Forget Pickleball: Why Barbados Road Tennis Could Be the Next Global Sport

Move over pickleball. There's a Caribbean sport chasing Olympic recognition, and it started on the streets of Barbados in the 1930s.

Road tennis, born as a working-class pastime played on painted street courts with wooden paddles and a perforated ball, has grown into an organised sport now played in more than 450 schools across the world. And its advocates believe it has the potential to follow cricket and athletics onto the Olympic programme.

The sport was invented by Barbadians who couldn't afford proper tennis equipment. They improvised, using makeshift paddles and drawing court lines on the road with chalk. What started as a neighbourhood game has become a source of national pride and a genuine grassroots phenomenon.

Today, road tennis has formal rules, international tournaments, and a dedicated governing body pushing for broader recognition. The sport's accessibility — all you need is a paddle, a ball, and a flat surface — makes it appealing for communities around the world.

The push for Olympic inclusion is still in its early stages, but road tennis has something that can't be manufactured: authentic Caribbean roots and a story that resonates far beyond the islands.

This is Sharon Sahatoo for Global1 News, reporting from Couva, Trinidad. 🇹🇹