Olympic hero, 48, following in footsteps of Eugenie Bouchard by taking up new sport – 21 years after becoming GB icon
Emms – winner of Olympic silver in badminton at the Athens 2004 Games – is following Canada's former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard into the emerging sport of pickleball.
4
4
The Milton Keynes star, a mum of two boys, will take part in the mixed doubles competition, in the over-35s category, on Sunday at the English Open in Telford.
More than 2,300 players are involved in the five-day event, organised by Pickleball England, making this the largest Pickleball tournament outside of the United States.
In England, there are over 800 venues and more than 50,000 people play the sport.
Bouchard, 31, quit tennis last week, following her exit from the National Bank Open in her hometown of Montreal, and will now pursue a different type of racquet sport.
Awareness globally has improved since eight-time tennis champion Agassi, 55, picked up a pickleball bat and competed professionally at the US Open Championships in April in Florida.
Emms first witnessed the sport at her local David Lloyd leisure centre and her curiosity took over – once she had a go herself, she was hooked.
The transition has been 'exhilarating' and with 'no prior singles training' she finished fourth in the 4.0 category at the English National Pickleball Championships in May.
Emma, 48, told SunSport: 'This is the closest sport I've found to badminton. For one, it's the size of a badminton court, the same dimensions.
'Tennis has a bigger court. Padel has a cage. In pickleball, it's a lighter bat, lighter ball.
'I didn't want to play Masters badminton or anything like that. I couldn't be arsed. There was nothing appealing about it.
'I put badminton in the cupboard and was at peace with it. But then pickleball came along and I'm obsessed with it now. It suits me. This sport is addictive.
4
'I'm diving around the court. It's so funny. I'm seriously just flinging myself everywhere.
'I've got a new mixed doubles partner. We talk tactics and send each other videos. It's hilarious.
'You think you're at peace with professional sport. You have parked it. But then you can't change your personality. It's like finding a new flame.
'Victoria Pendleton, a cyclist, became a jockey, Chris Hoy went into motorracing.
'I'm loving life. I play tournaments and I'm so nervous. I think: 'Oh my god. What am I doing to myself?'
It's literally the dream: If I'm on court playing Andre Agassi in pickleball, I might retire then and there!
Gail Emms
'Fifty is the golden age. I've got two years and then I can go into the 50-plus age group.
'If I'm going to keep doing it, I want to make sure I'm fit, strong and able to play against the pros.
'I want to play Andre Agassi basically – that's the aim. He does play over-50s.
4
'That's literally the dream. If I'm on court playing Andre Agassi in pickleball, I might retire then and there!
'Him and Steffi (Graf) have just transitioned and he played at the US Open in mixed doubles.
'Eugenie Bouchard has gone to pickleball. Her brand wants to sponsor me. I haven't spoken to her directly, it was through an agent in the US.
'Pickleball has got a lot of tennis players going there. I've seen it take off in South Korea and China as well. Here we go again!'
Twenty-one summers ago, Emms reached the final of the Olympics mixed doubles with Englishman Nathan Robertson but were denied gold in the Greek capital by Chinese duo Zhang Jun and Gao Ling.
She is in the late stages of writing an autobiography and is keen to push awareness at government level of the England women's team that competed at the unofficially 1971 World Cup finals in Mexico.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Sun
Unloved by Ruben Amorim but too popular to sell – where does forgotten Man Utd man Kobbie Mainoo go from here?
