The inaugural meeting of the Hangzhou Pickleball Association was held at the Hejia Village Cultural Hall in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on March 3, marking the establishment of the province's first professional pickleball association. 

Pickleball, as an emerging sport in Hangzhou, has become a favorite among the city's dwellers in recent years.

The association is to further facilitating the promotion of pickleball in the city. 

"The association will devote itself to setting up a high-level professional and technical team, building a high-level activity platform, organizing various competitions and training activities, so that more citizens can understand and participate in Pick Ball," said Wang Jin, president of the association.

Although pickleball is a relatively new and niche racquet sport, its popularity and development have been remarkable. It has become one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide in the last three years, included as a demonstration sport in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and is poised to become an official event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.