Pickleball is loved by Kim Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio

Scotland will hold its inaugural throatball tournament this weekend, with 140 people waiting to become the country’s first champions.

There are 10,000 registered pickleball players Scotland – tennis coach Judy Murray, Kim Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio all were said to be fans of this increasingly popular sport.

“Pickleball is a buzzword, everyone talks about pickleball,” said championship director Anne Smillie, explaining how the sport evolved from its invention. US already in the 1960s.

“Pickleball is a very popular sport in America, with over 15 million people playing on thousands of pickleball courts popping up all over America.”

What is a pickle ball?

USA Pickleball, the sport’s governing body, describes it as a combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.

It is played on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net, and players use paddles and a plastic ball.

This weekend’s tournament in Glasgow brings together participants from all over the world.

John Rankin from Seattle has arrived to play in the Masters event.

He outlined some rules – including underarm serves only, each team must play their first kick, and no volleying allowed in the “kitchen.”

“The kitchen area is like a seven foot deep area on either side of the net,” he told Sky News.

“And if you stand there, you can’t hit the ball in the air.”

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Pickleball has attracted fans of all ages and skill levels, as well as players of other similar sports.

“I tried it once and loved it and played ever since,” said Lucy Elliot, who represented Scotland in table tennis at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, a sport she has played since 2006.

Terry Smith plays in a “hybrid” exhibition event with one seated player and one standing player.

“I play tennis and I love my tennis, but the tennis court is a big area to move around in a wheelchair,” he said.

The Scottish National Pickleball Championship is held at the Allander Leisure Center in Glasgow.