Pickleball vs. tennis: Vandalism reported at Fairfax County courts

Pickleball players accused of vandalizing tennis courts

Fairfax County says pickleball players have repeatedly vandalized a tennis court ? part of a back-and-forth debate continuing in one neighborhood.

ANNANDALE, Va. - Fairfax County says pickleball players have repeatedly vandalized a tennis court – part of a back-and-forth debate continuing in one neighborhood. 

What we know:

The Kendale Woods Pickleball Courts were closed down and repainted to be strictly tennis courts last year after complaints about noise. In 2021, the County passed a rule that pickleball courts could not be within 250 feet of a home.

But some pickleball fans haven’t taken too kindly to the change, according to the county. 

A Parks and Rec official told FOX 5 that since the courts became tennis-only, there have been multiple instances in the last year of people painting or taping pickleball lines—the county calling it vandalism. 

The tennis courts reopened earlier this week after being closed while the county painted over the pickleball lines. 

What they're saying:

FOX 5's David Kaplan spoke to a neighbor who says the noise doesn’t bother her and she thinks anything to get people fit is good.

"I’m very sad that it went away, and that little bit of noise didn’t bother me, because you just put ear plugs in if it does and it doesn’t bother me at all," said neighbor Alice Bailey. "It’s crazy. People should be interested in keeping themselves fit instead of sitting on their backsides eating bon bons and potato chips."