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Rejoice! Automated line calling is coming to pro pickleball, PPA Tour CEO Connor Pardoe revealed on this week’s episode of the PicklePod. The same tech used in tennis will take the burden out of the pro’s hands and put it where it belongs: high-res cameras capturing all the action down to the millimeter.

It’s a way overdue development for a sport vying for legitimacy on a global stage. All the juicy details, below.

In This Issue:
— How to drill for better speed-ups
— Zane Navratil answers your questions
— Connor Pardoe joins the PicklePod

Ooh, just out.

The Chicago Slice have a new shoe sponsor for 2025: SQAIRZ. The team’s pros will be laced up in the XRZ, a pickleball-specific model co-developed by Zane Navratil, designed for balance, stability, and actual ankle support. Keep an eye out for custom content, player gear, and maybe fewer rolled ankles this season.

Well, that was fast. After a five-month stint with adidas Pickleball (shorter than most situationships), world #1 Federico Staksrud is back with JOOLA. The break-up was quiet, but the reunion was loud: Joola dropped the news yesterday with a cheeky post on Instagram. Now the question is… will they put a ring on it in the form of a signature paddle?

If you’re like us, you’ve got, uh…a few too many old pickleball paddles lying around. Should you toss them, or hang onto them? A Reddit thread debates, with one sentiment seeming to capture the hearts of the masses: “I hoard them in the garage. My spouse doesn't understand why I keep them. Neither do I, tbh.”

The Bay Area Breakers acquire Sam Querry and send Eric Roddy to the Atlanta Bouncers, a trade that has some wondering whether this could be the end of Querry’s short, injury-plagued MLP career. Maybe he’ll turn to announcing?

Selkirk senior pro Linda Thompson has been teaching pickleball for more than six years and gets asked all the time about strategies for speeding up attacks at the kitchen line.

As the game gets more aggressive and offensive in nature, this is a key skill to not just keeping pace on the court, but dictating it.

Here’s Linda’s go-to drill for practicing effective speed-ups from the kitchen.

✅ Initiate a doubles dink rally with everyone starting at the kitchen. The only rule is that you can only speed the ball up at the person directly in front of you.

✅ The rally could go four shots or 14. The key is to wait for an attackable ball, one that’s sitting around net level.

✅ Practice your defense, too. Every time the player across from you has the ball, it could be sped up at you. Square your hips to them and get your paddle out in front of your body at the ready.

✅ Try speeding up in different locations to see what works. Down the middle is the tempting option, but down the line can be less expected and more effective.

✅ Rotate through all four spots so you’re attacking and defending from every position and also facing different opponents.

👉 Watch the full video.

Zane Navratil’s been playing in them for a minute, but now the entire Chicago Slice squad is stepping in too.

The XRZ was co-developed with Zane and built for how pickleball is actually played. A wider toe box gives you better balance. Lateral support helps keep those ankles upright.

And the grip pattern? Designed for side-to-side motion, not just forward sprints like a tennis shoe. There’s reinforced toe protection, Sta-Put laces, and a 6-month outsole guarantee if you’re tough on shoes.

The Slice is betting on them this season. Might be time to check what’s on your feet.

PPA Tour CEO Connor Pardoe dropped some serious exclusives on this week’s PicklePod.

The headline-grabber? Pro pickleball is getting the same automated line-calling technology used in tennis. No more “was it in?” debates. Just cold, hard truth… from a machine.

The much-needed upgrade is expected to make its debut as early as Q4 of this year and will go a long way towards legitimizing the sport and positioning it for major milestones on the horizon, like a media rights deal and possible inclusion in the Olympic Games.

👉 Read the full story.

Also on this week’s PicklePod:

👉 Watch the full episode.

Major League Pickleball is headed for New York’s Randall’s Island for the Fourth of July weekend, a critical stop ahead of the mid-season tournament.

Six Premier level teams will be competing (as will all six Challenger teams):

Here are a few storylines to keep an eye on:

1️⃣ The Carolina Hogs recently added Etta Tuionetoa to their roster, soon after dropping Collin Johns. Is this the spark they needed to make an unlikely playoff run?

2️⃣ Can Brooklyn’s women, Rachel Rohrabacher and Catherine Parenteau, continue to compensate for its decimated men’s roster?

3️⃣ Fed Staksrud is free of his adidas contract and back with JOOLA. Will he show out in the Big Apple and help Orlando cement its playoff spot?

👉 Read our full event preview.

We just found your new favorite post-match drink.

Cycling Frog makes THC seltzers that actually taste good and help you unwind without the weird side effects.

They’re giving one away. For FREE. Just pay $2 shipping.

Pick your flavor, crack it open, and let the summer vibes take over.

The JOOLA MOD TA-15, once feared as the most powerful pickleball paddle in all the land, is officially banned from all USAP-sanctioned events.

This isn’t a sudden thing; it’s been fated in the stars since USAP announced new testing standards in late 2024. All paddles that retroactively tested too hot would be “sunsetted” at a later date.

Well, that date was yesterday: July 1, 2025.

This means it’s illegal to use the MOD in most official tournaments. It also means it’s definitely frowned upon to keep busting it out in your Tuesday night rec league.

You’ve had your fun. It’s time to let it go.

👉 If you want the MOD’s origin story — involving another line of infamous paddles that sparked a major ongoing legal battle — check out our full story.

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