Amateurs v Ben Johns: who wins?

Punish them for targeting.

January 23, 2025

It's the end of pickleball's rally scoring era.

Officials at Major League Pickleball announced some shakeups to the format Wednesday. On the chopping block: rally scoring in doubles matches, player loans & one of the waiver wire periods.

But MLP is also making some important additions. Find out more below.

Also in this issue:

  • Ben sweeps in 2v1 🧹 

  • Punish them for targeting 🎯 

  • The Flamingo has landed 🦩

  • I’d hate to live on this island 🏝️

  • Fix that sprained ankle 🦶 

Let’s cook. 🧑‍🍳

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Ben Johns versus two amateurs. 2v1. $500 on the line.

We hosted a bet at The Kitchen HQ this week: two amateurs, 5.0 & below, vs. Ben Johns. Winner gets $500.

The best player of all time gave them five points to start…but they still didn’t have a shot.

Ben just keeps proving he’ll never be ‘old news’ in this sport. He proves that once again by facing young buck Jack Munro…both using their ‘off’ hands. I’ll bet you can guess how this one ends…

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INSTRUCTION

Take back control of the point

Have you gone multiple rallies without even touching the ball? Your partner is likely being targeted. Here’s how to counter:

Take more court

Don’t let anyone tell you that poaching is bad — in this case, it’s strategic.

Focus on where you are on the court both before AND after each shot. Find ways to get back to a neutral spot effectively:

  • Lean in to hit dinks rather than moving

  • Shuffling your feet rather than turning your body

  • Follow your shots into the net

The reverse stack

If your partner’s backhand is being picked on, you can switch positions to force your opponents to adjust:

  • On the next point, swap spots after the serve or return

  • This puts your partner on the other side of the court, making opponents rethink their strategy

  • If they keep hitting to the same location out of habit, they might hit directly to you instead

FEATURED STORY

MLP eliminates rally scoring (mostly)

Major League Pickleball announced several major rule changes Wednesday, including the elimination of rally scoring in doubles matches and the expansion of Premier Level roster sizes to six players (three men, three women).

The league also released its schedule of events as well as dates for free agency and waiver wire periods.

MLP officials said in a news release that the league continues to evaluate match scoring options to maximize sports betting & may introduce further changes in the future, but traditional side-out scoring will be the gender & mixed doubles format for 2025, with the following rules:

  • Games will be played to 11 points, with a winning margin of at least two points.

  • DreamBreakers will still be played under the existing rally scoring format and played to 21 points, with players switching out every four points. The freeze will remain at game point, meaning the DreamBreaker must be won on serve.

The expansion to six-person rosters for the 16 Premier Level teams is also a major development and will allow teams the flexibility to make lineup changes on a day-to-day basis as well as make substitutions in the event of injuries.

Premier Level teams must set their daily lineup the day before each match day. In the case of an injury during an event, a Premier Level team can use their bench player of the same gender as an injury replacement.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

The Flamingo has landed

The much-anticipated release of the Proton Series Three - Project Flamingo is finally here. The updated Series Three model features a more powerful core and a slightly more textured hitting surface for maximum pop and spin.

The Flamingo has already been adopted by several pros on the PPA Tour and the 15mm “Velocity Core” is quickly earning this paddle a reputation as one of the most aggressive on the market.

When will the pickleball banning madness end?

→ The island-town of Nantucket recently proposed an island-wide ban on pickleball, though the ones who suggested it claimed that they technically had to phrase it like that (they can “only take away” suggested restrictions, not add to them).

Still, a frightening thought for any players who live there.

RECOVERY

Fixing a sprain

You probably shouldn’t play if you have a sprained ankle. The good news is that it won’t take long to heal if you take these steps:

  • The first 24-72 hours: Rest, ice, compress & elevate the ankle

  • After the first three days: Work on small, simple movements (pointing & lifting your toes)

  • Work on fine control & stability: Standing on the injured ankle while you watch TV can help you recover after you can do the above without pain

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