Today is the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, which means now through October is tournament season…

In this issue:

• Insane cross-court drop against the GOAT

• The hidden costs of going pro

• Change your kitchen strategy

• Federer tries pickleball

• Unexpected facts about Ben Johns

Let’s go.

GIVEAWAY

3 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER — All-expense paid trip to The Kitchen Open in Austin, TX!

We’ve partnered with Chomps for one of our biggest giveaways to date!

GRAND PRIZE: All-expense paid trip for TWO to The Kitchen Open + Two JOOLA Ben Johns paddles + Free Chomps for a year!

2ND PLACE: $100 gift card to The Kitchen online shop + Free Chomps for a year!

3RD PLACE: Chomps for a year!

Enter here!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Ben Couldn’t Get ‘Em This Time

Hitting this shot at all is absurd. Hitting it on the biggest stage in pickleball is amazing. Hitting it against the greatest player to ever do it is legendary.

Gabe Tardio: are your wrists extra bendy or something? What kind of angle is that?!

FEATURED STORY

Wanna Go Pro? Ante Up

As if reaching skill levels over 5.0 wasn't difficult enough, aspiring pros have another obstacle to contend with: the costs of entry.

Tanner Wallace recently tallied up the bare minimum cost to play professional pickleball for a year and posted his results in our Facebook Group.

We know that it typically costs $500 to play in a PPA Tour event. That means if you played in 22 PPA events this year, you'd spend $11,000. 

But of course, that doesn't account for the numerous other expenses needed for traveling to these events. He averaged hotel & flight costs and came up with a slate of expenses totaling over $40K.

"It all adds up," Tanner says. "And while splitting costs with a partner might alleviate some of the financial strain, finding a reliable and compatible teammate presents its own challenges. It's a harsh reality check for many aspiring athletes."

But there may be a silver lining in this problem. Read on here.

INSTRUCTION

Why Your Kitchen Strategy Needs to Change

When pickleball paddles were ultra soft and had no power or spin, all players could do was drop, dink, and wait for a 90% pop-up. No more.

We’re now able to pull the trigger from places old schoolers wouldn’t dream of, and because of that, our mindsets need to evolve.

• When we reach the kitchen, our focus should instantly switch to looking for offensive opportunities

• If we don’t stay proactive, our opponents definitely will

In short: pro Dayne Gingrich says dinking will forever be part of the meal, but it should no longer be the main course.

Read more on this mindset here.

TRENDING

Federer Picks Up a Paddle

BREAKING: Roger Federer, tennis legend, has finally tried pickleball.

We caught Nick Kyrgios in the act recently, but he's still active in tennis. Federer is retired, and you know what that means...

“It felt like a big version of ping-pong…It felt strange and unreal…It was like 110 degrees when I played, so I was more battling the circumstances than the game…" he tells Extra.

...I don't hear a "never!"

Plus, Roger says he enjoys watching Jack Sock play pickleball, so he's presumably only one more highlight reel away from medaling in the next PPA event. 😄 

Join the discussion here.

TRAINING

The Best Training Machine on the Market

If you are a pickleball player and don’t own an Erne Training Machine, are you even a pickleball player? Seriously, the ERNE is BY FAR the best training machine on the market! There’s a reason why it’s always sold out.

These are the hottest training products on the market, they just keep selling out — reserve yours today.

NPL

The First Competitive League for Players Ages 50+

With the youth taking over high-level pickleball, a couple top-ranked players in the Champions division (ages 50 and above) wanted to ensure those in their age range could still play competitively.

Enter NPL: The National Pickleball League, founded by Beth Bellamy, Rick Witsken, & Michael Chen and featuring some of the best senior pros in the world, including Dayne Gingrich, Jennifer Dawson, Dave Weinbach, and more.

Each season event features:

• Full service venues

• All matches played indoors to avoid rain delays

• A daily schedule that ends at a decent hour (to leave room for socializing)

We sat down with NPL’s cofounders to learn about the league’s development and what it means for seniors and retired athletes — like Heisman Trophy Winner Danny Wuerffel — to compete again. Find our full story here.

NPL Weekend 2 will be held at Paddle Taps in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, June 22 & Sunday, June 23.

You can watch the event on NPL’s YouTube channel.

DON’T MISS THIS

Does your serve go to 69 miles per hour like this guy's?

If not, I just don't want to see it!

—> For reference, Pickleball Science says a "fast" serve clocks in at 40mph.

THE PROS

Fascinating Facts About the GOAT

Ben Johns calls himself "equal parts jock and nerd" in a recent interview with The Washington Post.

But of the many interesting facts he revealed about himself, it's that "nerd" part that really sticks out (in the best of ways):

• He's apparently a fan of the fantasy-strategy card game, Magic: The Gathering

• For all his strategic thinking, a friend describes him as a real paddle nerd

• He has a degree in Materials Science & Engineering, prompted by his fascination for paddle physics

But that's not all that's interesting about Ben. Apparently, he's only got five more years left in pro pickleball...Click here to learn more.

QUICK HITS

• Wet Court? Where there’s a will, there’s a way 

• Watch: Now THIS is a rally - 37 shots 😤

• Overseas: England's largest venue is coming

• Dream House: J-Lo & Affleck's pickleball mansion

• Impressive: "Sickest shot ever hit against me"

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