Happy Halloween! It looks like lots of pickleball fans have crossed pickleball with the holiday:

Keep reading for something a bit spookier.

Plus: we just got back from the Pickleball World Cup, and we think you’re going to want to catch the highlight reel.

Also in this issue:

• International pickleball is HERE - guess who won it all?

• The scientifically-better serve

• Must-see (pickle) TV

• Horror stories from the court

Let’s cook. 🧑‍🍳

THE PICKLEBALL WORLD CUP

Puerto Rico Takes it All

The Pickleball World Cup in Lima, Peru, united 25 countries in a competition where players fought not just for personal victory, but national pride.

This event was one of the most passionate atmospheres we’ve seen at a pickleball tournament. It created connections across cultures, overcoming language barriers with a shared love for the game. The Pickleball World Cup radiated passion and respect both on and off the court.

Hats off to the Cabieses siblings for making this vision a reality — and of course, congrats to Puerto Rico, the winning team!

The World Cup took over our Instagram feed over the last week. But you can see our highlight reel of the highest-energy moments here.

Plus, there was another moment which caught our eye that we’ve pickled as our Highlight of the Week…

POLL

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Insane World Cup Final

The USA tends to assume it's the best at most things, especially anything invented within its borders.

But pickleball is now The World's sport, and there are some players out there bringing even more energy to the game than the US's pros.

Just look at this point from the Pickleball World Cup event the Kitchen's team attended last week with Puerto Rico taking on hometown Peru.

INSTRUCTION

Switch to This Serve. It’s Scientifically Better.

Many players miss one thing that could transform their serve: topspin.

Beginners will use slow, looping serves that skilled opponents easily return. Then, more experienced players start serving faster; but these attempts will lack consistency, landing in the net or out of bounds.

There are very few scenarios where topspin doesn't improve your serve. Here’s why:

• it adds a “downward pull” on the ball, meaning you can go harder without sending it over the baseline

• more topspin also keeps serves from skimming the net, letting you aim higher while still landing deep in your opponent's court

• topspin doesn’t just improve accuracy, it actually makes serves tougher to return

A topspin serve can “kick” off the ground, surprising opponents and cutting their reaction time:

A serve at 50 MPH with topspin arrives at your opponent's baseline more than 200 milliseconds faster than 40 MPH serve without topspin. This gives your opponent less time to react and move into position for a return.

We teamed up with PickleballScience.org to break down topspin's benefits & how to utilize them. Find the results here.

PADDLE OF THE WEEK

The Spookiest Paddle?

Is this a Halloween paddle? No. Does such a thing really exist? I don’t think so.

But it IS orange & black, and it IS a scary-good control paddle…one of the best control paddles on the market.

It’s the Collin Johns Scorpeus 3S. And it’s your perfect paddle upgrade that just HAPPENS to look a little like a pumpkin. Find out more here.

Celebs like Taylor Lautner & Golden Tate have GOT to have some seriously interesting stories, right? That's the premise behind a new TV show where famous people play pickleball, make bets against each other, & chat courtside.

➝ In The Wager, host Jason Kennedy and PPA pro Wes Burrows team up to take on the stars in high-stakes pickleball battles.

The show is now airing across NBC Sports, MSG Networks, and more.

Each match promises unexpected moments, mid-game laughs, & candid halftime chats that keep the action light and the vibe fresh.

Catch streaming details here.

FEATURED STORY

🧟 It’s a Scream-Fest Out There 👻 

What’s your favorite scary movie? I Know Where You Dinked Last Summer? Jeepers Picklers?

Ok, that last one’s a stretch. But there’s plenty of horrors out there on the courts IRL. Recently, we asked our Facebook group for their scariest court experiences.

Here’s a taste of the terrifying, the funny, and the downright bizarre:

Health Emergencies: A surprising number of players recalled witnessing heart attacks, strokes, & sadly, even fatalities mid-game. As one commenter noted, “An elderly man face-planted, and we realized he’d had a stroke,” while another described the frightening moment of a partner collapsing with a heart attack.

Epic Falls & Face-Plants: Lobs were the culprit in many stories, leading to fractured wrists, concussions, and more. Pro tip: when chasing a lob, “turn your whole body and never step back without looking!”

Eye Protection: A good chunk of responses mentioned injuries from balls and paddles smacking eyes, proving safety glasses aren’t just for the pros. As one player said, “Seeing a paddle smack my eyeball was all it took to pick up some safety glasses.”

Questionable Accessory Choices: Crocs, tutus, delaminated paddles...they all made it to the court. But perhaps the most legendary look? An 80-year-old player in snake-print briefs and a Creature from the Black Lagoon mask.

Between the gasps, we think there are some real takeaways you'll keep in mind...lest you wind up in somebody else's horror story.

Check out the full blog for some first-hand, jaw-dropping stories.

SPOOKY

Paddles Are Getting Pretty Powerful 🫢 

Seems like this particular concept costume is really going around in pickleball…see more examples here.

QUICK HITS

• Aww: Lois is an absolute LEGEND

• LOL: Wanna be ambidextrous? Try this

• Competition: This 9-year-old is the Czech Republic’s Anna Leigh Waters

• Quick Tips: Forehand roll, made easy

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