Whether you've been playing pickleball for several months or several years, you've probably encountered the following scenario: You hit a volley that lands very close to the baseline.

You think your shot landed in, but your opponent sees things differently and calls the ball “out.” How do you react to this situation? Many pickleball arguments start from this very premise.

We recently took a closer look at the factors at play and how you can avoid major disputes over line calls. More below.

Also in this issue:

• Catherine Parenteau on love, legacy & pickleball 🎧

• Is he the future of pickleball? 🤔

• JOOLA releases limited-edition Pro IV paddles 👀

• Up-and-coming pros playing for UPA contract at Worlds 🌏

Let’s get cookin’. 🧑‍🍳

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

The future is here, and his name is Tama Shimabukuro

We had a question for Ben Johns on a recent episode of Pickleballers: “Do you think the next Ben Johns exists?”

That question remains to be answered, but if he does, a good candidate might be 14-year-old Tama Shimabukuro.

He’s been putting together quite the highlight reel lately since signing with the PPA Tour, including insane singles points like this one.

🔗 Check out this point on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok

PICKLEBALLERS

Catherine Parenteau: Love, legacy & life at the top of pickleball

Catherine Parenteau and her coach (and wife) Athena Trouillot join Pickleballers this week for a wide-open conversation about love, pressure and what it takes to sustain greatness.

Catherine walks us through her journey from Montreal tennis prodigy to pickleball star — the early days with Simone Jardim, the U.S. Open win that changed her trajectory, going full-time on tour, and the realities of splitting with Anna Leigh Waters after a dominant run.

🔗 Check out the latest episode of Pickleballers on YouTube or Spotify

VIRAL VIDEOS

Electric Pickleball CELEBRATIONS

We recently put together a compilation of some of the most electric pickleball celebrations after huge rally wins or clutch match points. These moments prove why pickleball is one of the most exciting sports to watch right now.

🔗 Check out these amazing celebrations after some INTENSE points

THE PROS

Up-and-coming players to battle for UPA contract at Pickleball World Championships

Several up-and-coming pro pickleball players will have a chance to play for a UPA contract this week at the Pickleball World Championships in Dallas.

The PPA Challenger Showdown is the culmination of the inaugural PPA Challenger Tour season, which included 10 events throughout the year. The highest ranking non-signed players on the Challenger Series were invited to compete this week for a spot on the PPA Tour in 2026.

Singles was played Thursday — Connor Mogle (also a winner of The Kitchen Open Austin this year) Seone Mendez won the four-person bracket to earn PPA Tour contracts.

PPA CHALLENGER SHOWDOWN SCHEDULE

Mixed doubles: Friday, Nov. 7 starting at 10 a.m. CT (Court GS2)

Men's and women's doubles: Saturday, Nov. 8 starting at 10 a.m. CT (GS and GS2)

All matches can be viewed on PickleballTV. The finals of each event will be held the same day of the event.

HOW THE PLAYERS QUALIFIED

Singles: The top four players in the men’s and women's singles points standings.

Gender Doubles: The top eight players in men's and women's doubles.

Mixed Doubles: The top four men and the top four women.

Players could only choose one path, meaning if a player qualified across multiple divisions, they could only play in one of the Showdown draws, moving up the next-highest player in the rankings.

🔗 More details about the PPA Challenger Showdown and who is in the field

INSTRUCTIONAL

When line call disputes go wrong

Many pickleball arguments start from this premise: Player A, who hit the ball, thinks the ball is in. Player B, who is making the call, thinks the ball is out and calls it as such.

How do you react in these situations? And what can you do to defuse them?

At a minimum, it is likely that Player A feels cheated – even if just a little bit. Perhaps it escalates and words are exchanged. A friendly game of pickleball can quickly devolve in these situations.

This is because Player A believes that Player B is doing something to them. Like Player A is a “victim” of the bad call made by Player B.

But here’s the issue with Player A’s response: Every single pickleball player in the world has made “bad” calls. This does not mean we have intentionally cheated.

The bad calls are simply because we are human and, as humans, we will err. Think of how often it is difficult to make the call to begin with. Even if you are giving the benefit of the doubt, where are you drawing the “benefit” line? Even as much as you may try, your perception is in itself flawed.

When we make an out call, we call it as we saw the ball within our human limitations. This will invariably include being wrong sometimes in how we saw the ball when compared to what happened. The same limitations apply to us when we are Player B and believe that our shot landed in.

HOW YOU CAN AVOID LINE CALL DISPUTES

This might be a bit controversial, but hear us out: The first thing you can do is aim your shots so that they are not so close to the out of bounds lines. This has multiple benefits:

1. Fewer errors by you.
2. Less potential for questionable calls.

If your shot still finds its way right next to the line, then accept the outcome of the call no matter what it is. It was you, after all, who initiated the situation that you and your opponent (often a friend) find yourself in.

Why not grant your opponent the same grace when your shot puts them in a difficult spot?

🔗 More on how you can navigate the disputed ‘out’ call in pickleball

PADDLE CORNER

JOOLA releases limited-edition Chuck Taylor paddles

JOOLA this week released some new custom, limited-edition paddles, including a collaboration with Chuck Taylor.

The 16mm Perseus Pro IV paddles celebrate the heritage of Taylor, who is from South Korea.

🇰🇷 Chuck Taylor Perseus Pro IV 16mm: Features a striking red, blue and white edge guard, paying tribute to the colors of Chuck’s Korean heritage. Chuck’s signature, laser-etched in Korean characters at the throat, adds a personal and cultural touch.

🔗 Learn more about the limited-edition paddles here

QUICK HITS

• Terrell Owens: NFL legend goes wild at PPA Worlds Celebrity event

• Huge growth: Pickleball exploding in Asia

• TBT: When we played pickle with Rob Gronkowski

• Jamie Foxx: The funniest player in pickleball