Anna Leigh Waters may have just become pickleball’s first-ever $10 million player. The young superstar has officially partnered with Franklin Pickleball in a “long-term deal” that promises signature paddles, bags, and accessories. And a massive shake-up to the industry as we know it.
Oh, and a brand-new Franklin ball poised to take over pro pickleball, apparently. We’ve got the full story below.
In This Issue:
— Why you blow that 10-6 lead
— New amateur tour offering $1.2M
— The truth about pickleball after 50
Take it to the bank.
Our Picks 👆
🎙️ Who Ya Got: Pickleball’s Most Influential Voice
Voting is live for The 120/Life Dink Awards. If you haven’t cast a ballot, you should really get on that. One category we’re paying close attention to is the sport’s most influential voice from 2025. Is it PPA Tour CEO Connor Pardoe? Head of the UPA-A Jason Aspes? Our very own Thomas Shields? You be the judge.
😬 Guilty: Not Bringing Balls to Open Play
Paddles: check. Shoes: check. Water: check. Balls… nah. A Reddit thread is asking whether it’s cool or uncouth to show up to open play without a ball to contribute. Seems a bit silly to us, but as always people have some strong opinions.
💰 $1.2 Million: New Money Ball Tour, Big Payouts
If you’re looking to compete in a pickleball tournament this year, maybe make it one from new tour Pickle Money Ball. They’ve partnered with DUPR to bring two marquee events to Arizona and Florida. The total payout for each: a cool $600k.
🔥 Not Just Anna: Top Female’s Surprising Paddle Deal
You know Friday Pickleball, right? The guys who made their name with outlandish YouTube content before launching a line of legit paddles? Welp, they’re officially in the pro game. And they’re coming out of the gate strong. Just announced a few hours ago: Rachel Rohrabacher is Friday’s first-ever signed pro.
How to Avoid ‘Game-Point Behavior’
Stop us when you've heard this before...
You’re up 10-6. You can practically taste the victory. Then, something weird happens. You decide that now, of all times, is the perfect moment to try that no-look backhand speed-up you saw on Instagram once.
Suddenly, it’s 10-7. Then 10-8. Before you know it, you’ve lost 12-10 and you’re left wondering how a guaranteed win turned into a total collapse.
APP pro Kyle Koszuta knows how. You succumbed to “game-point behavior,” a common malady among silly rec players trying to play the hero rather than close out a hard-earned win.
💊 Whatever it was that got you to 10-6, says Kyle, that’s what you should keep doing. If you got there by being a "boring" player who just keeps the ball in play, don't suddenly try to become Ben Johns on the final point. Stick to the sphere of what you know works.
Because here’s the truth: flashy shots are fun, but these errors often have a compounding effect. When you do something dumb and lose a bad point at a bad time, it shifts the momentum. You get frustrated with yourself, your partner gets tight, and the opponents start to feel a glimmer of hope.
That one bad decision at 10-6 can lead to a string of cautious, fearful points where you’re playing not to lose rather than playing to win.
Protein You Can See
Look at the size of that thing.
That’s 12 ounces of Maui Nui Summer Sausage. Measured. Lined up. And packing 120 grams of protein. It’s dense, it’s clean, and yeah, it’s a good amount.
Seasoned with Hawaiian Red Sea Salt and bright Pink Peppercorn, this is wild-harvested Axis deer from Maui turned into something you can slice and eat all day.
Breakfast eggs, a lunch board, dinner spread. No fillers. No junk. Just slice and serve.
Anna Leigh Waters Signs with Franklin
It’s official: Anna Leigh Waters has signed a long-term deal with Franklin Pickleball.
The news hit yesterday morning like a freight train. After playing with Paddletek since she was 11, Queen ALW is now the face of Franklin. And the two have some awfully big plans in store for the years ahead.
The deal is likely at least three years, probably more like five-plus (Zane Navratil pegs it at five years, $2 million per year)
She’ll play with "new iterations" of the C45 paddle line, beginning next week at PPA Masters
Waters will co-design a signature line of products including pickleball paddles, bags, and accessories
As part of the deal, Franklin and Waters will also bring to market a brand-new, world-class pro pickleball to complement Franklin’s existing X-40 ball line
This means she joins a strong Franklin pro roster that includes Hayden Patriquin, Parris Todd, and Will Howells (it’s currently unclear if Jorja and JW Johnson are remaining with the brand)
Notably missing from this deal are shoes and apparel. That means we’ll get to do this all over again as soon as that sponsorship deal is announced.
And it could be a massive one: the prevailing winds are blowing in Nike’s direction, but as we’ve told you before, it’s not a done deal.
Worth A Quick Scroll
This is one of those sales you don’t overthink.
Midwest Racquet Sports is offering an extra 15–20% off during their Winter Clearance with code WINTER, and the deal stretches into pickleball paddles. Some newer gear, some older staples, all rotating and limited.
Not everything’s discounted. But what is? It’s priced to move.
The Truth About Pickleball After 50
Is pickleball adequate exercise for the average player over 50?
It’s a nuanced question, but a recent video from former orthopedic surgeon and current amateur pickleball player Cara Beth Lee provides some worthwhile perspective.
According to Lee, research on older players shows that in a typical doubles match, about 78% of your time on court is active play.
Of that, roughly 66% happens in low-to-moderate heart rate zones (Zones 1 and 2)
While about a third hits the vigorous range (Zone 3)
So, if you’re playing about four and a half hours a week, you’re already hitting the baseline physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
That’s great, but it might not be enough to account for average muscle deterioration typically seen after the age of 30.
So adding some more rigorous exercises into your routine (like HIIT, high intensity interval training) could be just the ticket (Lee suggests an 80/20 split in favor of low-to-moderate activity).
Critically, she also stresses that the most important part of any training plan after 50 isn't the workout itself; it's the recovery. Here are four scenarios she says to be on the lookout for:
Tissue Fatigue: If your joints are cranky and your legs feel dead after a warmup, you’re overdoing the volume. Cut the sprints first, then the high-intensity stuff, and finally the court time.
Nervous System Stress: If you’re "tired but wired," meaning you can’t sleep and feel edgy, your nervous system is fried. Cut the intensity in half and add some easy Zone 2 walking to help "downshift" your system.
The Fitness Gap: If you feel great for the first hour but fade late in the day, you lack a base. Add more Zone 2 work to build that aerobic foundation.
Feeling Great: If you’re pain-free and sleeping well, you can cautiously add a rep to your sprints or HIIT, but don't do both at once.
What do you think?
Headlines & Quick Hits
Vote Now: The 120/Life Dink Awards
Updated: The Pro Paddles Deals of 2026
5 Common Topspin Mistakes & How to Fix Them
Highlights
ALW’s $10M contract? Zane breaks it down
Zac Efron plays pickleball in Austin
79 years old and slinging it
Missed a recent issue? We've got you covered
A review from the Dink Fam...
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