Lam Thanh, manager of a four-storey boarding house near a pickleball court in Binh Loi Trung Ward, said games have been played from 5.30 am until about 11 pm for months, leaving students and workers unable to rest after returning home.
Players sometimes use loudspeakers and play music at weekends, affecting hundreds of tenants in the building, she said. The boarding house stands just a few metres from the back of the court, separated only by a thin wall and metal roofing, allowing sound to carry clearly into rooms and corridors.
A pickleball court in Binh Loi Trung Ward (Photo by Quynh Tam)
Vu Minh Quan, a first-year university student who moved into the building four months ago, said a pickleball court was built nearby just two months later. Since then, the noise has been persistent, echoing loudly even to the second floor.
On Bau Cat 9 Street in Tan Binh Ward, residents are also facing noise from a pickleball court operating from morning until night. Many households say they have to close their doors early in the evening to reduce the disturbance.
A local resident said the court opened only a few months ago but has already caused disruption, with noise sometimes continuing late into the night after players gather to eat and drink. One household has recently moved out after being unable to tolerate the disturbance.
Many households have to close their doors early to avoid the noise pollution caused by pickleball courts
Hong, who lives in an apartment block in Nha Be Commune, two alleys away from a pickleball court, said she has suffered exhaustion and sleep deprivation. Despite living on the 14th floor and installing soundproof glass, the noise remains clearly audible from morning until night.
The persistent sound has left her anxious and unable to sleep, affecting her ability to concentrate at work. After living there for five months, she is considering moving again to find accommodation unaffected by pickleball noise.
While pickleball has grown in popularity as a recreational sport, residents are calling on authorities and court operators to introduce noise-reduction measures, enforce operating-hour limits and better regulate court locations to protect surrounding communities.
