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The ultimate pickleball cheat code: Stretching
Ben Johns upset at sunny PPA San Clemente
There are countless pieces of content on the internet focused on improving at pickleball. (We’ve produced our fair share).
They talk about your serve, your return, your 3rd shot drop, 3rd shot drive and how to do this or that. But almost all of this content is on-court focused. There’s more to the puzzle if you want to truly take your game to the next level.
Below we dive into an often-ignored area that can lead to big improvement: Stretching. It’s not sexy, but it’s more important than many players realize.
Also in this issue:
Ben Johns upset in controversial match point 😮
The best women’s signature paddles 👀
The future of pickleball is in good hands 🔮
Jack Munro talks about his Guinness World Record on Pickleballers 🎧
ESPN’s SportsCenter to showcase MLP event 📺
Let’s cook. 🧑🍳
AMATEUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
These kids are pickleBALLERS
We’ve been warning you for more than a year: The kids are coming.
This video offers further proof, with silky smooth dinks, precise attacks, tricky Ernes and great scrambling ability — all from young players who are not much taller than the net.
The future of pickleball is in good hands.
THE KITCHEN OPEN AUSTIN
Register for TKO Austin this week and save!
We are excited to bring The Kitchen Open to Austin for the third year in a row! TKO Austin will be held on September 25-28, 2025 at The Dripping Springs Racquet Club (formerly Polo Tennis Club).
The best amateurs in the country will compete in divisions for all different levels and ages — and as always, the winner of the Open division will take home $25,000! 💰️
Like the past two years, the event itself will be a celebration featuring tons of free goodies, amazing food & music, and of course, the best pickleball in town. 🥳
Early Bird registration will last for ONLY 10 DAYS so if you’re planning to play sign up today!
PICKLEBALLERS PODCAST
The youngest 5.0 in pickleball history talks strategies to improve your game
In case you missed it last week, pro player Jack Munro — known for his ambidextrous abilities on the court and for holding a Guinness World Record as the youngest 5.0 in history — joined the PICKLEBALLERS Podcast. The crew touches on everything from Anna Leigh Waters’ dominance, the latest happenings in pickleball and strategies to improve your game (something Munro is especially good at breaking down).
THE PROS
Ben Johns loses after controversial match point at PPA Tour Orange County Cup
The PPA Tour is back in action this week at one of the most recognized venues on tour, and already we’ve had a huge upset in men’s singles.
In only his third pro tournament, Brazilian tennis player and No. 61-seed Rafa Lenhard took down No. 4-seed Ben Johns in a match that ended with a controversial point. At the end of this video you’ll see the disputed moment where Johns thought the ball bounced twice. He didn’t stop play and it appears Lenhard got the ball before the second bounce, but it’s tough to tell for sure. 🧐
TOURNAMENT BACKGROUND
Held in San Clemente, California, this week's Orange County Cup is among the biggest events on the PPA Tour schedule, offering 1,500 points to the winner in each division. The tournament is hosted at the Life Time Rancho San Clemente, which provides a scenic backdrop and is a popular venue among pro and amateur players alike.
And it looks like the weather couldn't be better, with sunny skies and temps in the low 70s expected nearly every day of the tournament. The event started Monday with pro qualifying. Main Draw matches in every division started Tuesday.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
Through the first 10 tournaments -- halfway through the PPA Tour schedule -- men's doubles and men's singles have been defined by unprecedented parity compared to prior years.
In men's doubles, JW Johnson and CJ Klinger got their first title together at the PPA Tour Atlanta Pickleball Championships last month, vaulting them into the mix of 3-4 teams who could threaten to win gold at any given tournament.
Three active men's doubles teams have now won at least one gold medal in 2025: Andrei Daescu/Christian Alshon (x3), Ben Johns/Gabe Tardio (x2) and Johnson/Klinger (x1). Meanwhile, Federico Staksrud/Hayden Patriquin have five silver medals and one bronze medal this year and are also among the top teams on a given week.
It's a similar story in men's singles, as 5 players have won titles this season and 4 of those players have won multiple times. They are: Staksrud (1x), Tardio (2x), Hunter Johnson (2x), Ben Johns (2x), Alshon (2x).
Can one of these players/teams emerge as a clear favorite heading into the second half of the season?
TRENDING
ESPN's flagship show SportsCenter will be on-site at this year's Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The network announced Monday that the popular news and information program is traveling across the country this summer as part of its "50 States in 50 Days” tour, which will celebrate local sports stories and traditions across the country. The Michigan stop will take place at the MLP Mid-Season Tournament, which is part of the Beer City Open at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids on July 8-13.
INSTRUCTIONAL
The ultimate pickleball cheat code: Stretching
Mobility on court is one of the most underrated assets a pickleball player can have. This goes for the young just as much as the old.
Being flexible gives you a massive advantage. It allows you to get balls you wouldn’t normally get, stay low through your shots and maintain stability.
In addition to improving your game, this is also how you stay out of the doctor's office and on the court.
WHAT STRETCHES MATTER?
The name of the game is active stretching. That means stretches that require more movements than just trying to touch your toes.
These are things like walking toe scoops, lunges, spine rotations or hip switches.
WHAT AREAS NEED IT THE MOST?
When you really think about the sport of pickleball, we have a few key areas of our body that are impacted the most.
The legs: They take the brunt of the work because much of the sport requires bending and leaning and fast micro movements. Keeping the legs stretched keeps them fresh.
The back: Many players experience back pain after a long play session. Believe it or not, your back gets just as much work as your legs while you’re on the court. Most players don’t realize, but we’re turning and twisting and leaning and bending for hours. It takes a toll.
The core and hips: Those two areas also can have a massive impact on performance, both good and bad.
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
The best women's signature pickleball paddles, from a female perspective
Over the years several pickleball paddle companies have made "signature" paddles for their top pros.
Recently one of our female contributors spent several weeks playing and practicing with the latest signature paddles that were designed in conjunction with some of the best women's pro players. Here’s a rundown of the top 5 paddles she tried in her testing.
JOOLA Anna Bright Scorpeus Pro IV — Best paddle all-around, geared toward players wanting to compete at the 4.0+ level.
PIKKL Hurricane Pro 14mm — For players wanting to compete at the 3.0+ level at a lower price-point. Slightly lower power than the JOOLA Anna Bright Scorpeus Pro IV.
JOOLA Graf Pro — A great option for players coming over from tennis.
Paddletek Bantam ALW-C — This paddle feels dialed in for a high-level player. It’s a bit unforgiving, but has all the pieces you’d want in a paddle.
JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion Pro IV 16mm — For players who want to prioritize power from the baseline and pop at the kitchen.
QUICK HITS
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