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The case for boring pickleball

The case for boring pickleball

A silent paddle company emerges. Upsets in Daytona.

Happy Friday. Does anyone have any interpretation of what all of this means?

I mean, that first sentence is pretty self-explanatory (read more below). But we’re keeping our eyes open for more details on the rest of it.

Let’s hope we don’t have anything too dramatic to throw at you in Monday’s edition.

In This Issue:

🧠 Our brains = our biggest enemies
🦉 A silent paddle company emerges
😨 Multiple upsets in Daytona

Let it rip.

Don’t Overthink It

Pickleball doesn’t have to be hard. Everybody wants the magic pill or secret strategy to get them to the top, but just mastering the basics is a great way to get there.

On the PicklePod, Zane Navratil explains the simplicity of the game played by Ben Johns and JW Johnson.

Zane says they are two of the least deceptive players on the professional tour.

“JDub is going to shovel dink his forehand. He’s going to dink his backhand crosscourt and as soon as he gets a backhand out of the air, he’s going to flick it at the person in front of him and win the hands battle.”
“Ben is going to dink his backhand…sometimes to the middle…most of the time crosscourt and he’s going to look for the same thing.”

For the majority of amateur play, this strategy is a winning strategy. Do the basics well, in their case REALLY WELL, and capitalize on your opponent’s mistakes.

Of course, those long backhand dink rallies aren’t easy. It takes discipline to continuously play the high-percentage shot and keep it unattackable. But if you can learn one thing from Ben and JW meeting over and over again in the finals, it’s that boring works.

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Enter: The Age of Quiet Paddles?

Are “quiet paddles” the answer to pickleball’s noise problem? A new company is banking on it.

The first truly “quiet” paddle debuted this week, promising a 50% reduction in POP noise. These are the first paddles compliant under USA Pickleball’s new Quiet Category equipment standards and feature layers of noise-dampening material.

A company press release says players should expect to see rules and regulations set in place by HOAs and parks mandating the use of Quiet Category-approved equipment.

The questions we have to ask:

Does the creation of “quiet” pickleball products strengthen or dampen the potential for innovation?
Should pickleball respond to noise complaints with different products, or focus instead on zoning and other forms of preventing disturbances?

We’ll be sure to pick one up for testing and report back. In the meantime, we want to hear from you. Click here to share your thoughts on quiet paddles.

News from Pro Pickle’s Big Three

Time for some updates from MLP, PPA, and APP:

Major League Pickleball

We’ve received clarity on MLP SoCal: Season 2 Playoffs will now take place Monday, Dec. 4, and Tuesday, Dec. 5.

The Premier Level’s Orlando Squeeze, D.C. Pickleball Team, Chicago Slice, and Miami Pickleball Club will play for the Season 2 championship.

Three Challenger Level teams – SoCal Hard Eights, California BLQK Bears, and St. Louis Shock – will play for the Season 2 championship.

PPA Tour

Pickle Pro Labs, the independent paddle testing lab, is handling all testing at this week’s Hertz Gold Cup, with expanded criteria including deflection.

Players will submit their paddles for tests prior to every match, as well as before quarters, semis, and finals matches.

We’re sure Jill Braverman, who recently dragged PPA Tour for lack of testing transparency, will be very pleased.

APP Tour

Ok, this isn’t a pro-related announcement, but it’s from the APP. The league will break out a new tournament format for amateur players next year, starting with the 2024 APP Midwest Open in January:

All amateur play will now be in a round robin format—pool play—with playoffs
All teams and players will play a minimum of 4-6 games, & all round robins will consist of a minimum of four teams or players and a maximum of six teams or players
Top four teams will advance to the playoff
The round robin portion will be one game to 15 points, while medal matches will be the best of three games to 11 points

First of Its Kind

The adidas Metalbone has arrived, ready to shake up the pickleball world.

With a PMI Foam core and a 13mm profile, it delivers a responsive feel and explosive power on impact. The matte black and red finish accentuates its high-end construction, while the custom adidas tool allows for personal adjustment without the fuss of lead tape.

Transition smoothly from tennis with a design that mimics the grip and feel of a racket, refined for pickleball precision. Whether you're just starting out or aiming to crush the competition, the Metalbone is built to elevate your game.

Don’t just play—dominate with the Metalbone, the new standard in pickleball excellence.

Women’s Singles Shake Up

Rain storms plagued singles day in Daytona at the PPA Hertz Gold Cup. Play was delayed and matches were moved to the covered courts at Pictona.

Water pooled on the outdoor courts but was no where to be found indoors. Anna Leigh Waters withdrew before her first-round match.

Ironically enough, Catherine Parenteau also elected to skip singles in Daytona which means a new singles champion will be crowned on Sunday.

Women’s Singles Final
Salome Devidze vs Lacy Schneemann
Bronze: Lauren Stratman

The men’s bracket was filled with thrilling highlights including this double ATP from Travis Rettenmaier and a fair number of upsets.

Gabe Tardio eliminated Federico Staksrud in the round of sixteen
Brandon Lane ended Hayden Patriquin’s day in round one
Spartak Rahachou upset Nationals silver medalist Jaume Martinez Vich in round one

Despite all of the delays and upsets, the men’s singles final will be another classic matchup between Ben Johns and Tyson McGuffin.

Men’s Singles Final
Ben Johns vs Tyson McGuffin
Bronze: Connor Garnett

The weather woes continue in Florida as more storms are forecasted this morning. Expect another extended day of play as court availability will be at a premium for most of the day.

Follow @pickleball on Twitter(X) for updates all weekend long.

$175,000 Cash Purse

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