforated plastic ball, the game can be played indoors and out, and the 67-year-old Peet has taken his new love of the game into a national competition, the English Nationals which took place in Bolton.

 

He said: “My ex-badminton partner had just started a club in Saffron Walden and suggested I give pickleball a go. 

“I found I enjoyed it and that my back didn’t hurt nearly as bad as playing badminton so I took the decision of retiring from league badminton after 50 years of playing to a high standard.

“I took up pickleball and have been learning how to play ever since.

"There’s a real camaraderie around it. It’s so friendly. Everyone’s so approachable, we talk to one another and the sport is so interesting because you get a lot of players from different backgrounds.

“You get players who think all you have to do is smack the ball as hard as you can and it’s nothing like that. It’s a mixture of technique, placement and you have to think your way around it.

"I’d like to see pickleball continue to grow but it hasn’t reached the stage yet where we have leagues in all areas. 

“Pickleball hasn’t got to that stage yet, it’s very much club and inter-club play and there are tournaments like this one but there’s not a lot of them.

“Anyone who plays badminton, tennis or squash should be able to play it. The fact that pickleball marries age and ability makes it such a good sport.”

Peet was in both the men's and the mixed doubles at Bolton, winning one match in each of the group stages. 

Pickleball England has announced a record number of over 1,000 players competed at the 2024 Skechers English Nationals.

The tournament took place from the October 31 to November 3 at Bolton Arena and is the second largest national pickleball event.

For more information, visit www.pickleballengland.org