Is She or He the Key Player in Pickleball Mixed Doubles? A Pilot Study on Sex-Based Performance Profiles

Pickleball is a recent sport, and very little scientific information exists on its match performance, especially for mixed doubles. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the performance profile in relation to sex differences in terms of shot outcome, margin of victory, and advantage. Seventeen elite mixed double matches from Professional Pickleball Association tours were analyzed, specifically considering the final as well as the penultimate shot with regard to the sex of the opponent who played it to analyze the inter-player dynamics between the opponents. Elite mixed pickleball matches have been characterized by 1:1.4 work-to-rest ratio, with rallies meanly lasting 10.6 s and separated by 11.4 s between them. Among the 1678 final shots analyzed, males played significantly fewer forced errors and more winners than females, especially when the penultimate shot was played by a female opponent. No sex differences emerged when the penultimate shot was played by a male opponent. Additionally, males played more winners both when leading and when winning the match. Mixed doubles pickleball matches appear to be partially influenced by sex-imbalanced game dynamics, with a higher number of winners played by males, particularly when the preceding shot is played by a female, suggesting that this format offers only moderate inclusivity between sexes.