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Pro pickleballer reaches US Open tennis final

Pro pickleballer reaches US Open tennis final

Anatomy of the perfect poach. Champions in Las Vegas and Chicago.

September 04, 2024

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American tennis great and current pickleball pro Donald Young is currently on his tennis farewell tour. This U.S. Open was scheduled to be Young’s final tennis event and he might just go out and win a title.

Young and his mixed doubles partner, Taylor Townsend, entered the tournament as a wildcard. They powered through the bracket and have a chance to complete a Cinderella run to the title. Watch as they play for the mixed doubles championship on Thursday.

In This Issue:

🩻 The anatomy of a perfect poach
🏠 The home court revolution
🏆 Champions crowned in Las Vegas and Chicago

Paddles up for DY.

Our Picks ☝️

📰 News: Pickleball Summer Camp for Adults

YMCA of the North is offering the chance to feel like a kid again and play pickleball from sun up to sundown. This week, they are running a three-day overnight camp experience at Camp St. Croix in Hudson, Wisconsin, with pickleball lessons each day. Put this on your end-of-summer checklist for next year.

🏡 House Envy: $37.5 Million House with Rooftop Court

In the market for a new crib? Call up the bank and get a hefty loan for this $37.5M house with its own rooftop pickleball court. It offers six bedrooms and seven-and-a-half baths on Biscayne Bay. The 7,000-square-foot home has 120 feet of waterfront and views of the downtown Miami skyline.

💬 Quote: Anna Leigh Waters Overcomes Injury in Singles Final

“When I started missing returns and rolled my ankle and was doing weird stuff, I began to think about this Gary Vee quote I saw yesterday: ‘don’t let fear hold you back.’ I noticed I was starting to get tight and was starting to let fear hold me back, so I told myself to stop. Remembering that quote definitely lifted me up in this match.” - via pickleball.com

📹️ Video: You’ve Got to Applaud It

Jaume Martinez Vich is a walking highlight reel. He had two shots last weekend that had his opponent’s completely befuddled. The first was an ATP that dotted the back corner for a winner. The second was a backhand flick at an almost impossible angle.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Poach

High-level poaching can gain you free points quickly

In a match breakdown on Selkirk TV, Collin Shick explains a key point during a doubles match at the Selkirk Red Rock Open where his partner, Jack Sock, read a poach perfectly. He explains what to look for and how to maximize these moments during your games.

Capitalize on your strengths 💪

In the video, Collin hits a third-shot drive from his backhand — what he calls his best shot. Collin's drive is low and well-placed, forcing the opponent in front of him into a defensive position.

Anytime your opponents hit the ball toward your strength or give you a ball you can drive low — preferably with topspin — you and your partner should recognize this as an opportunity to apply maximum pressure.

Be proactive 🧠

Once you recognize this opportunity, you must be decisive. Whoever is free during the third shot must run in behind the drive and get "big" in front of the person about to hit the next shot.

Applying this pressure can cause your opponent to pop-up the ball or hit a perfect shot.

In the video, Sock does this beautifully. He runs right at Pablo Tellez, knowing his most likely response would be a down-the-line volley that he can pounce on.

Jack is already creeping up once he recognizes Collin is going to drive the ball

Positioning matters 🏃‍♂️‍➡️

Knowing where your opponent will most likely hit the next shot allows you to put yourself between the ball and that target.

Once Jack reads the play and starts crashing, he recognizes where Pablo needs to take the ball and then jumps to that spot. When he sees the ball is up, he crushes it with a backhand winner down the middle.

Pressure causes Pablo to hit a high soft ball and Jack jumps on it

Apply this to your game 👀

If your partner is great at driving the ball, give yourself a chance to poach an opponent’s weak fourth shot. If you are the person who hits great drives, encourage your teammate to apply more pressure by saying "Go" right as you're about to hit it.

This cues them to take action and gives your team an excellent opportunity for a quick point.

Your Game, Your Way

Introducing the GAMMA Airbender 10 and 13, the latest additions to the Airbender family. With customizable weight options, you can match these paddles to your playing style. Go for power with the Airbender 10 or choose the Airbender 13 for all-court versatility.

