A Major League Pickleball stop that has been billed as possibly the biggest event in league history starts today.

MLP St. Louis is being held at Chaifetz Arena on the Saint Louis University campus, which has a seating capacity of just over 10,000. If it’s even close to being full, that would set a new bar for what’s possible in pro pickleball.

With great matchups between some of the league’s top teams on the schedule, it’s sure to be an electric atmosphere. Learn more below.

Also in this issue:

• Ben and Colin Johns have two 5.0s on a string 🎎

• We crown Entourage creator Doug Ellin as the Godfather of Pickleball on the new Pickleballers podcast 🎙️

• New Jersey and Miami make big trade 🔄

• Anna Leigh Waters attends the ESPYS 👏

• Bring these snacks to your next pickleball tournament 🍌

• The best paddles for control players 🎯

Let’s get cookin’. 🧑‍🍳

GIVEAWAY

We’re giving away a luxury pickleball trip to San Diego + NINE Avoura Paddles & more!

We are excited to partner with Avoura on this HUGE giveaway where one lucky winner and their guest will receive:

• an all-expense paid trip to San Diego’s 5-star Alila Marea Beach Resort 🏖️

• a private lesson with Steve & Jennifer Dawson (Co founders of Avoura)

• 2 premium Avoura pickleball paddles

In addition, the next NINE winners will all receive an Avoura paddle of their choice! 🤯

THIS IS A NEWSLETTER ONLY GIVEAWAY…so CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

When 5.0s play the best in the world

Ever wondered how two 5.0 players would fare against the best in the world? It’s not even close. The craziest part about this clip is that Ben and Colin barely move a step—just calmly returning ball after ball with ease—while the other team frantically does everything they can to keep up. Easily our most viral point of the week. Enjoy.

🔗 Watch Ben and Colin Johns toy with these 5.0s

PICKLEBALLERS PODCAST

Doug Ellin on creating Entourage & his pickleball obsession

Doug Ellin, the creator of one of the greatest TV shows in history, Entourage, joins the Pickleballers crew for one of the most entertaining episodes to date. Doug goes into his career before Entourage, how the show became a cultural phenomenon, how he became perhaps the biggest pickleball lover in America, and so much more.

Doug is directly responsible for the boom of pickleball in Southern California and has played a huge role in introducing tons of celebrities, athletes, and pros to the sport.

🔗 Watch the full episode on YouTube or Spotify

THE PROS

MLP St. Louis expected to be one of league’s biggest events yet

Major League Pickleball is headed to St. Louis this week for an event that hasn building for months.

MLP St. Louis, which is being held at Chaifetz Aren the Saint Louis University campus, is expected to be one of the biggest events in MLP history. The St. Louis Shock -- the host team -- have gone to great lengths to promote the event in local and national media and have done a lot of outreach in the local St. Louis pickleball community.

As we've seen with multiple MLP events this season, the teams that invest heavily in their local markets have been rewarded with great in-person atmospheres. We suspect that will be one of the biggest stories of the week in St. Louis, and the home team might need the extra support with a very tough slate of matches this week.

On the court, there will be 6 Premier Level teams and all 6 Challenger Level teams in action.

Premier Level: Atlanta Bouncers, Brooklyn Pickleball Team, Chicago Slice, Columbus Sliders, Dallas Flash, St. Louis Shock.

Challenger Level: Bay Area Breakers, California Black Bears, D.C. Pickleball Team, Florida Smash, Las Vegas Night Owls, Nashville Chefs.

🔗 MLP St. Louis match schedule and where to watch

TRENDING

The New Jersey 5s and Miami Pickleball Club made a significant trade Wednesday that could change the trajectory of both teams as the Major League Pickleball regular season heads into the home stretch.

The terms of the deal, according to the league:

-Miami acquires Craig Johnson and cash
-New Jersey acquires Noe Khlif

The other big news of the day was the league pushing back the trade deadline from Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET to Monday, July 21, at noon ET. In a statement, MLP said this was an effort to allow teams to strategize around recently shared league operations updates

🔗 We break it all down here

FEATURED STORY

What you should eat during a pickleball tournament

When it comes to competing during long days on the pickleball court, nutrition is a vital but often overlooked part of peak performance.

Pickleball presents a unique challenge from a fueling perspective. With matches typically lasting around 30 minutes and multiple rounds scheduled throughout the day, finding the right balance between staying energized and avoiding heavy meals is crucial.

Here are a few habits pro player Connor Garnett has developed over the past couple years playing on the PPA Tour and in Major League Pickleball.

SNACK SMART AND SNACK OFTEN

One of Garnett’s key strategies is simple: bring plenty of snacks. His go-to choices include jerky sticks, granola bars and dates. Jerky offers a clean, quick source of protein that helps repair muscle and maintain energy without being heavy. Granola bars provide a solid mix of carbohydrates and fats, while dates offer fast-acting natural sugars to boost energy levels in between games.

START STRONG: MORNINGS MATTER

Garnett’s mornings always begin with two staples: a protein shake and coffee. The shake jumpstarts muscle recovery and energy production, setting the tone for the long day ahead. And coffee — not just for the caffeine boost, but also as part of a standard morning ritual — it helps players feel mentally alert and ready to hit the court.

🔗 Find more of Garnett’s tips on proper pickleball nutrition

INSTRUCTIONAL

Don’t give up on the third shot drop

That pattern of trying the third shot drop, struggling with it and eventually giving up is common. Even experienced players fall into it. They may understand what the drop shot is, but haven’t committed to it. And there are reasons why:

• It’s hard at first. The margin for error is small.

• They don’t know what to do after the shot. Even good drops go to waste if you don’t move in.

• Their partners don’t support it.

• It feels slow or risky. Driving the ball feels more familiar.

Some players hit a decent drop, then freeze and stay back. Others rush in after a high, loopy drop and get it smashed at them. Either way, they blame the drop instead of their position or timing.

The truth is, the third shot drop isn’t optional if you want to advance. The non-volley zone rule makes it necessary. You need a soft shot that buys you time to move forward. When done well, the drop gives you that chance.

So if you’ve been avoiding the drop shot, or gave up after a few rough attempts, don’t give up. Drill it. Practice 20 with a partner before a game. Focus on feel and placement. You don’t need perfection. You just need progress.

🔗 Learn more about why the third shot drop is a non-negotiable skill

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

The best control paddles on the market

While the game has trended toward power in recent years, we still think there’s room for the grinders out there – the players who love a long dinking rally and prioritize shot placement to keep their opponents off balance.

There have been several new paddles released this year that fall into the control category, so we recently updated our list of the best control paddles on the market.

A NEW KING OF CONTROL

Franklin C45 Tempo 16mm — This paddle was released in just and is a great option for players who prefer to play a patient style and rely on resets and moving dinks around to win points. It moved straight to No. 1 on our best control paddles list. You can find our complete breakdown of the different C45 shapes here.

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

Proton Series One Type A Square 15mm — Proton made a huge splash in 2024 with its Series One line of paddles, which feature a unique NanoTac face that grips the ball similar to a ping-pong paddle and produces top-tier spin. The 15mm core and standard shape of the Series One Type A make it a great option for players who love to use spin and placement to put pressure on opponents. It comes in at No. 2 on our list.

🔗 Find the full list of the best control paddles on the market here

QUICK HITS

• Pickleball at the ESPYS? Anna Leigh Waters walks the red carpet

• Japan’s #1 player: Kenta Miyoshi with the backhand flick

• INSANE get: 10 year old flashes some serious skills

• Learn the Twoey: Pro Connor Garnett breaks down his signature shot