ONE year ago, having nicely slotted into England's midfield at Euro 2024, it seemed Kobbie Mainoo could do no wrong. But now the Manchester United star is already at a crossroads in his career at the age of 20 — with only the love of the fans for comfort. 2 2 After joining United at the age of six, the thought of Mainoo leaving Old Trafford is unthinkable for many supporters. But the Stockport lad continues to face a brutal battle to secure a spot in the 4-3-2-1 system of manager Ruben Amorim. His emergence in the 2023–24 season under former boss Erik ten Hag felt like the long-awaited unveiling of United's next midfield maestro. Mainoo — who, along with Alejandro Garnacho, became the first teenager to score in the FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo's strike against Millwall in 2004 — was considered the future of the club. Weeks after his Wembley triumph, Mainoo's vision and composure solved Gareth Southgate's midfield conundrum during England's surge to the Euros final. He was regarded as one of Europe's brightest talents. That was highlighted by his third-place finish in last year's Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the world's best under-21 talent and was won by Lamine Yamal. But the youngster suffered the first major setback of his career just months after the Euros as he missed 17 games when fatigue brought about two different muscle injuries. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK And Mainoo, whose contract talks stalled months ago, now has two new managers to impress in Amorim and Thomas Tuchel — and it seems the former is not keen at all. Unlike ex-England boss Southgate, Amorim seems to lack faith in the academy graduate to fix United's midfield mess. Behind the scenes of Benjamin Sesko's first day at Man Utd, from meeting team-mates to interview In the week former Red Devils star Scott McTominay earned a Ballon d'Or nod, Amorim ramped up his search for upgrades on Manuel Ugarte, 24, and veteran Casemiro, 33. That search led United to make contact with Brighton about a potential move for 21-year-old holding midfielder Carlos Baleba, who the Seagulls value at £100million. Mainoo, who has beefed his body up this summer, looked at home as a No 8 for two pre-season games during their US tour. But new arrivals Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are set to start the season as the two No 10s, meaning skipper Bruno Fernandes is expected to make a permanent switch to a deeper midfield role. The only reasonable spot left for Mainoo would be next to Fernandes in the double pivot — but Casemiro and Ugarte seem to hold favour there. With United out of Europe, there will not be as many opportunities to play in the reduced schedule. MAN UTD PLAYER RATINGS: Bryan Mbeumo eases pressure on Bruno Fernandes but Matheus Cunha lacks sharpness vs Fiorentina BRYAN MBEUMO showed fans what they've been missing as Manchester United beat Fiorentina 5-4 on penalties in their final pre-season friendly. United were a mixed bag in their final summer warm-up game- and the only one at Old Trafford - before the start of the new season next Sunday. United unveiled their four new signings but it was Benjamin Sesko - who was announced from RB Leipzig before kick-off - that got the loudest roar from fans. And this match proved how much they needed him... Here's how SunSport's Man Utd reporter Katherine Walsh rated the players... And if Mainoo keeps warming the bench, it does not bode well for his chances of making Three Lions boss Tuchel's squad for the World Cup next summer. Mainoo got the last 20 minutes of United's final pre-season friendly against Fiorentina on Saturday, before his team-mates made a beeline for him after he scored the penalty-shootout winner after a 1-1 draw. It has gone quiet on the new contract and bumped-up wages front for Mainoo. The club have struggled to nail him down to fresh terms, with Chelsea and Tottenham now waiting with open arms. While fellow Cup final scorer and academy graduate Garnacho is up for sale, losing Mainoo would be a devastating blow. He is a Mancunian through-and-through and a boyhood fan. With the 1958 United supporter group set to protest against Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers before Sunday's Prem opener against Arsenal, their outrage would pale in comparison to the grief of losing Mainoo — and especially to a rival.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Alejandro Garnacho's stance on possible Chelsea move after Man United set asking price for 'bomb squad' member - as Blues consider defensive signing
