Commenters really hate the poach

Do you put much thought into what you wear on the court? For me, a New Englander, it's all about staying warm. Catch me with thin mittens and a beanie in anything below 60 degrees.

But court fashion doesn't have to be all about the pragmatic. You could also buy a "pickleball dress" for about $150. What a steal!

More on that below.

Also in this issue:

• Make them pay for poaching

• Upsets in the desert

PPA Arizona Grand Slam Results

Getting Behind the Poach

Poaching is a part of pickleball. The commenters hate it. I mean really hate it. But like it or not, it's part of the game.

In a quarterfinal matchup this weekend, Anna Bright and Riley Newman put on a clinic on how to neutralize a poacher. They took on Megan Fudge and one of the most dangerous poachers in the game, Dekel Bar.

Bar is well known for covering a healthy majority of the court. To keep him on his side of the court, Bright/Newman dumped their third shots on him.

Instead of avoiding Bar, they chose to go right at him. This prevented Bar from setting up shop in the middle of the court.

It also made targeting Fudge with 5th and 7th shots easier. Bar was forced to take more risks to insert himself into dink rallies. He had to overextend and when he did, it left the backdoor open for clean winners.

So if you're dealing with an overactive partner, steer into the skid. Try going at them with the third. 

Keep them honest from the jump, and it will keep the court open for subsequent shots.

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Does Pickleball Have a Style?

Famed fashion designer Norma Kamali is 77 years old and, as you might expect, has seen a lot of people her age playing pickleball. She’s also heard a lot of them ask her to design clothes for the sport.

Kamali’s threads are typically a little high-fashion, built more for the runway than the court. But she did decide to name one of her recent dresses “the pickleball dress” just for fun. Obviously, that dress is not meant for athletic use.

So what does define pickleball fashion?

Why don't you consult "The Denim Demon," who regularly pulls off upsets of high level 5.0s while sporting jeans and long hair. Or Ky McMakin, who regularly adds other unusual accoutrements to his attire:

Then there's world #1 Anna Leigh Waters, who typically sports tennis dresses. Contrast that with Irina Tereschenko, who rocks a flat brim hat all the time.

The New York Times recently asked Waters what she's noticed in the PB world.

“I see a lot of young girls wearing crop tops and skirts,” she says. “And with the older crowd, I see a lot of pickleball-related clothing like shirts that say ‘dinks and drinks’ with an image of a pickleball and, like, margarita glasses.”

Apparently, pickleball’s age diversity translates to an eclectic style. But for many, their on-court clothing is a lifestyle choice just as much as their decision to play pickleball in the first place.

“Simone Jardim...said that ‘a lot of players have found a second shot at life in pickleball,’ so there is a tendency for some to wear ‘lively’ clothes that express their enthusiasm for the sport.

No matter one’s sartorial taste, it seems the only rule in pickleball clothing (besides picking a different color than the ball) is to differentiate yourself from tennis players.

The NYT story ends: “...you’re never going to have the sophistication…of a sport like tennis…but people actually like that.”

Tell us what you like to wear on the court. Take our survey here (bonus points if you email us a photo of your best pickleball fit).

New Mixed Doubles Champions

For the past year, mixed doubles on the PPA Tour has belonged to Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns. On Friday night, that all changed (at least for one week).

The sibling duo of Jorja and JW Johnson squeezed out the win over the defending champs. Unfortunately for them, this win came in the quarterfinals, two wins away from gold.

Yesterday, they lost in a five-game showdown with a new mixed doubles super team Riley Newman and Anna Bright. It appears that Fridays (mixed doubles day) on the PPA Tour just got a little more interesting.

But Johns and Waters didn't go home empty handed. ALW topped the podium in women's doubles with Bright and in women's singles.

The Johns bros have made it three straight men's doubles titles to start the year.

On Thursday, Federico Staksrud blew out the birthday candles for year 27. His wish? Beat Ben Johns and win the Arizona Grand Slam. Well, check and check. Maybe it's time to invest in better candles for my next cake.

The PPA Tour is going from the desert to the tundra. Next stop: the Indoor National Championships in Lakeville, MN, 2/23-2/26.

Soft Touch, Fast Hands, Exceptional Control

Look out for the latest performance paddle company, PCKL. We featured the PCKL Pro Series in our latest review and had this to say, "The large sweet spot is forgiving and will keep your play consistent."

"If you are looking for a higher-end paddle for a budget-friendly price then this is a great option.”

Check out the full review and use code DINK15 to save 15% off sitewide!

Headlines & Quick Hits

• Warren Sapp's Favorite New Sport Is…Pickleball???

• Pickleball aficionado spreading her love of the sport overseas

• Tennis vs. pickleball players: Can they find only fault or serve up some love?

Highlights

• 6’3” but no problem getting low for the scorp

• The upset story at PPA

• Third time's the charm for Fed

• Podcast beef is on

A review from the Dink Fam: