Controversial midnight match

Kyrgios goes around the post. Upsets at the Texas Open.

May 31, 2024

In case you didn’t hear, Andrei Daescu recently received the biggest fine and largest suspension in pickleball history. The big man broke his silence yesterday about the punishment on Twitter.

We’re planning to sit down with Daescu over the weekend to get his side of the story and find out how many private lessons it takes to pay the fine. Look for that episode of the PicklePod here.

In This Issue:

🫨 Anna Leigh upset in bizarre late-night semifinal
👨‍🎓 A big weekend in college pickleball
🧀 Say cheese, it’s photoshoot time

It’s the weekend. Game on.

Is the non-speedup, the new speedup?

In a recent episode of the James Ignatowich Show, he discusses a deceptive shot called the “Hesitation dink.” In it, he credits Dylan Frazier for being the best at it (you can see Dylan doing it in the video below).

The shot is deceptive because it looks like Dylan is going to speed the ball up, but instead, he aggressively dinks it away from his opponent.

In a world of speedups, the non-speedup might just be the new meta.

What is the Hesitation Dink?

Players will often work to develop a speedup that looks like it’s a dink. But, not many work on the complete opposite. Yet, that’s what the hesitation dink is – a slight pause at the bottom of your shot to make it appear like you’re going to attack with a fast shot. Then, as soon as your opponent reacts or prepares for the speedup early, boom, you dink it into an open space.

It’s aggression at a dink’s pace.

You can see Dylan Frazier do this here vs Anna Bright and James Ignatowich (3:57 mark). 

Notice how he holds the paddle head down for a slight second to see if AB reacts – she does by tightening up, ready for the attack. Then, he rolls a topspin dink down the line past her feet. She’s late and hits the ball into the net, ending the point.

If you want to add the hesitation dink to your arsenal, here are three tips to execute it properly:

Tip 1 - Use your body and your paddle

Anticipation is all about using everything you see to decipher what’s about to happen. Giving your opponent the “look” of a speedup means using your body, hands, and paddle position to your advantage. 

That look becomes a big part of the deception and sets up the rest of this shot. 

When a dink is coming your way and you have time, get your paddle down early and try to see out of your peripheral vision what your opponent does. 

Tip 2 - Look for space left open by your opponent

If they move even one or two inches, roll your dink the other way and see if they can handle it. Most opponents will either take a small step back, fall back onto their heels, or even try to cover left or right (depending on where your paddle is facing). When they do, you have them where you want them.

That’s all the extra space you need to force them into an awkward next shot.

Tip 3 - Dink with purpose

Dinking at lower levels is often a mishmash of “just get it over the net” and “I’m not really sure what to do with this ball.”

At higher levels, players dink with a purpose. They are moving their opponents around, trying to create space for themselves and forcing their opponent into an errant shot (like a pop up).

The hesitation dink is a great shot because it messes with the timing and spacing of your opponent.

The next time you’re playing, give the hesitation dink a try – it might just become the shot that takes you to the next level.

Surprise Dink Fam

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With The Essentials Box or The Pro Box, you'll score a bunch of pickleball gear without breaking the bank. We got a good deal for the Dink fam. Go and use code DINK25 to receive 25% your first box.

Devidze Upsets ALW in PPA Texas Semis

It was a late and lonely evening under the stars in Dallas. Weather delays throughout the day pushed the women’s semifinals late into the night.

Devidze Grinds Out Win Over Anna Leigh
Salome Devidze and Anna Leigh Waters played three games on an abandoned court in a bizarre scene for a semifinal. Devidze collapsed while up 7-2 in the second game in what appeared to be a cramping issue.

She held on to win the second game and found new life in the third. The match was riddled with controversial line calls and didn’t conclude until after 11 pm local time. Ultimately it was Devidze who handed ALW her first loss of the year with an 8-11, 11-5, 11-7 victory.

Can I Get a Line Judge?
Devidze will take on Lea Jansen for gold on Sunday. It will be the latest installment in their heated rivalry. Their last match featured an army of line judges surrounding the court, and it’s safe to assume we will see the same on Sunday.

Fed Falls Short
Federico Staksrud strung together 10 straight finals appearances to start this year. He came up one win short of number 11, losing to Chris Haworth in the semifinal.

It was unfortunate timing for Fed, who typically uses the JOOLA Gen 3 paddle. He had little time to adjust to a new paddle with the UPA informing players on Wednesday that the Gen 3 paddles would not be allowed for this event.

Nationals Rematch
Haworth is fresh off winning a title at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at the APP NYC Open. He will get another crack at Ben Johns on Championship Sunday. Haworth famously beat Ben Johns in Dallas at Nationals last year.

After a thrilling first day, it’s sure to be an action-packed weekend. Check here to see what to expect in Texas and where to find every match.

King Kyrgios Goes Around the Post

Nick Kyrgios got caught up in the Twitter feud last month that pitted pickleball vs tennis on the back of a Christian Alshon post. This month, the tennis superstar and part-owner of MLP’s Miami Pickleball Club spent some time on the short court.

Kyrgios documented this sweet little ATP on his Instagram story. Given the pro tennis level athleticism of Kyrgios, he had no trouble crossing the width of the court to run down the drop shot and send it around the net for the winner.

Is a pro pickleball career in the cards for Kyrgios as his tennis career winds down?

A New Pickleball Shoe That Promises Hawaiian Comfort

Hey Dink fam, Alina here. We just got word that a new company is stepping foot into the pickleball shoe scene.

OluKai might ring a bell for their incredibly comfortable sandals, but now they're making their way to the pickleball court with their new 'Anau shoes. They are not just any shoes — they're lightweight, durable, and incredibly stylish.

We know that here in the Dink fam, we cherish being part of a wider "ohana," a community that’s about more than just a game — it's about sharing life's moments. That’s why we thought the 'Anau was worth a shoutout. So, do yourselves a favor and check out these new kicks.

Embrace the Aloha lifestyle on and off the court, and maybe bring a little extra soul to your game.

Photo Shoot Showdown

Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher, the women’s doubles duo affectionately named “the girlies,” took the pickleball world by storm last year. Rohrabacher was a fourth-round addition to the Orlando Squeeze and since combining forces they have quickly become the No. 2 women’s team in the game.

To take things to the next level, the girlies went on the ultimate team bonding mission, an awkward 90’s photoshoot. The results are equal parts comedy and confusion.

The photo shoot has already inspired some copycat performances and has set a new standard in partnership commitment. From now on you have to wonder, is a partnership even real if photos like this don’t exist?

Headlines & Quick Hits

Highlights

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