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Yesterday, without warning, JOOLA dropped bombshell news that it’s suing 11 competing paddle brands for patent infringement.

At the heart of this sweeping litigation is their propulsion core, the U-shaped foam band that’s become commonplace in the industry. It’s their patent, they allege, now they’re prepared to protect it.

We unpack why now, who’s involved, and what this could mean for your favorite paddle brand, below.

In This Issue:
— 64 teams, one college champ
— Mastering the short-hop dink
— Zane defends the ‘Hanoi Hook’

Hold on to your hats.

This weekend, The College Pickleball Tour Nationals kick off in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Sixty-four teams enter, only one can emerge as National Champion. FAU, Utah Tech, and Texas are the favorites. Prize money is on the line.

Not all pro tournaments are created equal. There are weather conditions, altitude, heat and humidity, indoor vs. outdoor… the list goes on and on. So how come all domestic PPA tournaments use the same ball? Nico the Lefty has some thoughts.

Major League Pickleball just announced which teams will be competing at the first four stops of the 2026 season: Dallas, Columbus, St. Louis, and Austin. Get educated… then get your tickets.

Filming yourself play is one of the best tactics for fast and efficient improvement. But if you’re in a rec play setting, it’s wise to ask for permission first. Not everyone wants to be recorded, especially if any of those clips could end up online.

Sometimes you’re pulled out of position. Other times your opponent just hits a great shot.

Whatever the case, it’s a scenario we’re all familiar with: scrambling to return a ball that lands behind your feet.

In an ideal world, your footwork can bail you out. But when you’re up at the net and a few quick shuffle steps simply aren’t an option, you need to be able to rely on a short-hop shot.

Here’s how to pull it off:

The placement of the short hop is critical. You want to aim toward the middle of the court, not the lines. This provides the highest margin of error.

What happens next is everything.

✅ If your short-hop is a good one, kept low over the net and landing at your opponents’ feet, get up to the net and be ready to pounce on the return.
✅ If it sails a bit high, get two hands on the paddle, squat low, and be ready to defend.

Either way, you’ve turned a bad situation into a chance to fight for another shot. And that’s everything.

➡️ Watch and learn.

You need a way to actually compare them.

Because right now it’s a lot.

New paddles every week.
Shoes that all claim to “do it all.”
Gear that somehow promises more power and more control at the same time.

At a certain point, you’re not choosing—you’re guessing.

Pickleball Central fixes that.

They’ve got just about everything in one place—paddles, shoes, apparel, accessories—so you can actually scroll, compare, and land on something that fits your game.

Shop through our link to browse and unlock exclusive pricing across a wide range of gear.

In a surprise move yesterday, JOOLA announced that it has filed patent infringement litigation against 11 fellow paddle brands, many of which are major names in the sport.

The reason: "unauthorized use of its proprietary propulsion core technology."

The litigation involves the following companies as defendants: Franklin Sports, Proton Sports, RPM Pickleball, Engage Pickleball, Friday, Diadem Sports, Facolos, ProXR Pickleball, Paddletek, Adidas Pickleball, and Volair.

Rumors of a possible legal action regarding their Gen-3 paddle tech has been in the wind for a while, but we reached out to JOOLA to ask why they decided to take this action now.

“This is a principled decision, not a reactive one," CEO Richard Lee told us. “We take our responsibility to defend what we've built seriously. Our goal is to protect our innovation and encourage others to innovate as well.”

The patented technology at the heart of the litigation is JOOLA’s propulsion core, the horseshoe foam construction featured most recently in their Pro IV and Pro V paddle lines that “adds controlled flex to the paddle’s interior, creating a responsive, spring-like effect.”

Versions or variations of this same tech are now found in many paddles offered by competing brands.

JOOLA reportedly spent years investing in the research, development, and rigorous testing behind the tech.

And now they intend to protect it.

“Protecting our innovation is not about limiting what others can do – it’s about ensuring the investment, creativity and engineering required to advance this sport are sustained,” Lee continued.

“The brands that will shape the future of this sport are the ones willing to innovate on their own.”

Critics have been quick to call foul, saying big bad JOOLA is trying to squash the smaller paddle brands beneath its feet. Others argue that all is fair in love and patent law — JOOLA developed and patented the tech, and they can protect it whenever and however they see fit.

Opinions aside, this will impact the paddle market one way or another. If the suit is successful, the ripple effect could be massive for the defendant brands and the countless consumers buying their existing paddles every day.

➡️ Get the full story.

So don’t overthink it.

Midwest Racquet Sports carries Nike, adidas, Wilson, and more—apparel that performs when you’re playing and still looks good when you’re not.

And yes, you’ll probably wear it off the court too.

Shop pickleball apparel at Midwest Racquet Sports and use code THEDINK for 15% off.

Pickleball is no stranger to its share of drama. But by all accounts, it just had one of its most controversial moments ever.

This week on the PicklePod, Nico and Zane break down the viral line call from PPA Hanoi that has the entire pickleball world debating:

👉 Was it in or out?
👉 Was it cheating… or just inconclusive?

We know this topic has been covered already. But we’ve got something nobody else has — Zane was actually Hoang Nam Ly’s men’s doubles partner at the event — the most polarizing man in pickleball. He’s also been through a very similar situation before.

Shock and awe… he’s not quite as sold as everyone else on how this all went down.

Also on this week’s Pod:

And yes… we also talk about the brutal state of pickleball-related April Fools’ jokes.

➡️ Watch all the fun.

A review from the Dink Fam...

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