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The pickleball equipment market could balloon to $3 billion or above worldwide by 2032, according to a new report, nearly double where it is today. That’s largely on the backs of innovative new paddle releases and heavy investment in new courts.

But it mostly comes down to this: More people are playing in more countries than ever before, a trend that’s only expected to increase over time. We dig into the findings below.

In This Issue:
— Add this cheeky serve to your repertoire
— How to break up with your pickleball partner
— Storylines from MLP San Clemente

Time for a new paddle?

A reported disagreement Saturday between MLP Phoenix Flames teammates Jessie Irvine and Genie Bouchard led to the women’s doubles pairing splintering for the rest of the weekend. Alex Walker subbed in. Now, trade rumors are flying.

When Anna Leigh Waters isn’t earning bread on the court, she’s making it fresh from her kitchen. In a development that should surprise exactly no one, the teenage phenom bakes a mean bagel from scratch. We’ll take two poppy seeds, to go.

A proposed private pickleball facility along US 1 North in St. Johns County, FL, has met some resistance from local residents, citing traffic and parking concerns caused by the “pickle mafia” who would frequent the four new courts. It wasn’t enough, though — the plan was approved unanimously.

At MLP San Clemente over the weekend, Jack Sock pulled off a forehand, inside-out ATP so jaw-dropping, it earned the top spot on the following day’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays list. Even better? A few games later, he did it again.

You’re not acing anyone with your pickleball serve, so it’s better to be crafty than to rely on sheer power every time you serve. Hit one deep and hard, hit another high and with heavy topspin. Then try this: the short-angled serve.

Content creator Ed Ju, back from a brief hiatus (Hi, Ed!), hit the court with third-ranked women’s singles player Kaitlyn Christian for a lesson in serving.

Here’s how to hit the short-angled serve — and why you should add it to your service rotation.

✅ For you righties, mix this in when you’re serving from the right side of the court. Stand as wide right as possible and keep an open stance, with your hips square to the net.

✅ Aim for the bottom left corner of the service area. This is the shallowest, sharpest angle you can hit from where you’re standing.

✅ Think placement over power. Keep it short and wide and you’ll force a weak return. Just remember, you’re hitting this fairly soft, so if you push it to the center of the court instead, you could be giving up a juicy return opportunity.

✅ Hit this serve with moderate to heavy topspin so the ball kicks out sideways upon impact.

✅ The goal is to surprise your opponent and run them off the court. If they get to the ball, chances are their return will be weak and toward the center of the court. Be ready for it and this should be an easy put-away.

Pros like Kaitlyn and Rachel Rohrabacher are relying on this serve more and more to keep their opponents guessing and earn easy points as a result. Now it’s your turn.

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How many pickleball paddles does a billion dollars buy?

Not nearly enough to cover the sport’s surging demand, according to a new study by Meticulous Research, which predicts the global pickleball equipment market will grow from $1.61 billion in 2025 to $3.1 billion by 2032, a 10.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

The paddle segment will continue to dominate market revenue, fueled by players of all ages hungrily seeking the latest in tech and innovation.

👉 Read the full article.

Major League Pickleball took over in San Clemente, CA, over the weekend, just four days after the PPA Tour had cleared out.

Premier level action didn’t disappoint — there were a few fresh faces on court, a strong showing by a team in flux, and one high-profile disagreement among partners.

Here’s what you need to know:

We’re one event away from the mid-season tournament and the playoff picture is starting to crystallize. Nobody is mathematically eliminated, but the Phoenix Flames and New York Hustlers are likely out of contention.

The Utah Black Diamonds, Miami Pickleball Club, Chicago Slice, Atlanta Bouncers, and (maybe) the Carolina Hogs are all competing for the final two playoff spots.

👉 Read our full event breakdown.

You told us biking and eBiking is one of your favorite ways to stay active off the court, and we get it. It’s low impact, gets the blood flowing, and yeah, you don’t have to circle the block looking for a parking spot.

The Discover 2 from Velotric keeps that vibe going. Smooth ride, comfy seat, easy pedal assist. Top speed of 28 mph. Up to 75 miles on a charge.

And you still show up feeling fresh and ready to play. Try one out and see how smooth showing up can be.

How do you tell your trusty pickleball partner that it’s time to part ways? That this just isn’t working out? That it’s not them, it’s you (but it’s really them)?

A cheeky post on Reddit poses this very question:

“Need advice on how to break up with my mixed doubles partner. She was great in the beginning, but we have gradually been playing worse together and our morale is the lowest it’s been in years.”

The facetious post swerves us in the end — spoiler: they’re actually married, with children — but the conundrum remains valid.

Sometimes it’s best to try something new (the pros do it all the time), but how do you break such an intimate bond without leaving some shrapnel behind in the process?

Don’t outright divorce your wife (or your pickleball partner) over some bad vibes. Here’s what we’d recommend instead:

Leave us a reply and let us know: How would you do it?

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