Pickleball hater John McEnroe points out one of the biggest negatives about the sport
McEnroe made the comments while welcoming tennis star-turned-pickleballer Genie Bouchard to 'The MacZone'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There's no question that pickleball is one of the hottest sports on the planet, but it's still getting a frosty reception from tennis great John McEnroe.
McEnroe and his brother, Patrick, were doing their alternate broadcast of the French Open called "The MacZone," when they welcomed tennis star-turned pickleballer Genie Bouchard to the program.
McEnroe — not known to be one to bite his tongue — couldn't help but take a shot at the nation's favorite sport that your mom probably plays.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
"She leaves the sport to play that damn stupid pickleball," he said.
Bouchard called him out, saying he played it too.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}John McEnroe gestures during the men's singles final between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships in London on July 10, 2022. (Adrian Dennis/AFP)
"I played two weekends, and they paid me more money for that than I got paid for tennis," McEnroe said. "And I was playing tennis players, so that’s a little different than playing some pickleball people."
See? He wasn't playing pickleball; he was selling out. There's a huge difference.
ANDRE AGASSI RAVES ABOUT PICKLEBALL AFTER MAKING PRO DEBUT IN SPORT: 'I'M LOVING IT'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}McEnroe does have one major issue he thinks the sport needs to address, and it isn't player compensation, which appears to be quite generous.
"The sound of the plastic ball; you know how when you hit a tennis ball it sounds awesome? But when you hit a pickleball, personally, I think [the sound] is a big negative," McEnroe said after asking Bouchard if she found the sound annoying.
I guarantee you can hear this picture, and so can John McEnroe. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle)
I get that. It's not one of the better sports noises like the crack of the bat or the rev of an engine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It sounds like what it is: a wiffle ball plinking and plonking off a court.
I still think the big stumbling block is the name. It's just too goofy sounding.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When I was in high school, my gym teacher made us play pickleball. Between the plastic ball and the dumb name, I thought he made it up. Hell, it was years before I realized it was a real thing, and not an excuse for him to sit in his office and set his fantasy football lineup while we took turns hitting each other with serves.
Nope. It turns out it's very real.