Alejandro Garnacho has set his mind on a move to Chelsea after Manchester United revealed their asking price. The Red Devils have been looking to offload Garnacho all summer, with the Argentine international one of the unwanted players placed into a 'bomb squad'. Garnacho was told by United boss Ruben Amorim to find a new club in May, after the winger was unhappy to start on the bench in the Europa League final. Chelsea hold strong interest in the 20-year-old, who is believed to be valued at £50million - significantly less than the £70m that United initially wanted. The Blues' hierarchy have no concerns over his character after doing their homework. In total Garnacho has played 144 games for United and has scored 26 goals, while he has provided 22 assists. He won the FA Cup with United in the 2023-24 campaign and the EFL Cup in the previous season. The Stamford Bridge club are still assessing whether to add another centre back for Enzo Maresca but intend to sell before making more buys. Nicolas Jackson remains an option for the likes of Newcastle while Christopher Nkunku is wanted by former club RB LEIPZIG as part of negotiations over Xavi Simons. Nkunku has a number of options but Chelsea would be open to reducing the fee for Simons by including the French forward in any deal. Leipzig are also keen on Chelsea's Tyrique George.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
INSIDE SPORT: The Thomas Frank move that shows how new Tottenham Hotspur boss is revolutionising their training ground
New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has wasted little time in putting his mark on the club's training ground. Inside Sport understands that a new Padel court is currently being installed at the state-of-the-art facility in Enfield. Frank is a keen Padel player and earlier this year dispatched Daily Mail Sport's Oliver Holt and a friend 6-0, 6-0 in a doubles match while he was at Brentford, where there was a similar set-up. In 2019 it was revealed that Spurs had installed a putting green at the complex, with former striker Harry Kane among a group of keen golfers at the club. A padel court was previously installed at Brentford's training centre during Frank's time there FOREST LAWYER UP Nottingham Forest sent five lawyers to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after Crystal Palace included both them and Lyon in their appeal against UEFA's decision to demote the Eagles from the Europa League to the Conference League. Palace are attempting to replace either Forest, who were effectively promoted to take their spot, or Lyon. The French side are owned by John Textor, whose company also held a 43 per cent stake in Palace which UEFA deemed was a breach of its rules on multi-club ownership. They took the one slot on offer to MCOs because they finished higher in their domestic league than FA Cup winners Palace. The Eagles have thrown the kitchen sink at overturning what they believe was an unjust decision, and both Forest and Lyon, who were also represented, could claim for legal expenses. A verdict, following a gruelling 10-hour hearing on Friday is due on Monday. RUSSIAN ATHLETICS BRACED FOR CHANGE Russian Athletics is obviously anticipating big progress in the Trump and Putin peace talks. The body has suddenly invited international media to their National Championships in Kazan and has talked optimistically about a return to international competition. However, Lord Sebastian Coe and the council at World Athletics will not make a call during the World Championships in Tokyo next month. Inside Sport understands that realistically only Russian youth and women athletes will be considered for immediate international athletics events - and that any such decision will only be made after a ceasefire in Ukraine. Next year is most likely. APP TAKES RIO'S FANCY Rio Ferdinand continues to spread his portfolio post-football. The former Manchester United and England defender, who Daily Mail Sport revealed was to leave TNT Sports at the end of last season, is backing a new sports app called Koora Break, which has recently partnered with national Saudi Arabian airline Saudia and will provide in-flight content. Ferdinand himself has appeared on the App, interviewing Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. UNITED CHIEF SPEEDS OFF TO NEW ROLE Another off-field departure at Manchester United, where head of corporate comms Michael Gibson is off to a new sport. Gibson has landed a role in MotoGP, the grand prix of motorcycling where he will lead their global comms strategy. Before arriving at Old Trafford in 2022 he previously worked on the 2019 Cricket World Cup and Rugby League World Cup three years later. Gibson's move follows the decision by Andrew Ward to leave as director of media relations and public affairs at the club, which continues to change rapidly on and off the field following the arrival Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos as co-owners. SALMON IN HOT WATER Choppy waters for Swim England chief executive Andy Salmon, who has made a number of redundancies and stated that more are on their way. Staff have been left with a bitter taste, to say the least, after Salmon cancelled the annual team conference and Christmas Party - but failed to do the same to a three-day team building trip to Wales this month, for him and senior leadership. When challenged on how he could justify what some see as a jolly on the back of such cuts, he is said to have claimed it was a vitally important trip and something which could not be done at HQ in Loughborough. Morale among staff is said to be at 'an all-time low' according to an insider.
