Beaches local Lara Giltinan tearing up the US Pickleball scene

The daughter of renowned local and Australian sporting icon Bob Giltinan, Lara was a talented junior tennis player who once competed on the ITF Junior World Tour. Her early career seemed destined for success until chronic back injuries brought her time on the tennis circuit to a premature end. What followed was an unexpected detour – and ultimately, a remarkable second act in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports: Pickleball.

After stepping away from competitive tennis, Giltinan moved to Las Vegas, working in hospitality as a cocktail waitress at the city’s famous pool clubs. Life in the desert oasis was far removed from the grind of professional sport…Until a friend suggested she try Pickleball, a quirky hybrid of tennis, badminton, and table tennis played with paddles and a perforated plastic ball. At first, she wasn’t convinced.

“It took me six months to actually play Pickleball after my friend suggested it,” Giltinan recalls with a laugh. “Mainly I thought it was a really gimmicky game and I guess I was too proud to lower myself from playing competitive tennis. But after a few games my eyes really opened up and I was like wow, this is great, I can see really see this sport now.”

That moment of rediscovery changed everything. Within a year, Giltinan’s competitive instincts reignited, and she decided to give the sport a proper go. “I said to myself ‘just play for one year’ and get some credibility in the sport and see how it goes,” she explains. “So, I am very proud to have made a really good go of it and now playing the best players in the US week in, week out.”

Today, Giltinan is ranked 15th overall on the PPA Tour, making her the highest-ranked Australian Pickleball player in the US and potentially the globe. Her rise mirrors the meteoric growth of Pickleball itself, which has transformed from a backyard pastime in the U.S. to an international phenomenon.

“I really love how it is a racquet ball game for all ages,” Giltinan says. “Tennis can be a really hard introduction for beginners, and Pickleball is far more approachable and enjoyable as soon as you walk on the court.”

That accessibility has helped drive participation numbers skyward. The Northern Beaches is no different, with a number of courts opening up and it can be tough to get a booking such is the demand to play. Giltinan isn’t surprised “It’s fun, fast, and social. People fall in love with it, it’s a great way to catch up socially, it’s healthy and not overly strenuous” she says.

At 39, Giltinan is realistic about her playing window but brimming with enthusiasm for what comes next. “I’m 39 now, so I am well past my peak years and there is a tinge of regret Pickleball hadn’t arrived sooner for me, but I am really passionate about it as a sport and hope to remain involved with its development.”

That passion may soon bring her home, with plans to return in the not-too-distant future. The Tawny reckons there is no better ambassador to champion the Pickleball cause on the Beaches!