WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — – Tennis, everyone?

The sport played by Serena Williams and Roger Federer was a hit last year, with recreational participation rising 22% in the United States, according to an annual survey from the Physical Activity Council.

In a release announcing the survey results, U.S. Tennis Association CEO Mike Dowse tied that increase to tennis’s status as an « ideal social distancing sport » during the coronavirus pandemic.

About 21.5 million people picked up a racket and headed to a court in 2020. There were nearly 3 million new players, a 44% increase from a year earlier.

According to the USTA, the Tennis Industry Association found that entry-level racket sales went up nearly 40%.

The USTA is one of eight sports associations listed as partners on the Physical Activity Council’s website, which says the survey uses a representative panel of more than 1 million Americans and includes about 18,000 online interviews.

The survey examined people about more than 120 activities.