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This week is a massive week in the United States. No, not just because the UPA World Championships are happening this week. This week is election week and no matter the outcome, we will be thankful for the end of political ads, texts, and phone calls.

Lucky for you, there’s a giant stack of pickleball news to help you avoid talking politics on the court. Let’s jump in.

In This Issue:

🤝 Do you and your partner mesh?
🤠 The home teams advance to the semis in the MLP Playoffs
🏆 A new winner crowned at the DUPR Collegiate National Championships

Remember to vote.

Our Picks ☝️

🎙️Comedy: Has pickleball infiltrated your dreams?

Put your headphones on and give this one a listen. This standup comedian has had pickleball invade her life she never imagined (Warning: Explicit Language).

💔 Quote: Not another pickleball love story

“5 years ago I asked a beautiful girl to play pickleball with me. Yesterday I asked her to marry me. She said no both times.” They can’t all be winners - @thepickleballshaman

⚾️ World Series: Genie Bouchard Fields Foul Ball at World Series

The World Champion Dodgers are loaded with pickleball enthusiasts like Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández. Fellow pickleballer Genie Bouchard was in attendance at three and scooped a foul ball before passing the souvenir on to another fan.

⬆️ Next Gen: APP crowns Next Gen Champions in Dallas

The APP is always cooking up the next generation of players. Their latest Next Gen event (players aged 16-23) was won by Richard Livornese Jr. and Riley Bohnert.

Do You and Your Partner Mesh?

The forehand takes the middle. It’s a solid rule that should be adhered to MOST of the time.

• But what happens when the ball isn’t perfectly down the middle, it’s slightly closer to the right-side player?

• Or when the left-side player has to guard the line so they’re not able to prepare appropriately for a middle ball?

Those are two scenarios where paddles collide, or worse, the ball floats down the middle for the winner. Instead of fighting over the middle, try meshing with your partner and adding a layer of defense.

Providing Back Up For Your Partner

As the right-side player, when you see one of the scenarios above, you can add a layer of protection by:

• Backing slightly off the kitchen line

• Shading toward the middle

The left-side player can still have first dibs at any ball down the middle but by layering behind them, you’re ready to cover a ball they can’t reach. This strategy works well when playing with a new partner.

Instead of fighting over the middle balls, the right-side player clearly yields to the left-side player but not to the point where they are being burnt down the middle.

As a partnership evolves there is less of a need to mesh but until you learn the range of your partner, it’s a great way to stay in points and build trust.

How you age is up to you

Is it too soon to think about how you’re aging? Probably not. Starting in our 30s, some key cellular processes begin to slow down, making us feel tired and weak over time. This decline affects not just our physical strength and endurance, but significantly reduces our quality of life making everyday activities harder to enjoy.

Luckily, scientists have discovered a way to shape how we age. Mitopure®, by Timeline, targets the root cause of this cellular decline and is clinically proven to increase cellular energy, giving our bodies the energy they need to function optimally. The results? Double-digit increases in muscle strength and endurance without any change in exercise.

Take aging into your own hands. Get 30% off with code DINK30 for a limited time, while supplies last.

A New Meaning to Cutting Down the Net

In college basketball, the team that wins it all cuts down the net to bring back home to their school. This weekend, a new tradition was born at the DUPR Collegiate National Championships in Dallas.

More than 500 college players traveled to Texas for the third college championship. After pool play on Friday, a 64-team single elimination bracket was used to whittle the field down to four teams:

Clemson University vs University of Virginia
Utah Tech University vs University of North Carolina

Last year’s champion UVA knocked out Clemson in the semifinals and the No.1 ranked Utah Tech team eliminated the Tarheels from UNC.

In the finals, Utah Tech continued the dominant streak they’ve been on all year. They swept UVA 3-0 in the finals to clinch their first National Championship, $15K in scholarship prize money and cut down the next as a souvenir.

Congratulations to the champs from Utah Tech University: Liam Duffin, Benson Parry, Averee Beck, and Kamryn Bliss. Find a full weekend recap here.

The Home Teams Flourish in the Quarters

The Texas teams used the home court to their advantage this weekend in Dallas. Both the Texas Ranchers and Dallas Flash advanced through the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the semis later this month.

Texas Ranchers vs D.C. Pickleball
D.C. got the jump on the Ranchers in match one of the best-of-three series. This put the 5-seed with their backs against the wall.

Sunday belonged to the Ranchers who won matches two and three. Margins were thin with 7 of the 12 games played decided by just two points each. On Sunday night, under the lights, the Ranchers refused to lose and punched their ticket to the semis with a 3-1 regulation win.

Dallas Flash vs NY Hustlers
After a hot start to the year, the Hustlers barely hung on to the sixth seed in the playoffs. They surprised everyone by stealing match one against the Flash.

The Flash regrouped after the loss and put together two 3-0 victories to send the Flash Mob (their cheering section) into party mode.

MLP Playoffs Continue Nov 22-24
It will be the Ranchers and Flash who are headed to Orlando to compete for the league title. Their opponents are TBD as the New Jersey 5s have the luxury of choosing their semifinal matchup.

The exciting MLP season concludes Nov 22-24 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.

Got Your Ideal Paddle Yet?

If not, let’s talk GAMMA Airbender 10 and 13. They're not the new kids on the block anymore, but they sure let you dial in your playing style like no other.

Choose the 10 for some serious power or the 13 if you prefer versatility across the court.

Swing into GAMMA, personalize your paddle, and save a bit too—use code DINK10 for 10% off.

98% of Matches Won Have THIS in Common

Dave Fleming has been dubbed 'The Voice of Pickleball' and we put that name to the test by trying out some new catchphrases.

We dissect new stats that reveal what you should be choosing at the coin toss and why getting out to an early lead is more important than ever. Catch the premiere here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• A Good Game Starts with a Great Bag

• Why Depth is the Most Important Part of Returns in Pickleball

• Paddle Shapes Explained and What 14mm & 16mm Really Mean

• ICYMI: The Only Six Pickleball Drills You'll Ever Need

Highlights

• There will be ranch 🤠

• College pickleball goes hard 💪

Miss a recent issue? We've got you covered

• The No. 1 mistake KILLING your game

• What's the best paddle shape?

• The stats you need to win at every level

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