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5 things you can learn from the pros
We're giving away a brand-new Paddletek Reserve paddle
What if we told you that you don't need to be as athletic and skilled as Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters in order to execute some of the same strategies they use. Sounds a little crazy, but it’s true.
A lot of what the pros do successfully is actually very simple and doesn’t require elite skill. We recently broke down 5 simple tactics pro players use regularly that every amateur player can learn from and replicate. Learn more below.
Also in this issue:
Pro pickleball continues to elevate 🤯
Vivienne David: Beating Anna Leigh Waters was my dream 🎧
This was the windiest pickleball tournament ever 💨
Win a brand-new Paddletek Reserve paddle 🙌
Be the first to get the ALL-NEW Engage X2! 🔥
Let’s get cookin’. 🧑🍳
THE PROS
PPA Texas Open was the windiest pickleball tournament ever
Chris Cali from the Sorry Not Sorry pickleball show has joined team Kitchen, where he’ll be breaking down all the best pro and amateur highlights from around the Picklesphere.
The PPA Tour Texas Open went down last week and we saw some crazy moments. Crashouts, body bags, upsets, egregious hooks, a triple pickle and the most insane wind you'll ever see in a tournament.
The only thing crazier than the action is Cali’s breakdown of it all.
KITCHEN MERCH
Happy St. Patty’s Day! Use code ‘GREEN’ for 30% OFF any green Kitchen Item
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
The level of play on the PPA Tour is somehow still getting better (565K views!)
If you watched this point and compared it to something from even 2 years ago, you would be amazed at how much the level of play has risen — and continues to rise.
Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Parris Todd and Andrei Daescu probably hit 5-8 shots between them that would have been clean winners in a previous era, but the defense on display was elite.
Ultimately Bright was able to sneak a shot down Daescu’s line to end this incredible point.
🔗 Check out this highlight on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok
PICKLEBALLERS
Vivienne David: Beating Anna Leigh Waters was my dream
In case you missed it last week, fan-favorite Vivienne David joined Pickleballers to discuss her recent retirement from pro pickleball and look back on some of the best moments of her career (there were many).
She opens up to co-hosts Roscoe and Jared about what tour life actually feels like when you’ve been grinding for years, why she’s at peace with the decision, and why she’s still playing more pickleball than she expected now that she’s free from constant travel and pressure. Vivienne also talks about her legendary partnership with Thomas Wilson — why it worked so well, why it felt effortless, and how losing that “partner in crime” changed everything for her mentally.
Then she gets real about the reality of playing Anna Leigh Waters and what would convince her to make a return to the pro scene.
GIVEAWAY
Win a SOLD OUT Paddletek Reserve Honeyfoam paddle
We are excited to partner with Paddletek to give away one of their SOLD OUT Reserve Honeyfoam paddles!
These full-foam paddles were released in January and are included in our most-recent top paddles list — you can find our full review here.
HOW TO ENTER
LIKE this post
TAG a few friends (every tag is a new entry!)
FOLLOW @thekitchenpickleball and @paddletekpickleball on Instagram
SHARE this post to your stories
***YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL STEPS TO BE ELIGIBLE***
Giveaway ends at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!
🔗 Shop all Paddletek paddles here — use code “KITCHEN” for 10% off
QUICK HITS
INSTRUCTION
5 things every amateur pickleball player can learn from the pros
This won't surprise you: There's a huge difference in how pro pickleball players approach and execute the strategy of the game compared to amateurs.
But while there are certain skill and physical limitations that hold amateur players back, a lot of what the pros do successfully has little to do with raw skill and physical abilities. And the strategies they use can actually be replicated across a broad range of skill levels.
Coach Tony Roig, a certified pickleball coach and senior pro player, recently broke down some pro match footage to show you exactly what the best players in the world do differently, and how you can apply it to your own game today.
AMATEUR MISTAKE #1: Rushing to the kitchen line. Pro players routinely use two, three, four and sometimes even more shots to make their way to the kitchen line when they are the serving team. They're not afraid of the transition zone and they patiently wait for the right opportunity to advance.
AMATEUR MISTAKE #2: Trying to do too much with your serve. You don't need a super hard serve or something that spins like crazy in order to be successful. Many pros simply use a reliable, deep serve in doubles. They are able to make their opponents' route to the kitchen line a little more difficult without taking on unnecessary risk. Where you see most of the hard serves is in singles.
AMATEUR MISTAKE #3: Not enough net clearance. The pros rarely hit a ball into the net -- and when they do, they are usually pretty upset. They don't try to hit the perfect shot every time and give themselves plenty of clearance, trusting their defense and trusting their partner to get them out of trouble if they leave one a little too high. Hitting it into the net is the only surefire way to lose a point -- whereas a high ball just means you might have to play a little defense (or, if you're lucky, you opponent can make an error).
GEAR
Be the first to get the ALL-NEW Engage X2!
We are partnering with Engage to offer an exclusive pre-order window for Kitchen followers/subscribers to get the ALL-NEW Engage X2 paddle, which will be releasing to the public later this month.
This is the paddle Eric Oncins and Jessie Irvine have been playing with for the past two months — and if you’ve watched the PPA lately, you’ve seen what Eric has been doing with it (he has now cracked the top 10 in men’s doubles and mixed doubles).
INSIDE THE X2
Quad-Density Foam Core — 100% foam core using four engineered foam densities.
Micro-Weave Carbon Fiber — Thinner carbon strands for longer dwell time and increased spin.
Fiberglass Stability Layer — High density fiberglass used on the outside of the paddle face to expand the sweet spot.
Stay tuned for more details coming later this week — our exclusive pre-order window will go live on THURSDAY. These are expected to sell out FAST, so you’ll want to order right away if you want one soon.
🔗 Shop all Engage paddles here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for 10% off
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