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Uncharacteristic snow storms last week had pickleballers shoveling courts all through the south. While the shovel is out, show some love in the snow like this pickleball fan.

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In This Issue:

✌️ Two serve variations you should be using in 2025
🏉 Pickleball is headed to the Super Bowl
🦘 Time for Australian pickleball to shine

Stay warm out there.

Our Picks ☝️

 📢 Job: Do You Work in the Pickleball Industry?

🩺 House Call: The Doctor Joins the Flash Mob

Dr. Phil was spotted getting reps with Dallas Flash co-owner Mark Molthan.

🎂 Happy Birthday: The Pickleball GOAT Celebrates

It’s always tough taking L’s from a teenager. Pro players can rest easy now that their losses are coming from an adult as Anna Leigh Waters turns 18. Happy Birthday, ALW!

🎤 Interview: “Ben, Why Did Collin Dump You?”

Martin Yi (12) is not afraid to ask the hard-hitting questions. He put PPA pros through the gauntlet at the Masters event earlier this month. Laugh along here.

Two Serve Variations You Should Be Using

Zane Navratil is known for pushing the limits on serve rules. These days he’s settled on two variations to keep opponents off balance.

1) High topspin serve - The first variation is a high topspin serve that lands deep in the court. The goal is to land it as close to the baseline as possible allowing the height and spin of the ball to push them back.

Zane shows how he orients his body to get the right loft on this shot. He tilts his lead shoulder up and gets under the ball to achieve the right trajectory.

2) Hard linear serve - Serve number two is a hard-hit flat shot. Once they’re backed off the baseline, change pace with a low fast serve that forces them to move laterally. Zane recommends contacting the ball out in front of your body to keep the flight path flat.

A common thread in all of Zane’s serve advice is that you should only be making 90% of your serves. Take risks on your serve placement to potentially earn free points from short returns or return errors.

Winter Pickleball Just Got Warmer

Niagara Falls has frozen over. Winter pickleball is officially a battle against the elements.

But fear not. Our friends at MUEV are here to help you conquer the cold with a sitewide sale on their performance hoodies and zip-ups.

They’re taking 25% off everything, plus free shipping on orders over $50.

Ditch the goosebumps and level up your winter pickleball game with MUEV.

We’re Going to the Super Bowl

Your team might not be headed to the big game, but now you’ve got something else to root for. Pickleball will make an appearance during the Super Bowl LIX broadcast.

Somewhere sandwiched between another Taylor Swift sighting or a tush push will be a commercial from Michelob ULTRA featuring pickleball pros, athletes, and celebrities.

Representing the pickleball world are Parris Todd and Hunter Johnson, other notable names include Willem Dafoe, Catherine O'Hara, and Randy Moss.

Here’s a sneak peek.

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The Pickleball Prison Experiment

The Rossetti Brothers are famous in the pickleball world for setting Guinness World Records. The title of world record holder has a nice ring to it, but it is one of their other pickleball projects that is bound to have a game-changing impact.

Pickleball for Incarcerated Communities League (PICL), brings pickleball into prisons to help with the rehabilitation process. The sport offers inmates a constructive outlet and aids their reintegration into society.

In a pioneering move, DUPR recently hosted its first-ever rating event within a prison. Held at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, a maximum-security facility in Suffield, Connecticut, the event saw 17 inmates participate in a spirited tournament, marking a potential turning point in how we view rehabilitation and the power of sport to transform lives.

This system not only provides recreational activity but also fosters personal growth and community building, offering inmates a sense of belonging and a positive outlet that can aid in reducing recidivism upon their release.

Don't Let Sweat Steal Your Game

Alright Dink fam, sweaty hands on the court? No problem. 4on TotalGrip Spray’s is your quick and easy solution.

This sweat-activated grip enhancer keeps your hands glued to your paddle, even in the heat.

Just shake, spray, and play. It's odorless, won't stain, and washes off with ease.

Grab a can and dominate.

Pickleball Down Under

Winter weather is not holding back in 2025. It has inspired some pickleball snowbirds to head South … way South. We’re talking the other side of the globe. It’s pickleball’s time to shine in Australia.

The Australian Open hosted their inaugural AU$100,000 PIckleball Slam over the weekend which gave us this highlight. The main event however is the PPA Australia Pickleball Open which kicks off tomorrow.

Some of the biggest names in the game including Tyson McGuffin, Zane Navratil, Collin Johns, Hurricane Tyra Black, and more will be competing with and against the best that Australia has to offer.

We will have coverage throughout the week to see if the Aussies have closed the gap on America’s new favorite sport. You can watch the action on PickleballTV starting on Thursday.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• MLP 2025: Team-by-Team Breakdown of Potential Player Transactions

• Your Game Shouldn’t Freeze When the Weather Does

• Meet Former Pro Tennis Player Sofia Sewing

• 3 Keys to Hitting Topspin in Pickleball

Highlights

•  🙊 Pulls out the tweener mid-firefight

• 🫸 wait, how’d he do that?

Missed a recent issue? We've got you covered

• Make them pay with spin continuation

• Topspin Masterclass from a Pro

• The Nike Dink Award Winners Are…

A review from the Dink Fam...

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