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Gone are the days when playing with a power paddle means you’re sacrificing the soft game. Paddle tech has come a long way. Brands big and small now offer innovative models that let you wreck a drive and feather a dink with precision and control.

You just need to know where to look. We rounded up 9 stellar options below.

In This Issue:
— Can anyone stop ALW?
— Improve your game at home
— One pro goes Gucci

Let’s ride.

Top pros hit the red carpet in Atlanta for a sneak peek of the upcoming “Partners” pro pickleball documentary. Hunter Johnson, Roscoe Bellamy, Allyce Jones, Chris Haworth. Bossman Connor Pardoe even made an appearance. See the looks.

A rec point is generating quite the buzz online since nobody can seem to decide if a player committed a foot fault or not. We'll admit, it’s awfully close. But hot take: she commits a kitchen fault well before the shot in question.

Did you know Anna Leigh Waters is chasing an unprecedented streak, not just in pickleball, but in sports? She’s approaching two full years without losing a singles match on the PPA Tour. But she’ll need to get through the Atlanta Slam first. Here’s who’s standing in her way.

There are literally thousands of pickleball paddles on the market. Most are amazing. And believe it or not, the best paddle for you might not be the one you’re playing with. Try a friend’s go-to. You might love it. Not sure what to look for? Start here.

We’ve all seen videos of enthusiastic amateurs dinking over their luggage at their airport gate. That’s… a lot.

But there is a way to train your game while you’re away from the court.

Here are a few pickleball-specific drills and exercises you can do at home. In the garage. The living room. Your master bathroom. Drill them over and over and you’ll notice the difference on the court.

✅ The split-step wall drill. Stand facing a wall. Hop into a split-step, landing in an athletic stance, then immediately explode laterally to your left or right. Alternate sides. Do three sets of 10 reps each direction. Why a wall? It gives you a visual anchor and forces you to stay compact and linear.

✅ Wrist curls. Grab a light dumbbell or resistance band and do alternating sets of 10 wrist curls. Up and down, and side to side. Concentrate on form, keeping your elbow locked and forearm rigid. Your drops and flicks will thank you.

✅ Third-shot drop mimicry. With or without a paddle, emulate the swing motion of a third shot drop. Focus on a low-to-high swing path, soft grip pressure (4 out of 10), and a stable, quiet shoulder. Your wrist should be firm through contact, not flopping. Do 50 slow-motion reps, then 50 at game speed. Mastery requires repetition.

Quiet dedication to your craft when no one is watching is what separates consistent play from sloppy play. Small improvements add up.

Just don’t practice your dinking in the airport, ok?

➡️ Five more drills right here.

Watch Gabe Tardio play for five minutes and you’ll get it.

The speed. The cuts. The way he moves without hesitation.

That’s exactly what the Stria G1 Pro Court Shoes are built for. Because he helped build them.

We’re talking one of the top players in the world, #1 in men’s doubles on the PPA Tour, shaping a shoe around how the game is actually played at that level.

From pro-level movement… to your local courts.

Step into the G1 here and use code THEDINK for 10% off.

Power paddles have come a long way in the past year. Sure, they're hitting harder than ever. But new tech like multi-foam cores and longer-lasting surface grit means they're offering elite levels of consistency and control as well.

No two paddles are the same, of course. That's why we teamed up with the innovative minds at the Paddle Lab to pull together a unique list of power paddles that also excel at the soft game.

Their database contains more than 500 of the game's best paddles, and they're adding more every day, rigorously testing metrics like power, spin, and consistency.

So whether you're ripping passing drives from the baseline or finessing your way through a long dink exchange, these paddles are proven to perform in all three zones of the court.

Better yet, they’re offering 10% off on all applicable paddles when you use code THEDINK.

Go ahead, have your cake and eat it too.

➡️ See the list.

True story: top pro Christian Alshon is in Atlanta for the PPA Slam currently underway. He gets locked out of his Airbnb. He waits. And waits.

He’s got a round-of-32 singles match at 10 am. Someone comes with a replacement key, but it’s the wrong one. He’s out of luck. And time. He’s got to go or he’ll miss his match.

He’s got his pickleball bag with his clothes and paddles. But his shoes are in his suitcase. Locked in the house and out of reach.

In a pinch, Christian does what any self-respecting pro athlete would do: he takes the court in his Gucci high-tops. The show must go on.

He’ll go on to win the match against Mouaad Alhouni, 11-9, 11-8. But not before pro coach Matt Manasse let him borrow his court shoes.

➡️ “Not proud of it”

Selkirk just launched something that goes beyond gear.

The Parkinson’s paddle is part of a broader effort to support players living with Parkinson’s—helping more people stay active, connected, and on court.

It’s also intentionally accessible at just $100, built for real play, not just symbolism.

A paddle that plays well—and does some good while you’re at it.

Explore Selkirk’s Parkinson’s paddle here and get $20 in Selkirk Bonus Bucks with code ADV-THEDINK.

The PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball have a new rulebook, which includes an extensive glossary of 70 pickleball words and phrases it definitely doesn’t hurt to know.

Much of it simply covers the basics, but there are a few that often give people pause or could use some clarification.

Many of these provide ample room for interpretation. What’s “offensive language” to you is just another day at the courts for Hayden Patriquin, we’d imagine.

Still, it’s a good resource if you’re a student of the game.

➡️ See the full list.

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