Major League Pickleball shocker

How to know if you've reached the 4.0 level

August 19, 2025

 

Everybody is asking the same question after the Columbus Sliders pulled off a big upset over the Dallas Flash on Sunday to advance to the Major League Pickleball Finals in New York City: What was Dallas thinking?

The Flash, as one of the top 3 seeds, had their choice of who to play in the quarterfinals -- a unique twist that brings an added layer of strategy into play for the MLP postseason. The decision came down to No. 7 Texas (15-10), No. 6 Los Angeles (18-7) or No. 5 Columbus (18-7).

Dallas chose Columbus, which was widely questioned at the time and ultimately led to the Flash exiting the playoff stage early. We get into all the drama below.

Also in this issue:

  • Will Thomas Wilson return to pro tour? Find out on Pickleballers 🎙️

  • These gets from Allyce Jones were unbelievable 🤯

  • How to know if you’ve reached the 4.0 level 📈

  • Why your pickleball shoe matters more than your paddle 👟

Let’s get cookin’. 🧑‍🍳

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Allyce Jones never disappoints us

The screenshot above is classic Allyce Jones — scrambling her ass off, getting everything back and giving 110% effort on every shot.

In this point from the first round of the Major League Pickleball playoffs, Jones was fighting off overheads from Grayson Goldin, who has more power than just about anybody in the game right now.

The celebration after Goldin eventually misses is pure joy and captures the energy of MLP perfectly.

🔗 Watch these unbelievable gets on Instagram or Facebook

PICKLEBALLERS PODCAST

Thomas Wilson still believes he can get back to playing pickleball

In case you missed it last week, Thomas Wilson, one of the most athletic, entertaining and beloved players in pro pickleball, joined the Pickleballers Podcast for an inspiring and emotional episode.

Wilson discusses his ongoing health battles, but says he isn’t ready to rule out a potential return to professional pickleball. He also shares the scary story of when he almost died on the pickleball court, talks about the joy of adopting two beautiful daughters and reflects on some of his favorite Major League Pickleball moments.

We’ve started a GoFundMe to help Wilson pay for the medical bills he has incurred over the past several years. The costs of testing, medications and travel to see specialists are immense — and many are not covered by insurance. Consider donating here.

🔗 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify

THIS WEEK ON PICKLEBALLERS: Scott Moore and Beth Bellamy — two of the most accomplished senior pros ever — will join the show this week to talk about pickleball’s growth over the years, some of their favorite memories from the early days of the pro scene and more.

THE PROS

Opinion: Letting the players decide opponent in playoffs was a mistake by Dallas leadership

The Dallas Flash had three options Friday afternoon to decide who their first Major League Pickleball playoff opponent would be: No. 7 seed Texas (15-10), No. 6 Los Angeles (18-7) or No. 5 Columbus (18-7).

Most pundits and fans (including our Alex Lantz) assumed they would pick Texas. It didn't seem like a difficult decision -- the Ranchers had the worst record of the three, the Flash were 2-0 against them in the regular season, and Texas had also struggled to get past Miami in the first round (they won 21-19 in a Dreambreaker).

Instead, Dallas chose to play Columbus, which was questionable at the time and now looks like a completely unnecessary own goal after the Sliders sent them packing.

In an interview Friday afternoon, Dallas owner Mark Molthan said they had a team meeting and voted on who to play. Ultimately Columbus was the choice.

Our question is this: Why wasn't that decision left up to the coach, Julie Johnson, or some combination of Johnson and other non-players within the organization?

The players potentially had their judgement clouded by an earlier loss on July 19 to Columbus. Were Jorja Johnson, JW Johnson, Tyra Black and Augie Ge too eager to prove that they were better than the Sliders, instead of taking the obvious and (on paper) easier path with a matchup against Texas?

The result -- and the widespread criticism even before the result was decided -- shows that maybe leaving it up to the players isn't the best bet.

MLP FINALS TO BE BROADCAST ON CBS SPORTS

The favorites won out in the other matchups over the weekend, leaving four teams at the Premier Level and two teams at the Challenger Level heading to the MLP Finals in New York City this weekend. Multiple matches will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, as well as a CBS national broadcast on Saturday afternoon.

Premier Level semifinals
No. 1 St. Louis Shock vs. No. 5 Columbus Sliders
No. 3 New Jersey 5s vs. No. 6 LA Mad Drops

Challenger Level finals
No. 1 Las Vegas Night Owls vs. No. 2 Nashville Chefs (The Kitchen's MLP team)

INSTRUCTION

How to know if you've reached the 4.0 level

A huge percentage of pickleball players fall somewhere between the 3.5 and 4.0 levels. But what actually separates the higher end of that range from the lower end? We recently wrote an article discussing a few factors that make a big difference.

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES ⬇️

Serves and returns: Players at the 4.0 level typically hit serves with a good amount of pace and keep the ball deep in the court. The same is true with returns. These players rarely miss serves or returns — at this point, it’s become routine.

Third shots and volleys: It’s common for 4.0 pickleball players to mix up their third shot between drops and drives. There are still some inconsistencies in this area of their game, but they have a developed an understanding of what to do on this shot and are still working on perfecting it. Volleys are very much improved from the 3.5 level. Upon reaching the 4.0 level, a player should be able to volley different shots and hit them at different speeds.

Dinks: 4.0 players have the ability to control the ball at the kitchen moderately well. They can control the height and depth of the ball. Moving into this level means a player is beginning to understand when to attack balls at the kitchen line and how to be patient during a dink rally.

How long did it take you to reach 4.0?

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PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Does your choice of pickleball shoe matter more than your paddle?

Pickleball players spend a lot of time deciding on their next paddle purchase. It's an important decision -- paddles aren't cheap these days.

But the truth is if you're spending close to $200 or more on a paddle from an established brand in 2025, odds are it's a pretty good paddle.

When it comes to shoes, the differences in performance and comfort are much greater from brand to brand and shoe to shoe. That's why we believe pickleball shoes are an underrated piece of equipment that can make a serious difference in your game -- if you make the right choice.

3 REASONS YOUR PICKLEBALL SHOE IS IMPORTANT

  1. Footwork is crucial: Pickleball requires lots of quick, small steps, so you need shoes that are lightweight, offer great traction and plenty of bounce underneath your foot.

  2. Lateral stability: This is where pickleball shoes beat out tennis shoes. Lateral stability helps keep you on balance and makes it easier to get back to a neutral position after you hit the shot, so you're always ready for what comes next.

  3. Injury prevention: You've probably seen stories about all those pickleball injuries in recent years. Well, a lot of sports injuries can be prevented with footwear that fits properly, is intended for the specific movements of a sport and is made with quality materials.

QUICK HITS

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