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Americans swept the podiums at PPA Malaysia, including a stellar gold medal effort from Tyson McGuffin and Eric Oncins, who toppled two giants, Ben Johns and Christian Alshon. Now the duo will look to defend their title at PPA Vietnam.

Stateside, JW Johnson was most at home with a wooden paddle in his hand, taking two golds at the Sacramento Vintage Open. We’ve got full results from both events, below.

In This Issue:
— Drill this: Speed-up, counter, reset
— adidas Pickleball levels up with AdiPower
— CA courts can’t keep players out

Monday funday.

Some neighborhood courts in Martinez, CA, a residential area about 40 minutes northeast of San Francisco, have been victims of break-ins shortly after their hours were reduced due to noise complaints. Now, city officials are threatening to close them for good.

The US Legends Pickleball League debuted as a new option for elite 50+ players last month, and already they’ve added a division for players ages 35-49. Eight teams of 14 players, split evenly between men and women, will start battling it out next year. Action is spread out along the East Coast. Learn more.

Pro Will Howells took to X to pose a question to pickleball amateurs: What’s the most difficult shot to learn? Comments are still trickling in, but there’s a clear early consensus: The two-handed backhand.

The PPA Vintage Open in Sacramento had a lot of people talking, and for good reason: The pros were playing with wooden paddles circa 1970. It was a novel experience for players and spectators alike. But is it worth repeating?

When you boil it right down, pickleball is really a game of a few critical shots.

Sure, a blistering drive can come in handy. And a feathery topspin lob? Just delightful.

But if you’ve got 20 minutes and a good wall, this is what you should be hitting on repeat: Speed-up, counter, reset. Over and over. That’s it.

Here’s how content creator (and podcast cohost to Alex Crum) Kevin Dong breaks it down:

✅ Speed-up. Focus on a tight, compact swing, heavy topspin, and keeping it as close to the net line as possible. A little speed goes a long way here. Alternate between forehand and backhand.

✅ Counter. Pace out about seven to 10 feet from the wall, which mimics about where you’d be standing for a hands battle. Your #1 priority on the counter is hitting down on the ball.

✅ Reset. Critically, loosen your grip on the paddle to absorb as much of the ball’s pace as possible. Work on getting two hands on the paddle as needed.

Watch Kevin, and notice how quickly all three shots are executed in succession. That’s the speed of modern pickleball. And exactly why this one simple drill is so effective in training an array of critical skills. Do it relentlessly. All the time. And watch your hand speed improve.

➡️ Check it out.

You wouldn't use a cracked paddle, so why settle for "hit-or-miss" meat at the grocery store? Time is money, and standing in that aisle wondering about the steak's quality is a waste of both.

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➡️ Right now, you can get $130 OFF your first box and it's all backed by a 100% Money-Back Guarantee. Use code DINK130 when you join.

The wooden paddle experiment in Sacramento was a polarizing one — spectators seemed to love it or lose interest fairly quickly.

But one thing was undeniable: As soon as the vintage novelty wore off, the retro tech still translated to world-class action on the court. Long, technical points. Highlight-reel shots. And a couple winners we don’t normally see on the podium.

When the dust settled, here’s who came out on top:

🥇 Men’s Singles: Federico Staksrud
🥇 Women’s Singles: Kate Fahey
🥇 Mixed Doubles: Jorja and JW Johnson
🥇 Men’s Doubles: Dylan Frazier and JW Johnson
🥇 Women’s Doubles: Etta Tuionetoa and Lacy Schneemann

According to our pro writer, Erik Tice, it’s been…

➡️ Read our full event recap.

American pros had a dominant showing in Malaysia, sweeping the podium across divisions.

Here’s who won gold in each event:

🏆 Men’s Singles: Christian Alshon
🏆 Women’s Singles: Kaitlyn Christian
🏆 Mixed Doubles: Anna Bright and Ben Johns
🏆 Men’s Doubles: Tyson McGuffin and Eric Oncins
🏆 Women’s Doubles: Kaitlyn Christian and Chao Yi Wang

The next and final PPA Asia Tour event of the season is the PPA Asia Vietnam Cup, which starts tomorrow at the Tien Son Sports Arena and Tuyen Son Sports Complex in Da Nang.

Oncins and McGuffin will pair up again to defend their men’s doubles gold, while Ben Johns benefits from the return of long-sidelined fan-favorite, Dekel Bar.

➡️ Read our event recap.

Next time you roll up to the courts, bring something the rest of your crew hasn’t tried yet.

Zexi THC Water looks like plain water, but each can carries 5mg of THC. Enough for a light, social buzz without the sugar or calories of beer or soda. Two flavors, Peach and Pineapple, both subtle, crisp, and easy to sip.

➡️ Be the one who shows up with something new. Use code ZEXIDINK for $15 off.

There’s the adidas Pickleball you think you know. And now there’s this: The global sports brand just dropped its latest paddle line. And they’ve got some serious pro credentials to back it up.

The AdiPower PRO-EDT line is built on a stable foam-enhanced polymer foundation. With two shapes and two core thicknesses, it looks to prioritize stability, consistency, feel, and feedback – a solid paddle for solid players seeking predictable power and touch.

The 16mm elongated and widebody models are endorsed by pro Jaume Martinez Vich. And just last week, adidas announced its newest signing: 19-year-old lefty sensation CJ Klinger.

➡️ Get an exclusive look inside AdiPower.

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