What happens when you take a badminton court, ping-pong equipment and tennis-style scoring and put them together? The answer is a sport you’ve no doubt heard a few people mention: pickleball. Developed in America in the 1960s, this low-stakes racket sport has been making waves in Berlin this past year, thanks mostly to the players at Pickleball Collective. The project was launched by friends Lotti and Max in 2023 to popularize this laid back, social – and disruptive – take on tennis. The key to its popularity is its accessibility: unlike tennis, which requires more formal training, pickleball beginners can jump straight in and start rallying within minutes. You can do just that at the collective’s open play sessions – held at outdoor courts in Alt-Treptow, a sports hall in Moabit and, since August 2025, a dedicated center in Mariendorf (which also offers padel, a related racket sport). The open sessions offer relaxed back-and-forth, though if you prefer structure the group offers training sessions for abilities ranging from newbie to natural. Whether you’re playing to win or just want to meet new people, the ball is in your court…
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Pickleball Collective
Pickleball Collective sessions can be booked on the website or through Urban Sports Club.
Treptow outdoor courts, Heidelberger str.90, 12345 Berlin–Alt-Treptow; map
Moabit indoor courts, Turmstr.85B, 10559 Berlin–Moabit; map
Padel & Pickleball Center,Großbeerenstr.2–10, 12107 Berlin–Mariendorf; map
@pickleball.collective
