Is improving the enemy of fun?

Perfect the topspin forehand dink. MLP pros get real on the PicklePod.

May 02, 2025

Pickleball is a very serious sport, said hardly anyone, ever. Sure, there are a handful of pros competing for fame and glory. But for most of us, it’s good fun and good exercise—the perfect way to spend a few hours with friends or strangers alike.

And yet, the point is to improve, right? Not so fast. A conversation on social media caught our attention and has us wondering: Does the joy fade as skill increases?

We get into it below.

In This Issue:
— PicklePod: ALW’s teammates get real
— Friends don’t let friends dead dink
— Is getting better the enemy of fun?

Can’t we all just get along?

Our Picks ☝️

✌️ Ousted: Dream Team Done

After barely beating a couple of teenagers, Andre Agassi and Anna Leigh Waters fell in their second match of the US Open. It was fun while it lasted—at least they’ve got a couple highlight-reel moments for the memory books.

🚨 Jokes: MLP Increases Security

Speaking of ALW, St. Louis Shock Chief Operating Officer Andrew Haines sauntered onto the MLP sidelines yesterday wearing a “Security” shirt—a not-so-subtle knock at last week’s incident between his team and the New Jersey 5s.

🇻🇳 Moves: Asian Paddle Brand Enters Pros

After two years as one of the top young faces of Selkirk Sport, 19-year-old Quang Duong announced a new multi-year paddle sponsor yesterday—the relatively unknown Vietnamese brand, Sypik.

🥇 Proud: Dink Fam Gets Gold

Shoutout to The Dink’s own Alina and her partner Paige for securing gold at the US Open in the Women’s 4.0 12-29 division. Word is Alina is considering a pro run—and her return to work is currently TBD.

If You’re Not Topspinnin’, You’re Not Winnin’

Dead dinks are the kiss of death. As your DUPR increases, so does the need for a more aggressive dink option from the Kitchen line. That’s where the forehand topspin dink comes in.

It’s the shot you should have on autopilot—just the right amount of consistency, offense and aggression.

Pro Zane Navratil breaks it down, beginning with the three things that need to be true before you consider hitting a topspin forehand dink:

  1. Your feet are under your body and square to the target

  2. You should not be pushed back off the Kitchen line

  3. You should be able to contact the ball out in front of your body

Got all those? Great. Now you’re committed. At this point, it’s all about preparation.

✅ Push the paddle to the side of your body using your non-dominant hand. This helps ensure you’re “coiled”—locked and loaded and ready to make contact.

✅ Corner the ball with proper footwork. For a forehand topspin dink, this means getting into a position where the ball is between your body and where you want it to go.

✅ When it comes to making contact, you want your paddle tip facing down so you can brush up the backside of the ball in an upwards motion.

🎯 Parting shot: You want a slightly closed paddle face, meaning the top edge of the paddle should be tilted slightly forward—toward the net rather than upright or back toward the baseline. And remember to keep a compact follow-through—this way, you’re back in the ready position in a jiffy.

Seeing is believing—watch the full video here.

She Raised You Right. Now Dress Her Right.

Look, Mom’s got enough candles and mugs.

If she plays, she wants something she can actually wear. Like Selkirk’s Pickleball Dress from the Essentials Collection. Sporty. Flattering. Actually cute.

Pair it with the CourtStrike Shoes for a full fit she’ll love (and use).

They’ve got other great pieces on sale too, but don’t wait. Order now to get it in time for Mother's Day.

ALW’s Teammates Weigh in on Heated Shock Exchange

The male/female dynamic of Major League Pickleball is unique and can conflate certain exchanges between players.

Take the heated confrontation between Hayden Patriquin and Anna Leigh Waters at the conclusion of their mixed match in Orlando.

Zane was there. Will Howells was there. They’re partners with ALW, after all. And while you may say that makes them biased, it doesn’t seem like there was a whole lot of grey area when it comes right down to it.

By all accounts, Hayden shouldn’t have called ALW a b*tch (he said so himself). And ALW should not have pursued Hayden to his bench and got in his face.

Amplifying the matter, say Zane and Will, is the fact that this degree of trash talk crossed the gender divide, not something you see very often in pro pickleball, or pro sports at all, for that matter.

“For better or for worse,” says Zane, “it is very different when a guy calls [an expletive] to a woman. That’s where I felt like it crossed the line.”

The aftermath of the situation has been mild: No fines. No suspensions. No slaps on the wrist. Just a few jokes. Guess we’ll play ball like nothing happened? 

👉 Get the full story—plus chats with Ryan DeVos, GM of the Orlando Squeeze; pro Christian Alshon; and founder of Real Clear Stats, Ben Padula—on this week’s PicklePod.

Introducing a 3v3 Format for The Dink Minor League Pickleball

The Dink Minor League Pickleball just launched a brand-new way to play: 3v3 Gendered. No Dreambreaker. No drawn-out matches. Just three quick games, all team-based, and all intensity.

Here’s how it works:

  • Each team fields three players of the same gender

  • They play three games per match

  • Every game features a different pairing of two players from the trio

  • That means each player sits one game and plays the other two

  • Win two out of three games and you win the match

  • No Dreambreaker, no subs—just your squad versus theirs

The format’s already making waves in Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, and beyond. And yes, players can now compete in both formats at Nationals.

The Pros Are Playing with the X-40. Are You?

All eyes are on the US Open this week. But here’s something you might’ve missed.

Franklin’s X-40 is the official ball of the tourney. That means pros and amateurs alike have been playing with it all week.

It’s consistent. It’s durable. And it feels just right coming off the paddle.

If you’re on-site in Naples, grab a few packs. If not, you can still stock up right here.

Is Getting Better the Enemy of Fun?

A Redditor recently shared a sentiment that hit home for a lot of people:

“I’m a 2.5 player…I’ve seen folks who are way more skilled than me on the casual courts, and they never smile, laugh, or joke around. It’s like they’ve lost the fun of playing… I haven’t had this much fun playing a sport since I quit softball 20 years ago, and I’m worried that if I get more skilled, I’ll lose that joy.”

The post opened a floodgate of responses—not arguing, but reflecting. And the consensus? It’s complicated.

Some players chimed in to say that getting better only increased their enjoyment. They love the mental challenge of setting up a point, the thrill of a fast-paced dink rally, and the feeling of pulling off a clean winner. For them, the fun isn’t always loud or obvious—they might look serious mid-point, but inside? They’re buzzing.

Others admitted they’ve felt the shift. As their skills improved, so did the expectations—not just from themselves, but from others on the court. Casual games turned into quiet battles. People started chasing DUPR ratings, building little tier systems, or subtly icing out newer players who couldn’t “hang.” One person even said they started playing down a level again just to bring the fun back.

There was also plenty of talk about personality. Some people are wired to be intense no matter what level they’re at. Others just want to laugh while they smack a plastic ball around in the sunshine. And sometimes it’s not about competition or skill at all — it’s about who you’re playing with. A lot of folks said they’ve found the most joy when surrounded by a consistent group of people who match their vibe, whether that means going all-out or not keeping score at all.

As one player put it: “Fun is about your relationship with the sport, not your skill or experience.” Hard to argue with that.

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