The basics:

• South Brunswick club opening winter 2025 under Yashraj Kurani
• Part of Pickleball Kingdom‘s multi-location expansion in NJ
• Indoor courts, coaching, leagues, tournaments and pro shop planned

Pickleball Kingdom continues to add more locations to serve New Jerseyans, with the latest set for Middlesex County. 

The indoor pickleball brand announced Aug. 11 that franchisee Yashraj Kurani would lead the new South Brunswick club, scheduled to open this winter. 

“We’re excited to continue growing Pickleball Kingdom’s presence in New Jersey,” Pickleball Kingdom founder and CEO Ace Rodrigues said in a statement. “As we expand across the state, every new club deepens our commitment to building stronger communities through the power of pickleball.” 

Like its other facilities, the South Brunswick center will feature: 

• State-of-the-art indoor courts, offering climate-controlled play 
• Professional coaching and clinics for players of all skill levels 
• Organized leagues and tournaments for both casual and competitive play 
• Community and corporate events 
• Pro shop offering items such as paddles, balls, apparel and accessories 

For those who have yet to catch on to the craze, pickleball is similar to tennis but played closer to the net with paddles and plastic balls with holes. Deemed the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., statistics put the number of players anywhere between 19.8 million and 48.3 million, depending on two organizations’ varying methodologies.

According to Market.us, the global pickleball market size is expected to grow to $4.4 billion by 2033, up from $1.5 billion in 2023.

A boost to the local economy

Noting the area’s need for indoor pickleball facilities to meet the growing demand of the sport, Kurani added, “Our Pickleball Kingdom club will be more than a sports facility—it will help local economic growth and be a community hub that supports active living. … It’s an investment in the well-being and vibrancy of South Brunswick.” 

Kurani brings more than two decades in IT sales to the team. Additionally, he’s a competitive pickleball player himself and recently earned a 4.0 PPA Golden Ticket, which provides “a path for amateur players to play in the USA Pickleball National Championships,” according to USA Pickleball. 

The forthcoming center brings Pickleball Kingdom’s presence in New Jersey to: 

• Hamilton now open – the first of 20 centers led by entrepreneur Samrat “Sam” Sood
• Marlboro Township TBA – led by Ved Mishra
• Old Bridge TBA – operated by PICKLEPLEX, led by franchisee Sri Adimulam and his partners from Central Jersey
• South Brunswick late 2025 opening
• Springfield TBA – led by twin brothers and Rider University alumni Andrew and Matt LoBrace
• Tinton Falls late 2025 opening – also led by Mishra
• Toms River TBA 
• Watchung late 2025 opening – led by Todd and Chana Baron

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 9:02 a.m. Aug. 28, 2025, to include the newly announced Old Bridge location.

Causing a ‘racquet’

Several new facilities are popping up across the state for fans of not only pickleball but also another sport growing in popularity, padel. See the latest pickleball developments here, and where padel enthusiasts can play here.