Reilly Opelka recently responded sarcastically to Frances Tiafoe’s assertion that tennis is the toughest sport worldwide, suggesting that pickleball takes the top spot.
Tiafoe is currently participating in the Mexican Open in Acapulco, where he secured a victory against Max Purcell in the first round. Prior to the match, he spoke with Tennis TV about tennis, emphasizing its difficulty due to factors like the small size of the ball and the absence of a set match duration.
“It’s the hardest sport in the world. I still think it’s the hardest sport in the world.
Well A, the ball in comparison to other sports is very small. Your hand-eye [coordination] has to got to be very good,” Tiafoe explained.
He further elaborated on the unpredictability of match lengths in tennis and the challenges posed by the ball’s movements. In response to Tiafoe’s remarks, Opelka facetiously commented that for him, pickleball remains the ultimate challenge, implying it surpasses tennis in difficulty.
Opelka has previously voiced his skepticism about pickleball, a sport played with a perforated ball and paddle-like racket over a net.