Apply pressure like the pros

Match of the year candidate. Donald Young joins the PicklePod.

October 14, 2024

If you were watching football yesterday, you missed the best women’s doubles match of the year. The match was between Anna Leigh Waters/Catherine Parenteau and their biggest rivals, Anna Bright/Rachel Rohrabacher.

Yesterday, they battled it out in an epic five-game, 2.5-hour match for gold. The teams split the first four games, trading momentum back and forth.

In game five, Bright/Rohrabacher had a 7-2 lead and the crowd on their side. A discrepancy on whether to insert a new ball into the match fired up Waters and she led her team to a clutch 12-10 comeback win to close the match.

In This Issue:

😔 Change position with your opponent’s head down
🫸 Match ended on a technical warning
🥇 First-time champs in Las Vegas and Dallas

“Fight, fight, fight.”

Our Picks ☝️

🏢 Facility: “Massive pickleball complex to open next year in Seattle”

Washington is the birthplace of pickleball, so there’s no question the demand for courts will be high. Next summer, Seattleites can enjoy the new courts at Picklewood Courts and Kitchen, an 11-court, 25,000 sq ft entertainment facility.

🥒 Snacks: Vlasic to Introduce New Pickleball Snack

Think cheese balls (or puffs) that are pickle-flavored –Yup, pickle balls. You'll no doubt put these in your pickleball bag to see how many you can catch in your mouth in between games.

🎙️ Quote: “I was getting passed like a parked car”

Donald Young recounts his early days in pickleball on a new PicklePod premiering today. Find out what lesson he says was most important to his growth.

🎥 Video: Billy Crystal is Sneaky Good at Pickleball

After hitting the courts together, Jimmy Kimmel was in awe of Billy Crystal’s pickleball skills. In a recent interview on his show, Kimmel said Crystal looked like Agassi on the court. We want to see it in action, Billy.

Head Down? Power Up! Apply pressure like the pros

There are always signs at an intersection to indicate when the light will change. Catching a green light at the right time can feel like a cheat code.

Similarly, when trying to advance from the baseline to the kitchen in pickleball, there are signs you can look for to help you know when to move forward.

One of those signs is an opponent dropping their head to track the ball. If you see their head tilt down to watch the ball bounce, consider it a green light. If their eyes are down, they obviously can't focus on you.

In the example below, Anna Leigh Waters sees Jay Devilliers drop his head, and she stomps on the gas.

His head goes down, and she sprints from the baseline to halfway through the transition zone, setting herself up for an easy putaway. Devilliers turns back, shaking his head like he's seen a ghost, muttering the French version of "How did she get there so fast?"

Next time you’re on the court, look for your opponent’s head (and face) to drop to know to can break for the kitchen line.

Even if it’s only a split second before the ball bounces, it provides the necessary window to gain ground on a questionable drop.

Your Game, Your Way

Introducing the GAMMA Airbender 10 and 13, the latest additions to the Airbender family. With customizable weight options, you can match these paddles to your playing style. Go for power with the Airbender 10, or choose the Airbender 13 for all-court versatility.

Change your game with the GAMMA Airbender. Shop the paddles today. *accessory kits sold separately

Building the Court of Your Dreams

Tired of paddle racks and lopsided games at your local park? More and more players are making the most of their backyard by installing their own home court.

You can find a step-by-step guide to creating your own pickleball paradise here, but we’ve got some pro tips to elevate the experience.

Pro Tips: Insider Knowledge for Your Court

  • 1-Degree Grade: Your court should be on a slight slope (about 1 degree) to allow water to drain. A perfectly flat court might leave you with puddles after rain, so make sure the water has a way to run off.

  • Court Surface Colors: Use contrasting colors for the court surface and lines to make visibility easier during play. Green and blue are common for the court, while white or yellow is often used for the lines.

  • Windbreakers and Shade: If your court is in an open area, consider installing windbreakers or trees to reduce the wind's impact. Shade options like a canopy or nearby tree can make those hot summer games much more enjoyable!

The customization options are endless, including ready-to-assemble kits, various court sizes, and multisport lines for mixed-use. And, of course, with days getting shorter, you can’t forget the lights. Find everything you need to get started here.

Technical Warning Ends Men’s Match

You’ve likely never seen this in a pickleball match and probably never will again. A unique scenario in this men’s doubles semifinal awarded the match-winning point to the Johns Bros.

Here’s the Scenario
There was a lot of chatter in the semifinal match between Federico Staksrud/Matt Wright vs Ben Johns/Collin Johns. Staks received a technical warning due to some inappropriate language at 0-10 in game two.

Shortly after, with the score still the same, Wright received the team’s second technical warning that would normally cost his team a point. Since they had none to give, the Johns Bros received a free point and won the match.

Funny Seeing You Here
The Johns Bros went on to the finals, where they met JW Johnson/Dylan Frazier for the first time in 2024. The bros rolled through the match in three straight games.

His First but Not His Last
Quang Duong gives an unmatched effort into every shot he hits on the court. His ascension to the top of the game has been one of the fastest in pickleball. Yesterday, he captured his first PPA singles title over Connor Garnett, and it will surely not be his last. 

The Battle for No.2
Kate Fahey is making a strong case for the No.2 spot in the women’s singles game. In the finals, she went three games with fellow University of Michigan tennis alumni Brooke Buckner and got the win, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8.

Reminder: Pro pickleball continues today with MLP Las Vegas. Here is everything you need to know for this event. 

PPA Las Vegas Open Results

More Bells, More Whistles

Have you ever wondered what makes a great game even better? The answer might just be floating over the net. We're talking about Selkirk's Pro S1 Pickleball.

What’s special about the Pro S1? Its patented 38-hole design ensures consistent flight and bounce, enhancing your shot precision. But it doesn’t stop there; these balls are seriously tough. Each one comes with a 1-Year No-Crack Warranty, letting you play hard and worry-free.

Due to popular demand, the 4 and 100 packs flew off the shelves, but the good news is they're now back in stock—along with the 12 packs!

Swing by Selkirk’s website to snag your pack of Pro S1 balls and experience why top players trust them in every match.

Fudge Wins Double Gold in Dallas

The APP Tour wrapped up the Dallas Open with Championship matches on ESPN 2. Megan Fudge brought home another double gold, and Yana Newell captured her first singles title.

Fear the Fudge
Megan Fudge and Jill Braverman were tested in the women’s doubles final, but a big comeback in game one sparked the duo to another title run. They topped Emily Cederquist and Yana Newell 12-10, 11-7.

Fudge and Jack Munro won their second title together in mixed doubles this year. They’ve been gaining experience playing together as MLP teammates on the Chicago Slice and put it on display in Dallas.

More MLP Crossover
Erik Lange and Max Manthou linked up on the MLP's SoCal Hard Eights and have made a formidable men’s doubles team on the APP Tour ever since. They captured their second gold together on Saturday.

APP Dallas Open Results

A Message to Tennis Pros Outside the Top 100

Donald Young made a historic run to the U.S. Open mixed doubles finals in his final pro tennis tournament ever. At the nation's biggest tennis event, the topic of conversation was pickleball.

On this week's PicklePod, Young breaks down what that event meant to him, the lifestyle difference between tennis and pickleball, and the tips that have helped him compete at the highest level. Get to know Donald here.

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