Grips that win games

Grips that win points.

The names we give to things in this sport, I swear…”Continental?” “Eastern?” “Semi-Western?”

Are those ways to hold your paddle, or stolen from a dusty copy of National Geographic?

Anyway: trust us when we tell you they mean something for your pickleball game! Those are terms for how you hold your paddle (your grip), and each offers distinct advantages.

Keep scrolling for more.

Also in this issue:

  • The problem with serves?

  • Tennis legends vs. pickle pros

  • Over 30 countries to compete in World Cup

Let’s cook. 🧑‍🍳

GIVEAWAY

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Enter HERE and boost your chances of winning by completing the bonus steps!

HIGHLIGHTS

Said No One After This Point

…If you know anyone who’s said that, show them this point. They’ll eat their words.

The fact that we didn’t include it in our “best points of 2024 so far” last week is admittedly a criminal act.

And you know it deserves to be on that list if the announcers all scream in unison at the end of the point.

Why the sudden shift in volume? Because Etta Wright just can’t be stopped.

FEATURED STORY

The Serve is NOT A Problem (Or Is It?)

At the pro level, the serve has never been faster. But is it actually a problem? Data suggests it isn't.

Background: Last week, there was a rumor floating around that the PPA Tour would be making rules changes regarding the serve.

UPA-A President Jason Aspes assured us that that the rumors about pros needing to serve into a designated box were just the result of some experimentation & nothing to worry about.

Ever since those rumors cropped up, we've seen countless debates about whether or not the pro-level serve is too powerful.

So, we'd like to offer some actual data in response to this question:

Real Clear Stats has collected data on pro pickleball for years. According to their findings, the serving team only wins the point less than 50% of the time.

Across 60,000 rallies and two years of data collected, the serving team's win percentage in MLP events never went above 45%.

More info on all this here.

And for those afraid of pro pickleball's influence on the recreational scene: how much harm is the local yokel really causing when he shoots 8/10 serves into the net?

We want to know what you think:

Is the serve too overpowered? [across pickleball]

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INSTRUCTION

Grip It & Rip It

You wouldn't think something as simple as how to hold your paddle would be such a hotly-contended & researched topic. But you’d be wrong.

The grip you choose makes a huge difference in how you play.

There's no best way to hold your paddle, but there ARE ways you can optimize it for your game, your comfort, and your mobility.

Here's what you need to know:

(From left: Eastern, Continental, & Western grips)

  • The Western grip offers power and topspin, but it's tricky to master & forces twoey backhands

  • The Eastern grip provides versatility & control, but some users find it can encourage pop-ups

  • The Continental grip ensures ease of use for most shots & great backhands, but generates slightly less topspin

Need a bit more information on how to choose what's right for you? Find our full grip guide here.

And btw, if you see anything with a “semi-” in front of it, that’s just a modified version of the above three grips (slightly more or less than 45 degrees). Technically, that last pic is more like a Semi-Western grip, but who’s keeping score?

PADDLE OF THE WEEK

JOOLA’s New Mod TA-15 Paddle

Miss your JOOLA Gen 3? We miss ours, too. But JOOLA has devised a USAP-approved replacement.

Enter: the Perseus Mod TA-15 Pro Player Edition. This takes the best of Gen 3 tech and places it into a new body.

Both the 14mm & 16mm versions were rigorously tested with input from top pros. Compare them here.

TRENDING

Remember that time Novak Djokovic said "pickleball endangers tennis?" Well, maybe he's changed his tune.

This week, he's actually playing pickleball in a pretty public way.

➝ Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, & Barbora Krejcikova will take part in The Head NYC Mash Up, an exhibition match where top tennis pros take on top pickleball pros in the latter group's game.

There are many ways in which this event promises to benefit our sport. But it's not the only high-profile tennis player-themed news this week.

➝ Andrei Agassi has announced a new partnership with JOOLA & an upcoming line of pickleball gear.

That second item is really no surprise: Agassi is much more pickleball-aligned than Novak. He's even directly contradicted Novak's claim about tennis clubs, saying "I've seen pickleball save so many tennis clubs."

OPPORTUNITY

Join Pickleball’s Fastest-Growing Franchise

We love a pandemic pickleball tale, and Ace Rodrigues, CEO of Pickleball Kingdom, definitely has a good one.

He went from pickleball skeptic to the owner of the largest pickleball chain in the world.

'The Kingdom' has grown to 350 locations and counting, offering players a temperature-controlled, community-focused place to learn and play while offering interested franchisee investors unmatched support, revenue streams, and engagement.

Learn more about what makes a top-tier pickleball facility. And if you're interested in franchising, reach out here.

DON’T MISS THIS

Uniting Nations Through Pickleball

Got any plans this October? You should consider Lima, Peru.

From October 22-28, Peru will become the epicenter of global pickleball as 32 countries converge for the Pickleball World Cup.

With over 500 athletes competing on 16 courts, the event not only highlights pickleball’s international growth but also showcases the founders’ vision for a stronger, more connected world through pickleball.

Learn more about how the Cabieses siblings built one of the most impressive events in pickleball.

QUICK HITS

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