Shots Fired at Powerful 'Cannon' Paddle

Maximize your fourth shot. Full predictions for PPA North Carolina.

April 02, 2025

Anna Leigh Waters is officially out of singles at PPA North Carolina—citing concerns over the rollout court surface. She sprained her ankle on it last year, and this time she’s not taking the risk.

And she’s not the only one. Catherine Parenteau and Ben Johns also pulled out of singles. No official reason from them, but… we’re guessing it’s not because they suddenly stopped liking prize money.

So now we’re curious…

How comfortable do you feel playing on a rollout court?

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In This Issue:

  • Anna Leigh eyes 150 titles at PPA NC

  • How to maximize your fourth shot

  • UPA-A throws the book at a paddle brand

Roll out.

Our Picks ☝️

🎉 Hooray: It’s National Pickleball Month

In celebration of the sport we love, USA Pickleball will host nearly 200 events all month long, nationwide, ranging from clinics and tournaments to pickleball parties.

🍿 Debut: Pickleball Goes Hollywood

The documentary “Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story” starring Billy Bush and John McEnroe gets its small-screen debut, airing on TruTV and Max April 11.

☀ Finally: MLP Season Opener Announced

Major League Pickleball opens the 2025 season April 24-27. All 16 Premier Level teams will play, including the newly minted Carolina Hogs. Everything you need to know.

🎈 Airy: Selkirk’s Lofty New Product Idea

The pickleball internet (PickleNet?) was awash with April Fools’ jokes yesterday, like Selkirk’s Anti-Weighted Helium Tape. We round up our faves, below.

Pro Tip: How to Maximize the Fourth Shot

Statistically, pro doubles matches are getting shorter. Looking at more than 40,000 shots across 4,000 rallies in gold medal matches in 2024, the average number of shots per point dropped from 11 to 10 compared to the year prior.

More than ever, every shot counts. But one shot—the fourth—tends to be overlooked.

Here, Selkirk pro and trusted partner of Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, gives you four trusty tips to get the most from your fourth every time, starting now.

If the third shot is a drive
✅ Punch the fourth back hard, deep, and low. You’re in the power position here. Maintain it as long as you can, and your odds of winning the point go way up.

If the third shot is a drop and your contact point is below your knees
✅ Don’t attempt to speed the ball up—this will only invite a difficult counter from close contact. Instead, invite your opponent into the kitchen. Offer them a cup of tea. A dink rally is afoot!

If the third shot is a drop and your contact point is between your knees and waist
✅ Take one or two big steps back, then pick up your head and assess the situation. If your opponents are back, keep them back. If they’re up, it’s time to dink. Your footwork has put you in position to do either effectively.

If the third shot is a drop and your contact point is above your waist
✅ Swing big and swing free, my friend. Aim middle or utilize wide angles, just keep the ball deep. Maybe throw in a grunt for good measure. This is your point to win.

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🤔 Newsletter getting clipped? Click ‘view entire message’ or click here to read online

PPA North Carolina Open: Big Names Bow Out of Singles

The PPA Tour heads to Cary this week for the Veolia North Carolina Open at Cary Tennis Park.

The talk of the tournament so far isn’t just the fact that ALW withdrew from singles—it’s why:

Shots fired.

Another Hybrid Format on Deck

The PPA is bringing back the “hybrid” format it debuted last week in St. George, Utah. That means all semifinal matches will be stacked on Saturday, and all finals matches go down Sunday. It’s a great excuse to get comfy and not leave the couch all weekend.

ALW Eyes Career Title No. 150

At this very event last year, Anna Leigh Waters earned her 100th career title. Now she returns just two wins shy of her 150th. She’ll partner with Catherine Parenteau in women’s doubles and Ben Johns in mixed, but she’s out in singles. Will she hit the mark? We like her chances.

More Big Names Out in Singles

The women’s singles field is wide open this week, with ALW and Catherine Parenteau both out of the draw. Same goes for Ben Johns on the men’s side. That leaves the door open for fresh faces—or maybe a statement run from someone like Jack Sock, Kate Fahey, or Jaume Martinez Vich.

Promising Partnerships

Federico Staksrud and Anna Bright are teaming up for the first time in mixed doubles. Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black will bring their MLP magic to the PPA courts. And Ben Johns is back from Asia and ready to rock once again with Gabe Tardio.

Our Predictions 🏆

Women’s Singles
🔮 Kate Fahey def. Parris Todd

Men’s Singles
🔮 Federico Staksrud def. Hunter Johnson

Mixed Doubles
🔮 Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns def. Jorja and JW Johnson

Women’s Doubles
🔮 Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau def. Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright

Men’s Doubles
🔮 Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu def. Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin

Styled by The Dink

Dink fam, need a little style inspo for your spring pickleball wardrobe? We got you covered.

Ladies, picture this: the breezy Airy Twist Tank paired with the super comfy and stylish V Cross Over Leggings.

Fellas, keep it classic and cool with the Chevron Tee and the always reliable Echelon Shorts – a go-to combo for any game.

Now that we've styled you, shop the full fits and the entire MUEV Spring Collection for 20% off using code THEDINK!

Two Major Cities Crack Down on Public Pickleball

Two major U.S. cities, one problem: Pickleball is too darn loud.

In Denver, a popular pickleball facility about four miles from downtown was hearing it from the neighbors: the incessant activity was causing a racket. And they weren’t wrong—the noise levels from the courts were a few decibels above the city’s allowable limit.

In an attempt to appease both sides, a clever solution was applied: mandatory “quiet” paddles on the six courts closest to nearby homes.

Pickleball hopefuls in Seattle weren’t so lucky. After a months-long fight to bring pickleball courts to Lincoln Park—a stunning 135-acre oasis in West Seattle nestled against the Puget Sound—nature won out.

Two advocacy groups, Birds Connect Seattle and the Seattle Nature Alliance, fought staunchly to keep the park quiet for the many bird species that call it home. In the end, Seattle Parks and Recreation agreed.

Pickleball courts would disturb the peace, they said, creating a cacophony with every strike of ball against paddle—”a painfully loud sound on par with a chainsaw or thunderclap.”

We reached out to the birds for comment. No response—but sources say they prefer badminton.

UPA-A Fires Back at ‘Cannon’ Paddle

The UPA-A dropped the hammer this week, announcing it has removed all Luzz paddles—including the aptly named “Cannon”—from its Approved Paddle List, effective immediately.

Why? Whether intentionally or not, Luzz submitted the Cannon to the UPA-A as a design variation of another popular paddle, the ZZ—meaning the two paddles have the same construction but different aesthetics.

Turns out, that’s not the case, which Luzz even markets on its own website. Paddle reviewer Pickleball Tech Dude first brought the issue to light.

The Cannon, Luzz boasts, is “proven to increase explosive power by an impressive 35% compared to the LUZZ Pro1 ZZ series. Your smashes explode like cannonballs, decisively overwhelming your opponents."

The UPA-A conducted an investigation and decided to ban all current Luzz paddles and require them to resubmit for certification and approval.

“Violating UPA-A rules has consequences,” said UPA-A President Jason Aspes. “Our commitment to protecting the integrity of pickleball is absolute.”

Luzz is weighing whether to pull the Cannon from its website and offer exchanges for past purchases.

Headlines & Quick Hits

Highlights (April Fools’ Edition)

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