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What happens in Vegas apparently does not stay in Vegas (because, ya know, the internet). Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio finally lost. Ben was on Triple Crown watch, and went home with three silvers instead. And a whole bunch of brackets got blown to smithereens along the way.

We’ve got the fallout, plus the 4.0 trap that might be keeping you stuck.

In This Issue:
— Johns & Tardio’s streak is over
— The 4.0 trap holding players back
— Poll: what’s your paddle count?

Vegas, baby.

Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio entered Las Vegas unbeaten together in 2026. That run is officially over. Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu just handed the dominant duo their first loss of the year, in fairly convincing fashion, we might add. Get the details here.

Losing stinks. Throwing paddles, making excuses and turning a tournament loss into everyone else’s problem stinks more. A Reddit thread has people swapping stories about some truly spectacular adult tantrums — and debating why a rec sport can bring out the absolute worst in otherwise normal humans.

A soft shot isn’t automatically smart pickleball. The real question: Did you choose it, or did fear choose it for you? Playing safe means every ball has a purpose, target and next move. Playing scared means the goal is simply getting it over the net. Here’s the surprisingly simple test for figuring out which one you’re doing.

We’re all friends here, right? And friends are honest with each other. So let’s lay it all on the line: At this point in your pickleball journey, how many paddles do you have in the lineup? No shame. No judgment. Be honest…

You won 11-6. You picked on the weaker player, ran around your backhand, ripped every third shot and leaned on the patterns you trust.

Congrats.

But did you actually get any better?

That’s the uncomfortable question at the heart of what FLiK founder Fred Robinson calls “The 4.0 Trap.”

Once players get pretty good, they also get pretty good at hiding the parts of their game that aren’t. And rec play makes it easy.

Weak backhand? Run around it. Can’t consistently drop? Drive instead. Hate playing the right? Stay left. Strong player across the net? Feed their partner.

All perfectly reasonable strategies if the only goal is winning.

But winning today and becoming a better player tomorrow are two very different things.

Fred argues that players need two modes: performance mode, when the result matters, and development mode, when getting uncomfortable matters more.

That means occasionally choosing the backhand. Hitting the drop you might miss. Playing the side you hate. Attacking the stronger opponent.

You might lose a few more games.

Good.

Because sometimes an 11-8 loss in which you worked on three weaknesses is more valuable than an 11-4 win in which you exposed none of them.

The scoreboard tells you who won. It doesn’t tell you who improved.

And if you’ve been stuck at roughly the same level despite playing constantly, Fred’s argument might explain exactly why.

➡️ Escape the 4.0 trap. Read Fred Robinson’s full breakdown

Four days a week covers your cardio. But in a typical game to 11, only about 20% of your time is actual rally play.

That's why research shows pickleball leaves real gaps in strength, speed, and balance, especially as you age.

We broke down what the sport covers and what it doesn't:

Find out what your routine is missing.

Championship Sunday at the Rate Las Vegas Open did not exactly stick to the script.

The biggest result came in men’s doubles, where Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu handed Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio their first loss together of 2026, ending their perfect-season bid in straight games. It was Alshon and Daescu’s second consecutive title together — and their fifth gold as a pairing.

Elsewhere, Anna Leigh Waters still topped the podium, but not quite everywhere we’re used to seeing her (reminder: she did not participate in singles). Here’s how all five finals shook out:

So, yes: Ben Johns made three finals and left Vegas without a gold. Not exactly a sentence we write very often (read: ever).

Vegas didn’t just crown champions. It busted a few brackets wide open and made the rest of the PPA season that much more interesting.

➡️ Read our full event recap.

Fred Robinson didn't design the FLiK F3 in a boardroom.

He designed it as a lifelong competitive athlete who got tired of watching big brands hand players cheap gear and call it performance.

So he built his own. Triple-core foam. Toray carbon fiber. 2,100+ RPM spin. The kind of specs that usually come with a $250+ price tag.

Stop playing with a paddle built to hit a price point and start playing with the F3.

And right now, buy one FLiK paddle for $99, get a second for just $41.

The PPA Tour hit Las Vegas, and apparently the dress code was serve looks.

Emily Visnic rounded up the best-dressed pros from the weekend, with everything from Pablo Tellez’s clean red-and-navy kit to Kiora Kunimoto adding a little rhinestone bling during her run to singles silver. Genie Bouchard returned in a crisp New Balance look, Tyra Black leaned into blue-and-white patterns, and Will Howells brought some understated fall vibes.

But the clear wild cards? Dylan Frazier going full Darth Vader while Alix Truong coordinated in deep red.

Even the dark side has drip.

➡️ Shop the looks.

A review from the Dink Fam...

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