Juan Benitez & Claudio Quinones. You're going to know their names.

The pair just took home the $25K prize from our amateur-only tournament, The Kitchen Open in Austin.

We spoke to them after the event to learn more about what it takes to compete in pickleball, how they strategized, and the most important skills you should bring to a pickleball tournament.

Also in this issue:

• Making tourneys look easy

• The struggles pros face

• How to return a serve in any situation

• New pickleball world record

• ALW’s huge salary 🤑 

Let’s cook. 🧑‍🍳

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

"Patience, Grit, & Mindfulness"

...That's what this year's The Kitchen Open winners told us you need in order to compete at the highest level of amateur pickleball.

So, let's examine these two clips of them in the TKO semis to observe how they put those traits into action:

• Patience: They’re capable of pulling a tricky maneuver, but they wait for their opponents to try it first & pounce on the errors.

• Grit: You can see the confidence on their faces at the end of both of these points — that’s because they’re putting all their effort into each point.

• Mindfulness: Every poach has a purpose; every decision to reach (& risk being off-balance) ends in a win.

We have a full breakdown of their win here.

Thank you Liquid IV & Reign Storm for being TKO Sponsors and Shopify for powering all of The Kitchen Open Austin 2024.

If you want to take part in our next event, TKO Atlanta this November, register here.

POLL

FEATURED STORY

The Reality of Going Pro

Maybe you watch pro pickleball, maybe you don't. But you owe pro pickleball players a second thought.

Unlike other sports, there is no off-season in pickleball. The pros travel at least 25 weeks out of the year, not including the exhibition events & clinics they need to attend in order to keep themselves in the black.

"Being a pro athlete makes me feel like I can't take many risks in life," pro Lina Padegimaite says.

Then, there's the inevitability of losing. This isn't football, where a single game is played at each event. Pickleball athletes are on the court for days at a time, and it isn't always mentally rewarding.

"Unless you're ALW or Ben Johns, you're going to lose. Even they are starting to understand that feeling," Lina says.

Yes, these athletes willingly chose their lifestyles. But remember, this isn’t pro football. Only a small handful of pro pickleball players make anything close to what pros make in other sports…and, again: there is no off-season.

We hear from Lina, Tyson McGuffin, Allyce Jones, & Jack Munro in our latest feature, The Best (and Worst) Parts of Becoming a Pro Pickleball Player.

INSTRUCTION

Returning Serves: Your Best Options

The serve return isn't just the start of a point, it's your chance to control the game.

You don’t have to go for winners, you just need to give yourself and your partner the best possible chance to dictate the pace of the rally & move up to the kitchen line.

Here are three of the most common returns & the strategy behind them:

THE DEEP, FLAT RETURN

• When to Use It: Any time you're facing a big server, or someone who thrives on third-shot drives.

THE HIGH, SLOW RETURN

• When to Use It: When you need more time to get to the kitchen or if your opponent is weak on overhead shots.

THE MIDDLE RETURN

• When to Use It: When your opponents are indecisive or prone to confusion over who should take balls in the middle.

What about spin returns? Find the strategy behind those & more return options here.

TRENDING

Recreational pickleball players may brag about their five-hour play sessions.

But a group of four Londoners rallied through some very British weather for 30 hours straight recently, setting a new world record.

➝ Group leader Tony Matharu and three others set a Guinness record for Longest Marathon Playing Pickleball (doubles) on a pop-up court at Tower Hill.

“This record was about showcasing London's innovation and sporting excellence," Matharu said. "But it was also a chance to raise awareness and funds for charity."

But they aren't the only ones setting pickleball records this year. Read more here.

DON’T MISS THIS

An Energy Drink Brand is Powering Pickleball's Growth

All this talk of tourneys makes me think about how many times I've seen Reign Storm's logo in the background at pro & other events.

Any company can throw money at something and say they "helped grow it." But if you've ever been to a pickleball event, you've probably seen Reign Storm's booth.

They're at every PPA Tour stop, and they're even starting to host their own events at the local level.

Few brands can say they've invested this much time, money, and...yes, ENERGY in our sport.

Check out Reign Storm's impressive story here.

TRAINING

The Best Ball Machine Money Can Buy

To be the best, you gotta get your reps in.

The ERNE is BY FAR the best training machine on the market. The Kitchen staff uses it EVERY DAY in our HQ and we’ve seen our game improve drastically.

Reserve yours today. If you order this week, it’ll arrive just in time for the holidays.

IMPRESSIVE

The 17-Year Old Pickleball Millionaire

You may know 17-year-old Anna Leigh Waters as "the Young GOAT," the number one ranked player on the pro circuit.

Now, you’ll know her as the sport's biggest earner.

According to her agent, she's set to rake in over $3 million this year, surpassing even her Mixed Doubles partner Ben Johns' $2.5 million contract. Her endorsement deals with Fila, Paddletek, Cetaphil, & Carvana, among others, only add to the income.

If you ask her agent, Kelly Wolf, this is just the beginning. Learn more about ALW here.

QUICK HITS

• Whoa: Playing pickle against a badminton player? DON’T POP IT UP

• LOL: Silly Ben Johns is the BEST Ben Johns

• Competition: These resets are bar-none

• Quick Tips: Yes, you should practice with lower-level players

• Impressive: Your TKO champions are crushing it

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