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Inside the UPA-A's paddle testing lab
How Hunter Johnson made it to No. 1 in men's singles
The United Pickleball Association of America -- which governs the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball -- recently invited paddle manufacturers and media members to the paddle testing lab in south Florida where the organization has been developing its new paddle approval standards.
We were one of the news outlets that took the tour, and we learned A LOT. There were equipment demonstrations, presentations from engineers and lots of interesting discussion about paddle technology. We dive into our biggest takeaways below.
Also in this issue:
Imagine being this good at 14 years old 🤯
Hunter Johnson made it to No. 1 — now he wants to stay there 1️⃣
PPA Tour announces full schedule through spring 2026 🗓️
Register for The Kitchen Open Austin TODAY! 📋
These grips don’t slip ✋
Let’s get cookin’. 🧑🍳
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
14-year-old takes on the No. 1 player in the world
Tama Shimabukuro, a 14-year-old from Hawaii who recently signed with the PPA Tour, got his chance on the big stage this week. He faced off against No. 1 singles player Hunter Johnson at the PPA Tour Cincinnati Showcase, ultimately falling 11-2, 11-8 in the Round of 64.
He gave us a glimpse of his potential with points like this, though, and he’s certainly a player to watch going forward.
🔗 Check out this point on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok
THE KITCHEN OPEN AUSTIN
Deadline to register is fast approaching!
The 3rd annual The Kitchen Open Austin amateur pickleball tournament begins in TWO WEEKS and there are only 10 days left to register! 🙌 😱
The Kitchen Open Austin will be held on Sept. 25-28 at The Dripping Springs Racquet Club, where the best amateurs in the country will compete for a winner-take-all prize of $25,000! 💰️
More details:
There are divisions based on age (open age and 40+), skill level (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and OPEN), and gender & mixed doubles.
All teams in EVERY division will play a MINIMUM of 5 games to 15 (side-out scoring). This is the equivalent of 7 games to 11!
Every division winner will win a custom JOOLA paddle & more. We will be giving out the best prizes that pickleball has ever seen.
Let’s cook! 👨🍳
FEATURED STORY
What we learned during our tour of the UPA-A paddle testing lab
On Sept. 1 the United Pickleball Association of America — the governing body of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball — officially began enforcing its own paddle certification standards.
Previously, the organization had been granting paddles and paddle brands provisional approval or interim certification, which was based on paddles having already received USA Pickleball certification.
Now the UPA-A has moved entirely away from recognizing USAP certification, and has its own paddle testing and certification process.
This change has been a topic of conversation at this week's PPA Tour Cincinnati Showcase, as some players were forced to switch paddles if the paddle they normally use is not on the updated list of approved paddles, which you can find here.
The UPA-A’s paddle testing is being done by Pickle Pro Labs, which was founded by engineers who have decades of experience in sports equipment standards, performance testing and product compliance. Several members of the team have worked alongside governing bodies and manufacturers in other sports such as golf, baseball, softball, football and tennis.
Recently the UPA-A and Pickle Pro Labs invited paddle manufacturers and media members to the paddle testing lab in south Florida for a tour and discussion about how the new standards were developed.
Here were our biggest takeaways from the tour:
The paddle testing process is extensive. There are multiple steps that each paddle goes through before it gets approval — they get tested for power, spin and durability — and many paddles don't make it through the full suite of tests because they fail at some point along the way. Of the nearly 150 paddles that have been tested since the lab has moved to full certification, almost 50% have failed for one reason or another, according to the UPA-A.
There is a clear emphasis on attention to detail. One of the first things you notice when you walk into the testing facility is how much effort goes in to making sure environmental factors are minimized as much as a possible. There are multiple humidity control devices, extra insulation on exterior walls/doors and signs posted to keep entry and exit doors closed. Pickle Pro Labs also goes to great lengths to be sure that the balls being used during testing are extremely consistent.
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
These are more than just over grips
Udrippin isn’t just grips, it’s a statement.
Sure, their grips give you tack, control and comfort when it matters most. But they are also bold, trendy and built to turn heads. From the first serve to match point, Udrippin keeps you locked in and playing with swagger. Why blend in when you can stand out?
Use code THEKITCHEN on the Udrippin website to save 15%.
Look Good. Play Drippy.
🔗 Check out Udrippin’s over grips and other accessories
TRENDING
The PPA Tour this week announced its full schedule through May of 2026, including a new stop in Nashville in April and a new date for the PPA Tour Finals in San Clemente, California.
The Finals will return to the Life Time Rancho San Clemente from May 4-10, 2026, and will serve as the culmination of the 2025-26 PPA Tour season and crown the season's champions. Following that event, the Major League Pickleball season will begin and run through August before the PPA Tour picks up again in the fall.
THE PROS
Hunter Johnson has reached No. 1 in singles. Now he’s looking to stay at the top
Almost a year ago exactly, Hunter Johnson broke through to win his first PPA Tour singles title at the Atlanta Slam in September 2024.
To that point his journey on the PPA Tour had been admittedly a little bumpy. When he first came over to the tour from the APP in the spring of 2024, he was a lower seed and often had to face a top seed in the first or second round.
Leading up to the win in Atlanta last fall, he had lost eight times in the Round of 32 -- to names like Federico Staksrud (x3), Ben Johns, Connor Garnett, Tyson McGuffin and a few others.
"I really struggled for a little bit there," he said in a recent interview with The Kitchen. "But the Atlanta tournament kind of turned it around because I just found this renewed confidence. I was just like, 'I'm not going to worry about the result. I'm just gonna put my head down and play the way I know how to play.'"
He's been doing that ever since, racking up six titles in the past 12 months and recently overtaking Staksrud as the No. 1 singles player in the world in the 52-week rolling points standings.
When he found out a couple weeks ago that he had officially claimed the top spot, it was a surreal moment, he said.
"It still doesn't really feel like it's sunk in," Johnson said. "To be able to say you're No. 1 in the world in any sport is pretty crazy. I definitely don't take it for granted."
He's climbed the mountain, but now there's a new challenge: Staying at the top.
He knows that's not an easy task -- men's singles is arguably the deepest division in pro pickleball right now -- but he's confident he can continue to have success this season and beyond.
"I've reached the pinnacle of singles at this point, but in a way I'm still not satisfied," he said. "I don't want it to be a blip in the grand scheme of things. I want to solidify that spot and keep winning."
QUICK HITS
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