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There’s a major pro event going on in Cincinnati — and many podium contenders, including Tyra Black, Anna Leigh Waters, CJ Klinger, and Andrei Daescu, aren’t using their go-to paddles.

That’s thanks to stringent new paddle certification standards that went into effect on Sept. 1. They’re causing quite a stir, but it’s all for the good of the game. We explain, below.

In This Issue:
— It’s kids against giants at PPA Cincy
— The ‘Unfair Drill’ tests your transition skills
— Sports wagering has come to pro pickleball

All the drama.

Pickleball is the unique sport that gives so much while promising so much more. Hitting the court just has a way of tickling the brain chemistry in an intoxicating way. For anyone looking for an extra hit of euphoria, consider THC-infused water. No sugar, no carbonation, no guilt. It’s pickleball, just elevated.

MLP’s newest franchise, The Palm Beach Royals, made a big fuss yesterday about their new roster of celebrity owners, including Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and former UNC basketball bad boy Tyler Hansbrough. Not too shabby.

USAP announced the winners of its 2025 “Grow the Game” grants, an initiative that spreads the sport to community courts, schools, and rec centers nationwide. Fifty-four locations across 28 states made the cut. See the full list.

Two teenagers with a combined age of 30, Demetric Marrero Jr. (16) and Tama Shimabukuro (14), faced off against seasoned pros (and former tennis greats) Jack Sock and Donald Young. They fell short, but put up a heck of a fight. “Nothing to lose.”

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: Players who thrive in the transition zone are the toughest ones to beat.

Selkirk pro Mark Price puts it this way: “It’s not no man’s land, it’s the land of opportunity.” His simple drill may be called the “Unfair Drill,” but it’ll have you resetting like it’s second nature in no time.

✅ One player (Player A) starts in the transition zone, the other (Player B) settles in at the kitchen. This is where they’ll stay for the whole drill.

✅ Each point begins with 10 cooperative, consecutive exchanges: Player A is resetting everything while Player B is returning fire from the kitchen. Think of these as warm-up reps.

✅ After the tenth shot, the point is live. Player A must reset everything or else risk an easy put-away as a sitting duck. Player B is trying to make resets as difficult as possible.

✅ Since Player A is on defense, this becomes a drill of attrition — only the best reset will cause an unforced error and win the point.

✅ Play to seven, then switch positions.

Master your resets and they’ll stop feeling unfair and start feeling like an opportunity.

➡️ Watch the video.

Did anyone else catch that the Parris Todd C45 Dynasty paddle got the overnight green light from the UPA-A? Pre-orders are already gone. If you snagged one, you’re lucky.

But take a closer look at the pic of that paddle making the rounds. Notice what’s next to it? Franklin’s purple X-40 outdoor pickleballs.

Yep, Franklin’s not just dropping paddles, they’ve got color options for the most consistent ball in the game. Purple, pink, orange. Same X-40 you know: durable, true flight, and just the right pop off the paddle.

➡️ Grab a 3-pack of the purple ones and get ready to stand out next time you hit the courts.

In an effort to bring uniformity and fairness to the pro ranks, the sport’s governing body, the UPA-A, mandated new paddle certification requirements, effective September 1, 2025.

That means the current tournament, the PPA Cincinnati Slam, is the first pro event where the new Certified Paddle List is gospel. If your gamer is on it, you’re good to go; if it’s not, you best find a backup, and quick. (Reminder: All amateur play is regulated by USA Pickleball.)

And there are some notable paddles currently on the no-fly list, including:

The new standards were announced in January as a critical step toward uniform and fair play across the pro ranks. Establishing the new benchmark has been painful at times, but it’s a necessary step toward getting all manufacturers beating to the same drum or paying the consequences.

Paddles are tested for spin, power, and durability. So models might not appear because they failed outright, or because one model failed, was reworked then resubmitted, and is still in the queue waiting its turn to be tested again.

Such is the case for the Flamingo, which did not pass certification in time for top-ranked pros like Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, and the Kawamoto sisters to use it in Cincinnati.

"Implementing new paddle standards is a Herculean effort," Proton’s founder Charles Darling told The Dink. "That's just the burden of falling back into the queue. The problem is we ran out of runway."

➡️ Not surprisingly, some pros are pretty ticked off. Read the full article.

Ever have one of those games where your dinks just don’t seem to be landing right? Maybe it’s not you.

A recent Facebook post is causing a stir after someone noticed a court at “a major club chain” whose kitchen line was painted a few inches short of where it should be.

As a refresher, a few key court dimensions to keep in mind (all measured to the outside of the line):

Now, do we recommend busting out a tape measure after missing that second serve? Probably not. But it’s worth keeping in mind. If something really feels off, it actually could be.

➡️ See the post.

See those crossed-out dates on the The Dink MiLP map? Those aren’t typos.

Those events already happened, and the teams that showed up punched their dream tickets to Dallas for the 2025 The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Championships.

That leaves just 14 Dream Ticket events standing between now and December. Two ways to qualify: Regional Showdowns or State Championships.

Two of them are even happening this weekend in Georgia and Missouri. After that? Fewer pins left on the map. Fewer chances to lock in your spot. Don’t wait until the map is covered in Xs.

➡️ Head to dupr.com/minorleague, lock in your team, and start your run to Nationals.

As if pro pickleball wasn’t exciting enough, you can now put actual money on the outcome of select PPA and MLP matches.

That’s thanks to a fresh partnership between the UPA and Kalshi, a predictions market dedicated to trading on the outcome of future events.

The one-year deal is already in action: You can wager on who will win all five pro disciplines at the PPA Cincinnati Slam, going on right now.

Kalshi integrates with the Robinhood app and is legal in all 50 states.

Going forward, all PPA and MLP matches will be on the platform. In addition to each pro discipline (men’s and women’s singles, mixed doubles, and men’s and women’s doubles), Kalshi will add five matches of interest each day.

➡️ Read the full article.

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