We wouldn’t be exaggerating if we said everyone and their grandma has hopped on the pickleball trend in the past year. The age-neutral, easygoing sport has roped in celebrities, working professionals, teenagers and senior citizens by the dozen to the courts that have mushroomed in the city. Like most things in Mumbai, a game of pickleball is better when it comes with a sea view, reckons Abhineet Aggarwal, founder of NautiPickle, the recently-opened eight-court arena in the Ballard Pier complex.

Patrons grab a quick bite and socialise between games

“It’s true that the pickleball arenas are multiplying prolifically in the city. But given the space jam in Mumbai, most of them are cramped in small areas. As a result, many talented players in the city find it hard to push themselves to their full potential. I wanted to bring a world-class experience to the city,” shares Aggarwal, who is also an amateur pickleball player. The courts are standard size 3.1 mm rollable floors that ensure no dead bounce spots, and racquets and balls are provided to the players on demand, we’re told.