Change your game with the GAMMA Airbender. Shop the paddles today. *accessory kits sold separately

The Home Court Revolution

Turning your backyard into a pickleball paradise is not an easy task. From pouring post-tension concrete to meticulously squeegeeing paint back and forth across your court, the process isn't for the faint of heart.

That's why players are looking at quicker and more affordable solutions for their backyard courts. We recently spoke with VersaCourt, who came on the scene with a revolutionary tile-based technology. Those leading the revolution have noted that the tiles are:

Designed to absorb shock and reduce strain on players’ joints
Durable enough to withstand UV rays, extreme temperatures, and heavy use
Cost-effective
Easy to install
Come in an array of color options and multi-sport configurations

More and more players are installing VersaCourt tiles to start playing pickleball in their backyard or facility. Find the perfect solution to rent a temporary court or install a permanent court here.

Winning Big in Las Vegas

Anna Leigh Waters hit the jackpot at Fontainebleau last weekend. The 17-year-old couldn’t step foot on the casino floor but walked out with more chips than any player.

Another Record-Breaking Weekend
The only thing capable of stopping ALW might just be the roll-out courts in Las Vegas. She triple crowned this weekend per usual, but during her singles final, Waters rolled her ankle while chasing down a ball in this incredible point.

Waters conceded a few points to Kate Fahey following the injury but managed to finished the match off, 11-0, 11-6. This marks her 40th singles title on tour and moves her in front of Ben Johns, who has 39 singles titles.

Lucky No. 7
Federico Staksrud locked up his seventh singles title of the year on Sunday. Very little luck is involved in Fed’s winning ways. He’s become the most consistent player in the category and is almost a shoo-in to reach Championship Sunday each week.

Men’s Doubles Mayhem
The men’s doubles field gets more chaotic every week. The top five seeds were all upset before the semifinal round. In the finals, Gabe Tardio and Andrei Daescu faced off against Zane Navratil and Dekel Bar.

The match was packed with body bags and gamesmanship. The refs were also under pressure throughout the match trying to officiate Dekel Bar’s massive serve.

Ultimately, it was the red-hot Tardio/Daescu duo that won for the second straight week.

Check out the top plays, key takeaways and more from Las Vegas.

PPA Las Vegas Cup Results

Get a Grip, and Don’t Slip

You know that moment when you’re about to make the shot of the game, the one that’ll make your partner think you’ve been secretly training with the pros? But then, the unthinkable happens — a slip, a slide, and your golden moment turns into a flubbed shot that you’ll be thinking about all night.

Enter the HEAD Motion Pro Pickleball shoes. These aren’t just shoes — they’re your new best friend on the court. Designed by picklers for picklers, they get the demands of the game. With a grip that holds like a pro and a reinforced toe cap built for those who drag and slide, these shoes are engineered to handle the most intense matches.

Plus, the pickleball-specific outsole extends your reach over the kitchen, making those tricky shots just a bit easier. And with a sock-like fit and a DynaFoam midsole, these shoes are not only super lightweight but also incredibly responsive.

Give the HEAD Motion Pro Pickleball Shoes a try and feel the difference on the court.

New Champions Crowned in Chicago

There were no repeat winners in the Windy City. Eight different players walked away with a gold medals on Sunday.

Fudge Holds Onto Gold
It was a close one in the women’s singles final as Megan Fudge narrowly held off pickleball legend Simone Jardim. Each game was won by a two-point margin — 17-15, 16-14.

Second Time is the Charm
Chris Haworth won silver in last year’s Chicago Open. This year, Haworth secured the top spot beating out Grayson Goldin in another close final, 15-13, 16-14.

Team Brazil Wins Mixed Doubles
Mari Humberg and Eric Oncins both share Brazilian roots and came out of nowhere to win the mixed doubles crown. They had a close call in the semis but won handily on Championship Sunday to earn their first APP Gold Medals.

A Game of Runs
In men’s doubles, Will Howells and CJ Klinger went on two epic runs that led to their victory Sunday. They were down 0-2 in game one before stringing together 11 straight points. They decided to up the ante in game two. After faillng behind 2-8, they went on a 9-0 run to close the match.

Rounding Out the Podium
Tour veterans Susannah Barr and Bobbi Oshiro teamed up to win the women’s doubles title. They topped Mari Humberg and Amamda Hendry, 11-4, 11-6.

Erik Tice recaps and analyzes all of the highlights from APP Chicago.