The pro who can't play PPA (for now)

Charles Barkley is not a fan of pickleball. Five questions: USAP vs. JOOLA lawsuit.

May 16, 2025

We’re name-dropping celebs left and right in this one. Charles Barkley thinks pickleball is stupid. Dua Lipa loves it. And Andre Agassi is investing in a pickleball pop-up in the heart of Boston’s glitziest neighborhood.

He’s not famous yet, but here’s a name you should know: Grayson Goldin, a top-25 pickleball pro who’s not allowed to play in PPA events (technically, for now). His story, below.

In This Issue:
— Grayson Goldin: “I’m willing to bet on myself”
— Pickleball pros in 4k slow motion
— 5 questions: USAP vs. JOOLA lawsuit

I’m levitating.

Our Picks ☝️

👑 Sir Charles: ‘I’m Not Stupid Enough to Play Pickleball’

Charles Barkley thinks pickleball is “just stupid,” so he’ll stick to a more exotic hobby instead: “Golf is interesting. It’s fun. It’s exciting.” America’s fastest-growing sport just isn’t his speed: “I don’t want to play with no 80-year-olds.” Who’s gonna tell him?

🚫 Alexander Crum: A Victim of His Own Success?

PPA newcomer Alexander Crum made a surprising run in PPA Atlanta, losing in the quarterfinals in men’s singles to Dylan Frazier. He did so well, it turns out, he’s technically not allowed to compete in another event. At least not for now. 

🔥 Court Style: Best Dressed at APP Cincinnati

You know the saying: look good, play good. Here are our favorite fits from APP Cincinnati, from Judit Castillo’s Spanish flair to the effortless style of Grayson Goldin.

🎤 Relatable: Dua Lipa Loves Pickleball

Three-time Grammy winner Dua Lipa is more like us than you think—in a recent interview, her band detailed its upcoming itinerary: “It’s pickleball tomorrow and pasta tonight, that is the glam life on tour with Dua Lipa.”

What You Can Learn Watching Pickleball Pros in 4k Slow Motion

For anyone still claiming pickleball isn’t athletic, show them this: A bunch of highlights of various pros, all shot in high-res slow motion, and set to a soothing soundtrack of elevator instrumentals.

The video comes from Chris Olson of Pickleball Studio. It’s remarkably calming, 20 minutes of pickleball ASMR featuring Anna Leigh Waters, Chris Haworth, Christian Alshon, and others.

We’ve been watching it on repeat all morning. Here’s what we learned:

✅ Good shots begin with footwork. We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: Squaring your feet under your body is the foundation for a great shot. The best pros only reach for a shot when they have to. Don’t be lazy.

✅ Follow-throughs for the win. From backhand roll dinks to forehand drives, nearly all of these shots showcase a full follow-through. This helps generate maximum spin and consistent placement.

✅ Keep your eyes on the ball. This sounds obvious, but we bet you don’t do it as much as you think. Watch Chris Haworth hit a forehand: He is locked onto the ball as it approaches, and watches it intensely through the point of contact.

What did we miss? Leave a comment and let us know 👇

Stay Salty On the Court

Some things we think are worth getting salty about:

  • Getting skipped in the paddle line

  • The guy who lobs the ball way too much

  • Someone who celebrates like it’s center court at Wimbledon

But here’s the thing, your body is losing way more than patience out there. It’s losing electrolytes.

That’s where LMNT comes in. It’s a zero-sugar mix packed with the sodium, potassium, and magnesium your body actually needs to perform, recover, and stay locked in, even when everything else is pushing your buttons.

So stay salty. But only in the way that keeps you hydrated.

Top 25 But Still Not Allowed to Play in the PPA

Grayson Goldin has spent the past year racking up silver medals on the APP Tour. After earning silver at the US Open, he finally tasted gold at APP Cincinnati. Now he’s a man on a mission.

“I believe I’m one of the best singles players in the world,” he told Zane Navratil on the latest PicklePod. “Getting that win really meant a lot to me.”

Goldin opened up about the grind of being a pro pickleball player without a PPA contract or a paddle deal, despite his world #24 rank in APP.

Pro rules put Goldin in a tough spot: He’s inside the top 50, so he’s not allowed to play qualifiers, and he’s not a signed PPA player, so he can’t play the main draw.

That leaves him in an eat-what-he-kills position—and right now, he’s OK with that.

“I believe in my abilities, and I believe in where the sport is going in the next 5-10 years. So I’m willing to bet on myself,” he said.

More from this week’s PicklePod:

  • Anderson Scarpa talks about winning a triple crown in his first-ever PPA Challenger event and what events aspiring pros should focus on first

  • Former corporate attorney Jim Kloss gets into the weeds on the USAP/JOOLA lawsuit situation

  • Plus, a fun-filled Q&A with Zane, including this zinger: “Honestly, the reason I don’t win more is because everybody else is getting so damn good.”

Big Pickleball Names Back New Boston Complex, Ballers

Boston may be the birthplace of the American Revolution, but some 250 years later, a whole new movement is making its presence known in The Hub.

In mid-July, Boston’s flashiest neighborhood, the Seaport, will be home to an outdoor pickleball and padel complex called Ballers, complete with a bar and cafe run by a James Beard Award semi-finalist serving local fare.

The padel courts will remain year-round, while the five pickleball courts will be converted to an ice rink during winter.

Ballers is backed by several noteworthy investors, including tennis stars Kim Clijsters and Andre Agassi, NBA player Tyrese Maxey, and pickleball pro Connor Garnett.

The Seaport is a redeveloped patch of prime real estate along the South Boston Waterfront, home to modern high-rises, world-class restaurants, the Institute of Contemporary Arts, and a picturesque harbor walk.

The Ballers location is in the heart of everything, another indicator of the sport’s growing all-ages appeal.

Your New Favorite Tee Just Happens to Rep Selkirk

You know that one shirt you end up wearing way too often because it’s just easy and feels right? This is that one.

Selkirk’s soft cotton tee is getting five-star love for a reason. It’s simple, clean, and actually comfortable. One verified buyer even called it their “everyday go-to.”

Want to wear your favorite paddle brand without looking like you’re headed to a tournament?

A Lawyer Weighs In: 5 Questions Around the USAP/JOOLA Countersuit

Jim Kloss spent 30 years in corporate law. This week, the “smartest man in pickleball” joined the PicklePod to break down the lawsuit between USAP and JOOLA.

This could likely drag on for years before there’s a trial, he said. But discovery could reveal a smoking gun: “What do the internal documents for USAP and JOOLA say? I guarantee there’s juicy stuff in there.”

Here are his five key questions to understanding where we’re at:

1️⃣ Did JOOLA knowingly commit what USAP has termed a “bait and switch”?

2️⃣ Are the material differences between the prototype paddles and the marketed paddles “relevant” in a legal context?

3️⃣ Was the USAP paddle delisting a result of public pressure or other factors related to the paddle’s construction?

4️⃣ Should JOOLA have received the standard 18 months to stop selling its Gen 3s before being delisted?

5️⃣ A critical fact-finding phase, or “discovery,” should be next in this process—what will the internal documents reveal from both sides?

Watch the full conversation between Kloss and Zane Navratil, here.

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