Hello dear readers, friends, and racket sports enthusiasts.

Welcome to the February edition of Racket Business—a packed issue that captures just how fast the global racket sports landscape is shifting, and who’s shaping what comes next.

We lead with a deep dive into the USTA’s $1.4 billion spending spree, examining what happens when massive investment flows into just two zip codes—and what it means for the rest of the ecosystem. From there, Rich’s ever popular ‘Publisher’s Notes’ set the tone with letters, updates, shout-outs, and a few things that make us all go hmmm…

This month’s industry coverage spans continents and categories: February racket sports industry news, a revealing exclusive from the UK on why a lack of indoor courts is holding tennis and padel back (and how 40 new facilities could change that), and our latest look at racket sports technology—from IBM and Wimbledon to wearables and performance innovation.

Facilities and club operators will find plenty to chew on, with expert perspectives on management consistency, court maintenance, and why the future of racquet clubs is being built beyond the court—where hospitality, experience, and community matter as much as lines and nets.

The great format debate continues as well. We explore padel vs. pickleball and who may ultimately win the global race, spotlight the business momentum behind padel’s rise (including On’s landmark signing of Arturo Coello), and track pickleball’s expanding commercial footprint as Nike and On make their moves. You’ll also find practical guidance for UK padel court development, plus global snapshots of both sports’ accelerating growth.

This issue also celebrates people and pathways: from Christy Lynch’s journey from college standout to academy owner, to high school tennis as a lifetime on-ramp, to racquetball’s quiet but persistent resurgence. Our “In the Trenches” column highlights one of the most meaningful advances in pro tennis in years, while new sports like TYPTI show how innovation continues to lower barriers to entry.

We round things out with coaching wisdom, leadership lessons, webinars, podcasts, career opportunities, an updated events calendar, and an open invitation to contribute your voice to the always, we invite you to engage, challenge, and contribute. The conversations in this issue matter — because 2026 is already underway.

If you have insights, ideas, or industry experience to share, we invite you to contribute to RacketBusiness — because the conversations that shape our sport start with voices like yours. 👉 Write for RacketBusiness

Enjoy the issue, stay curious, and keep swinging forward.

See you courtside,

Rich & Tim (Learn more about us)

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From inside the lines…

An exclusive series of short features, only available to newsletter subscribers, from the owner’s of Racket Business. This month…

Data Isn’t Steroids: Why Resisting Tech in Racket Sports Is Futile

If the recent wearable-tech dust-up at the Australian Open taught us anything, it’s this: technology isn’t coming to racket sports… it’s already here, and the sport’s old guard is going to struggle to contain it.

This January in Melbourne, some of the game’s biggest stars, including world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Jannik Sinner, were asked to remove discreet biometric wearables moments before stepping onto court. These weren’t communication devices or sensory aids; they were fitness trackers from WHOOP, designed to measure heart rate, recovery, sleep strain and other physiological metrics that top athletes and their teams rely on to stay healthy and perform.

The reason? Grand Slam policy still lags behind the rest of the tour. While the International Tennis Federation (ITF) technically approves such devices as Player Analysis Technology (PAT), individual majors including the Australian Open have uneven rules on their use. And without explicit pre-approval for wearables, umpires are still empowered to tell players: remove it or don’t play.

To many observers, this felt less like protecting the integrity of competition and more like wilful denial of the future. After all, the ATP and WTA have widely embraced wearables in competition. These devices aren’t about coaching on the fly or transmitting strategic signals, they’re about health, longevity and smart athletic preparation. Yet at Melbourne Park, the message was clear: technology must wait its turn.

In an era where every other professional sport leverages data analytics, biomechanics and performance tech to maximise output, tennis’s ambivalence feels anachronistic. We’ve already seen Hawk-Eye transform officiating, video review reshape how matches are judged, and sensors redefine training methodology. Next up? Real-time swing analysis, AI-assisted biomechanics, and predictive injury models that could extend careers. Resisting these tools isn’t just futile, it’s harmful to the athletes the sport claims to care about.

Those uncomfortable with this evolution often fall back on arguments about tradition, fairness or “protecting the sport.” But let’s be honest: the sport has transformed dramatically in the past two decades. Racket technology, conditioning methods, nutrition science and analytics have all reshaped how the game is played. Technology hasn’t diluted competition; it’s enriched it, raised standards, and expanded opportunities for insight.

Even the WHOOP CEO hit the nail on the head when he declared “data is not steroids”, a crisp reminder that tracking one’s own physiology poses no competitive advantage in the traditional sense, only a pathway to smarter health decisions and safer performance.

For clubs, coaches and industry stakeholders, the message should be clear: adaptation isn’t optional. Marginalising technology will only widen the gap between those who embrace innovation and those left clutching tradition. Instead of resisting, racket sports should lead in establishing clear, fair and forward-thinking policies that integrate performance tech without compromising competition.

The future of racket sports isn’t analog. It’s measurable, data-driven and deeply interconnected with the tech that surrounds our lives. The sooner our sport accepts that, the sooner it thrives.

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