'Singles pickleball has become mini tennis'

Harness aggression with the dink-and-lean. The Utah pickleball court going viral.

May 14, 2025

Is pickleball just a mini version of tennis at this point? World #1 Federico Staksrud thinks so, at least when it comes to singles. Fresh off a loss to an unknown 65-seed, Fed isn’t holding back—and a few pros have spoken out in agreement.

That’s just one juicy storyline from PPA Atlanta. We get into it, plus our full event predictions, below.

In This Issue:
— Early-round drama at PPA Atlanta
— The dink-and-lean technique for smarter offense
— The pickleball court going viral on Reddit

Happy humpday, kids.

Our Picks ☝️

🤝 Partners: Carvana Re-ups PPA Sponsorship

Announced yesterday, Carvana has renewed its multi-year title sponsorship of the PPA Tour. That’s good news for pros: the deal helps fund more than $30 million in prize money and payouts.

🚫 Threats: Minnesota Pickleball Spat Gets Nasty

Pickleball is prohibited at one Minnesota park due to noise complaints from nearby neighbors, some of whom have received “threats” for speaking up. A petition is circulating to reverse the decision, but the court lines have already been painted over.

👶 Adorable: JW Johnson’s #1 Fan

JW Johnson’s newest fan can’t even hold a paddle yet—a couple named their baby JW in honor of their favorite pickle pro, and the two just met for the cutest photo.

⁉️ Debatable: Top Pro Says Singles is ‘Mini Tennis’

After losing to the 65-seed yesterday, world #1 Federico Staksrud is sounding off on X. His latest lament: “Singles pickleball has become mini tennis.” Other pros agree.

Turning Defense into Offense: The Dink-and-Lean Technique

Advanced pickleball play is often synonymous with speed, power and aggression—the higher your DUPR, the harder you can hit the ball.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. There are plenty of pros whose game is more defensive than offensive—think Augie Ge or Tyra Black. Their secret is knowing when to attack.

In a recent episode of Pickleball Effect, a technique was discussed that highlights this philosophy well: the dink-and-lean. Here’s how it works.

✅ Any time you hit an aggressive dink—one that makes your opponent stretch or move out of position—get your paddle out in front of your body and lean in toward the ball in anticipation of taking the next shot out of the air.

✅ Now look to be aggressive. You’ve put yourself in a position to take time away from your opponent and dictate the pace of play, now do something with it. Speed this ball up, flick it down the line, lob it, or try to thread the needle through the middle.

✅ Stay defensive until the right time. Games aren't won by being aggressive 100% of the time. Play defensively until you've created the right offensive opportunity you can capitalize on.

Remember, getting better doesn’t mean being more aggressive all the time. The best players know when to defend and when to attack.

More Gold Medals for the C45

Double gold at APP Cincinnati? Will Howells has added some more hardware with the sharp-looking Franklin C45°.

It’s got a 14mm core and a double thermoformed build that boosts structure and feel. The T700 carbon face is laid at a 45° angle, giving you consistent texture and spin across the entire surface.

Add in the vibration-reducing wrap, tournament approval, and that electric blue finish, and yeah... it’s a legit weapon.

PPA Atlanta Storylines and Predictions

The PPA was off for over a month to give MLP some space to get its season started, but it’s back in Atlanta—and already making headlines.

Top storylines

Anna Leigh goes for 150: ALW failed to win a medal in her last PPA outing in North Carolina, so her hunt for 150 career PPA medals continues this week. She’s just two away—can she and new partner Anna Bright make it happen?

New partnerships, new rivalries: Or…will this be a revenge tour for Rachel Rohrabacher and Catherine Parenteau after being discarded by their long-standing partners during the break?

More upsets? There were a host of upsets yesterday, and already today we’ve seen some close calls: 7-seed Christian Alshon survived a tight and wildly entertaining three-game fight against 34-seed Julian Arnold: 12-14, 11-5, 11-9.

Our predictions

  • Women’s singles: Anna Leigh Waters def. Kate Fahey

  • Men’s singles: Christian Alshon def. Federico Staksrud

  • Mixed doubles: Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns def. Jorja and JW Johnson

  • Women’s doubles: Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters def. Catherine Parenteau and Rachel Rohrabacher

  • Men’s doubles: Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin def. Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu

👉 Get our full event preview, with even more storylines and analysis.

Pickleball Court Perfection: A Utah Oasis

We know: Social media is awash with folks sharing photos of their home pickleball courts. Every so often, though, one comes along that just seems too good to be true. The one above fits the bill; it’s blowing up Reddit for a reason.

Located in Utah, it’s actually a resurfaced court that was built a few years ago. Something about the colors, the ample space for ATPs, and the picturesque mountain range in the background just have us feeling some sort of way.

And we’re not alone—the comments section is full of folks asking if the lucky owners are looking to adopt any middle-aged pickleball fanatics. Get in line.

Pickleball in the AM. AG1 Before That.

Let’s be real. Hydration is great, but your morning routine might be missing a few things.

We’ve been trying out AG1 Next Gen, and it’s legit. One scoop, cold water, done. Vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and whole food nutrients in one daily habit that actually feels doable.

It’s been clinically shown to help fill nutrient gaps and support gut health. Basically, it helps you feel better on and off the court. And because you're part of the Dink fam, you’ll score 5 free AG1 Travel Packs and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 when you subscribe.

‘I am The Hunter’: When David Topples Goliath

In a round of 64 singles match most people had already written off, the 1-seed Federico Staksrud was overwhelmed by Alexander Crum, a 65-seed with a big attitude and relatively little pickleball experience.

“I am the hunter”

In a legendary post-match interview, Crum revealed that he’s a tennis pro in Jupiter, Florida, who picked up the sport recently, just bought his Proton paddle specifically for that match, and has never drilled a day in his life.

He’s not short on confidence, though, joking: “I am the Hunter…I consider myself a shorter, less athletic, less consistent version of Chris Haworth.”

He plans to spend the next year dedicating himself to pro pickleball—beginning with this event: “Connor Pardoe, call me!”

New ball, new problems

Minutes after the match ended, Fed took to X in a now-deleted post to complain about the ball. Life Time’s proprietary ball will be used this year at all pro events held in their facilities:

“This ball is a complete disaster,” Fed wrote.

By all accounts, the ball plays harder and faster than what many pros are used to, and can be prone to higher bounces as a result.

While Fed isn’t a fan, others, like James Ignatowich, seem to love it.

Regardless, faster balls and more powerful paddles have undoubtedly changed the complexion of singles pickleball from a cat-and-mouse game at the kitchen to a series of passing shots from behind the baseline.

So much so, it has Fed sounding off: “Singles pickleball has become mini tennis.”

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