^{Advertise | The Dink Home | Shop Gear | Subscribe}

For the first time in what feels like a long time, Ben Johns was going for a PPA Triple Crown in Mesa. Spoiler alert: he didn’t get it. And it wasn’t particularly close.

Before yesterday, it had been 321 days since Ben and Anna Leigh lost a mixed match together. In the first showdown of Championship Sunday, Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin brought that streak to a very convincing end.

In This Issue:
— Anti-doping in pickleball
— The ‘pistol grip’ paddle
— 5 tips for fewer errors

Streaks are meant to be broken.

We hear this a lot: private pickleball lessons are too expensive. A 4.5 DUPR charging $150 an hour might sound steep, but remember that a player’s rating on paper and their ability to impart pickle wisdom are often two separate things. Maybe don’t knock it until you’ve tried it?

As promised, the PPA debuted narrower singles courts at their Challenger event in Houston last week. No riots have resulted, so it couldn’t have been that bad. In fact, Zane Navratil thinks it just might work. Now hear him out.

The Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) is partnering with the International Testing Agency (ITA) to present its first-ever anti-doping in pickleball webinar. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, medical personnel, or just interested in seeing the sport evolve on a global scale, it could be worth checking out.

The weather at PPA Mesa was an unpredictable mix of cool and sweaty, gusty and calm. But fear not: the pros adapted and showed out as always. Here are our favorite fits from the desert.

We talk a lot about how to break the 4.0 plateau. But what if you’re not quite there yet? For anyone grinding at more intermediate levels, here are a few solid tips that’ll help take your game up a notch.

✅ Don’t hit your dinks, push them. Sure, the pros take violent, compact swings up at the kitchen line, dropping everything back into the kitchen with expert precision. You, friend, are not a pro. Push through the ball and aim to keep it low. That’s it. Consistency wins.

✅ Drive the ball middle. A low, hard drive in between your opponents can cause confusion and lead to easy points. The middle of the net is also its lowest point, so you’re less likely to miss. Get comfortable here, then start mixing in shots down the lines.

✅ Stop ball-watching your drops. This is a big one. After you or your partner hits a drop, get in the habit of assessing its quality, then closing ground to the net in a hurry if it feels good. If you watch it land before moving your feet, you’re already too late.

✅ Return deep. Don’t worry about lateral placement as much as getting the ball consistently into the back third of the return box. This puts you in solid position for a better third.

✅ Watch your opponent’s paddle. Instead of watching the ball during play, pay closer attention to the paddle face of your opponent. If the wrist cocks and the paddle face opens toward you, that’s a dead giveaway an attack is imminent. Prepare accordingly.

No matter your level, these tips can help you play smarter and more consistently. And isn’t that what we all really want in the end?

➡️ Watch the video.

Be honest — how far is your court?

Far enough that you drive. Close enough that you probably don’t have to.

That’s where Upway comes in.

They offer certified pre-owned e-bikes from brands like Trek, Specialized, and Aventon — professionally refurbished, quality-tested, and backed by a warranty. Translation: premium ride, hundreds less than new.

Cruise to open play. Glide home after league night. Actually enjoy the trip instead of hunting for parking.

If 2026 is your “move more, drive less” era, this might be your smartest gear upgrade yet.

Shop the collection now!

After taking an extended stretch away from the singles courts, Ben Johns was vying for his first Triple Crown in well over a year on Championship Sunday at PPA Mesa.

In the very first event of the day — a mixed doubles match with partner Anna Leigh Waters against Hayden Patriquin and Anna Bright — he faced a freight train, losing in convincing fashion in three straight games.

This must have felt like sweet redemption for Anna and Hayden, as they had Ben and ALW at match point just last week at PPA Cape Coral before ultimately coming up short in a five-game match for the ages.

In that match, Anna dumped a third-shot drop into the net to give the ball back at match point, a shot she admitted later would come to haunt her. This time around, she faced a similar scenario, and didn’t take any chances.

Hayden’s fast hands bailed her out — and they went on to win the point and the match.

“Give yourself a chance,” she posted on Instagram post-match. “Lesson learned.”

➡️ We recap all the action.

This is Xcaliber, the most insane-looking pickleball paddle you’ve likely heard rumors of but never faced on the court or seen in the wild.

It’s been fully USAP-approved for more than a year now. And believe it or not, there’s a rationale behind its interesting ergonomic shape:

“Its pistol grip style supports a more natural wrist position and a secure hold through long matches,” the website touts. “The elongated shape is a strong fit… for seniors who want comfort, stability, and confidence without giving up power.”

It’s hard to imagine executing a single successful shot with this thing, but then again, who are we to judge. It’s not like our games are perfect over here…

If you’ve experienced one of these on the court, or you want to see The Dink team give it a full review, leave us a review and drop a comment below.

➡️ Watch: Xcaliber, unboxed.

You hydrate.
You stretch (sometimes).
You probably have a paddle bag full of gear.

But collagen?
After 30, production naturally declines — and that can show up in joints, connective tissue, even skin and hair.

Organixx’s Clean Sourced Collagens includes all 5 major collagen types — not just one or two like most powders — plus vitamin C to support proper absorption.

It’s an easy add to your coffee, smoothie, or post-game routine.

Support your joints. Support recovery. Keep the glow.

See why players are adding this to their routine.

A new pickleball mockumentary called “PICKLEHEADS” is set to make its debut Sunday, March 1, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Directed by Josh Flanagan and written by Jared Bonner, it “follows a disgraced ping pong star, Barney ‘The Butcher’ Bardot, dragged back into the limelight by a documentary crew, hoping to capture his redemption tale in a plucky new sport — pickleball.”

The film was shot in Austin, Texas, and stars Pej Vahdat, Kristine Froseth, Jared Bonner, Harvey Guillén, John O’Hurley, Adrianne Palicki, Eric Nelsen, Ryan Cooper and Lindsey Morgan. 

It’s currently seeking wider distribution.

➡️ Watch the trailer.

A review from the Dink Fam...

Share the best newsletter in pickleball with your friends and you’ll get free stuff. What’s not to like?

{{rp_personalized_text}}

Copy & Paste this link: {{rp_refer_url_no_params}}

If your company is interested in reaching an audience of active pickleballers, you may want to give us a shout.