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The defending champs thought they were making a bold move in San Diego. Turns out, it was the kind of gamble that gets you sent packing. We’re also dropping some stat-backed drills to help your rec rallies last longer, giving you plenty to chew on this week.

In This Issue:
— Defending MLP champs sent packing
— Five drills for longer rec game points
— Do this before buying a new paddle

Let’s get into it

Before Saturday’s action in San Diego, the MLP took a moment to hand out some awards, as voted on by members of the league and the media. Congrats to James Delgado (Most Improved, Challenger), Brooke Buckner (MVP, Challenger), Kate Fahey (Most Improved, Premier), and Jorja Johnson (MVP, Premier).

The fresh paint had barely dried in Monaca, PA, before security cameras caught a pack of teens allegedly tearing up the new courts on their e-bikes, causing about $12,000 in damage. Part of their penance? Cleaning up the damage.

Hats off to this Reddit user, who pulled down a fourth-place finish in a 4.5 tournament at nearly six months pregnant. “I enjoyed beating insecure men that couldn't handle a 5'4" pregnant woman kicking a**,” she said. Even better, she’s just a 3.9 on paper.

Tanner Tomassi is one of the most prolific pickleball content creators on social media. But he’s starting to prove he’s got the chops to ball with top pros, too. He and partner Richard Livornese just won the APP Great Lakes Open, their second consecutive gold together.

That stat comes from Kyle “That Pickleball Guy” Koszuta. And while we can’t verify its accuracy 100%, it does make sense anecdotally. Extended rallies are the exception in most rec play, not the rule.

So it tracks that a good place to start during a drill session would be to focus on those first five shots, yes? Kyle joined Cam Luhring on court to talk through his five favorite drills to do just that.

1️⃣ Back Third Serves. Place a piece of tape or a cone to mark the back third of the court, or five feet up off the baseline. Now serve 10 times and see how many you land in that zone.

2️⃣ Back Third Returns. Same as above, except now you’re on the receiving end. Depth is the name of the game. Prioritize placement over speed.

3️⃣ Third Shot Combo. Serve to your drilling partner 10 times, playing each point only to the fifth shot. The goal here is to make your thirds. Drive or drop, it doesn’t matter. This is all about training yourself to minimize unforced errors.

4️⃣ Fourth Shot Pressure. Again, same as above but now you’re on the receiving end. Hit your fourth shot back hard or at an angle. Anything but a defensive block or weak drop that is easily attackable.

5️⃣ Skinny Singles. Now put it all together and play each point out. Play to 7, rally scoring. But keep the same person serving every point to really drill the consistency of the serve, third, and fifth shots. Once that game is over, repeat but switch servers.

These drills build on each other, so do all five in order and you’ll be finding yourself in longer game rallies in no time.

➡️ Watch the full video.

The St. Louis Shock didn’t waste any time in Round 1 of the MLP Playoffs. As the #1 seed, they handled the Orlando Squeeze in two straight matches and punched their ticket to the semis in New York.

Now here’s the fun part—what they were wearing.

MUEV is the official uniform of the Shock, and the same kits you saw on court are sitting in their shop right now. Clean, sharp, and built for play. We’d love to see some of you rocking Shock gear in the stands next weekend, bonus points if the cameras catch it.

➡️ Because you’re reading this, you’ve got an edge: 20% off with code THEDINK.

The rules dictating the first-round MLP Playoff matchups can be a bit complex (here’s a primer if you’re interested), but know this:

When it came time for the defending champion Dallas Flash to choose their opponent, everyone, including a few Flash players themselves, assumed they’d be going with the underperforming Texas Ranchers.

Instead, they put it to a team vote. And the majority opted for the Columbus Sliders, a team that’s stronger on paper and anchored by a strong starting roster.

Well, spoiler alert: The Sliders took the Flash to a deciding and drama-filled third match on Sunday, pulling off the upset of the season in the process.

The Flash’s decision to play the Sliders has been widely questions and criticized. Zane Navratil publicly called it “the worst strategic blunder” MLP has ever seen.

CJ Klinger, Parris Todd, and Lea Jansen were all stellar for Columbus. But it was captain Andrei Daescu who made the difference, guiding his team through three gutsy Dreambreaker wins to earn a spot in next weekend’s NYC Finals alongside the New Jersey 5s, LA Mad Drops, and St. Louis Shock.

➡️ Read our full event recap.

Football scholarships are cool. But more and more, kids are training to play college pickleball in hopes of cracking into the big leagues.

DUPR put together some data highlighting the states with the most active club scenes at the moment. Shock and awe: Texas, California, and Florida round out the top three.

But the rest of the list might surprise you. Virginia, in its own right, is becoming a pickleball powerhouse. The state has two clubs among the top three for those with the most members.

You know what they say: If you want to be the best, you need to play with the best.

➡️ See the full lists.

Everyone obsesses over shoes in pickleball. But here’s the truth: socks are doing just as much heavy lifting.

Think about it. Blisters? Socks decide that. Slipping around in sweaty shoes? Socks decide that too. If your pair can’t handle moisture, cushion the right spots, and actually stay put, you’re fighting an uphill battle every rally.

Bombas Court Sport Socks are built for play. Arch support that locks you in. Cushion where you need it. Breathability so your feet don’t feel like a swamp.

And the bonus? Every pair you pick up means Bombas donates an essential item to someone experiencing homelessness. Over 150 million donations already.

➡️ Upgrade your sock game here and save up to 20%.

In a sea of new pickleball paddles, each promising better performance than the last, it’s getting harder and harder to pin down which model might be right for you.

We feel your pain. But there are a few resources you can consult that list actual metrics rather than a bunch of marketing speak.

If you need something more visual, a new option called Pickleball Base is gaining traction on Reddit (pictured above) that compares models based on price, performance metrics and shape, but also provides qualitative details like what type of player a paddle is best suited for.

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