Pro tennis players are flooding into pickleball. Most can hang in singles. But doubles? That’s a whole different ball game.

Sources tell The Dink that two former tennis pros are in serious talks to sign with MLP & PPA. And while we’ve heard this story before, there seems to be way more hype around this duo…probably because they’re the most dominant tennis doubles team of all time.

What could be better than a week-long pickleball party with concerts and a beer garden? Not paying a dime to experience it. We’re sending you and your partner to Dallas for the USA Pickleball National Championships!

In This Issue:

🎾 The Bryan Brothers want to be #1 in pickleball
📺 Pickleball on TV 24/7
🧠 Solving pickleball’s noise problem

Come along for the ride.

It’s Always Coming Back

"Most of the time, it's a fair assumption that the other team is going to get the ball back. It's just a matter of how can I make them as uncomfortable as possible with this ball?"

Kyle Yates is thinking two shots ahead when he initiates speedups. A well-placed speedup has only one job, to set up the next shot.

• A quick flick into an uncomfortable spot (think chicken wing, shoulder, or high to their backhand) starts the firefight.

• The opponent counters with a rushed or awkward attack. Having started the fight, Yates is ready for clean up on this sweet little 1-2 punch combo.

The initial flick is bait for the opponent. If they take the bait and try to attack back, it's likely to be a high uncontrolled attack. That is exactly what Yates is looking for. A ball that is just high enough for him to put it away.

It's common to think of the speedup as an attempt at a winner. It can be. But at higher levels, you have to expect that the ball is coming back. Use that to your advantage.

Let’s Face It, You Need Better Shorts

Good Get Apparel is making waves in the pickleball community with its exceptional collection of men's bottoms. Known for their stylish yet functional sportswear, you simply can't beat their shorts!

Featured in their lineup are the highly acclaimed "PickleDome Shorts," offering the perfect blend of agility and style on the court. The "Court Clash Shorts" are designed for peak performance during intense matches. And for those who want to make a statement, don't miss the exclusive "GG Edition Shorts."

Ready to elevate your pickleball game? Visit their website now and make sure to use code DINK15 for an exclusive 15% discount! Don't miss this opportunity to dominate the court while looking your best.

Tennis Royalty Sets Sights on Pickle

If you could imagine the perfect pickleball doubles team, what would it look like? How about two 6’4” identical twin brothers, one that is right-handed and the other left-handed.

Well, sources close to The Dink have informed us that tennis’ most prolific duo, the Bryan Bros, are in serious talks with MLP and the PPA Tour about a run in pro pickleball.

Here’s a brief look at the resumes of Mike and Bob Bryan:

• World #1 doubles team for 438 weeks

• 16 Grand Slam doubles titles

• 119 Tour Titles

• Davis Cup Champions (2007)

• Olympic Gold Medalists (2012)

• 1,000+ career match wins

At 45 years old, the brothers aren’t looking to be another flash in the pan. They’re interested in a long-term approach with the goal of becoming #1.

And, they’re intent on becoming ambassadors for the game with the aim to:

• Lobby for college and Olympic pickleball

• Increase pickleball's competitive credibility

• Validate and encourage the transfer of top tennis pros to pickleball

• Encourage and grow youth pickleball with an emphasis on providing a pathway for inner-city youth

Will we see a Johns Bros vs Bryan Bros match before the end of the year? Will the tennis stars’ entry into the game be the end of pickleball as we now know it? (ok fine, that might be hyperbole). Read more about their crossover here.

Shhhh, This is Pickleball

One of the greatest factors limiting pickleball’s growth is noise. There is a news story every week where players are being prevented from playing or courts are unable to be built, because of the noise factor.

In Colorado, plans for a new pickleball park were completely halted. The city put a ‘restraining order’ on the game. No courts within 250 ft of a home.

In order to silence the hate, USA Pickleball has quietly worked on a solution.

From the USA Pickleball announcement (please whisper as you read):

• USA Pickleball’s Quiet Category for equipment will promote products that deliver essentially 50 percent or less of the acoustic footprint of equipment commonly sourced and used in community parks.

• The Quiet Category will encompass a wide range of products including paddles, balls, paddle covers, and noise mitigation screens for pickleball courts.

• USA Pickleball is also launching an incentive program for manufacturers to deliver noise-reduced solutions in the Competition-Certified Category.

Can we find an innovation to bring peace between neighbors? Not until Mike finally returns my ladder and nail gun that he borrowed last year.

But the hope is that advancements can continue to make the game more accessible and courts can be installed to keep up with the demand of millions of players.

Heck of a Deal from PCKL

To celebrate MLP coming through their hometown of Atlanta, PCKL is offering a HUGE discount to Dink readers. Get 40% off their original Pro Series, an elongated carbon paddle that is a sizable upgrade compared to your starter paddle, with a large sweet spot that is forgiving and will keep your play consistent.

If you are looking for a new higher-end paddle, it's a great time to take advantage of this deal, plus it's backed by their lifetime guarantee and commitment to grow the game.

Use code DINK40 before they end the deal!

24/7 Pickleball

When ESPN decided to air sports 24 hours a day, people thought they were crazy. When pickleball first hit the Tennis Channel, it was met with some backlash.

Some tennis fans did not love seeing tennis give space to pickleball. But the people have spoken, and they want pickleball 24/7.

• The PPA Tour and Tennis Channel have agreed to more pickleball in 2024. According to CNBC, “Tennis Channel will produce all PPA Tour events and have the rights to broadcast a vast majority of them on its pay-TV network and streaming platforms.”

• Together, they will create “Pickleballtv, a 24/7 standalone free, ad-supported streaming channel featuring matches as well as entertainment surrounding the sport.”

• “The agreement allows Tennis Channel owner Sinclair to retain the option of an equity stake in pickleball.com, the parent company of the PPA Tour. Dundon added it’s a 50-50 partnership between the two entities, noting the PPA Tour will put the capital in and Tennis Channel will bring its production and media expertise.”

If you ask most pickleball fans, they’d probably tell you they’re happy watching matches on YouTube. But it appears those days might soon be coming to an end.

Peoria Takes the First Bite

The Peoria Pythons extinguished the Scottsdale Scorchers last night at The Orchard.

• A stand-out 15-5 victory for Lauren Mercado and Rachel Rettger set the table for Pythons win.

• Michael Loyd and Ryan Trefey closed the match with an intense comeback victory in set 2.

No one in pickleball takes on entertainment quite like Jigsaw Health. The halftime show in week 1 is a cinematic masterpiece. Get your Oscar’s vote ready and catch the full replay here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• Always hit your best shot

• Need a league that fits your schedule? Try Honcho

• Record your matches, you may learn more than you expect.

• Know any pickleball junkies with interest in a social media manager job at The Dink?

Highlights

• Don’t bring that weak stuff in here

• An early celebration didn’t distract Daescu

• This ball left the court in a hurry

• The point that changed the match

A review from the Dink Fam...