There’s a shot in pickleball that hits like a plot twist: the forehand topspin speed-up. It disguises itself as a dink—calm, composed, polite even—until it explodes off the bounce and takes your opponent’s paddle (and pride) by surprise. This shot isn’t just about flash; it’s about strategy. Because you’re letting the ball bounce, you buy yourself milliseconds of balance. Add compact wrist-driven topspin, and you’ve got a shot that stays inbounds, kicks low, and rarely gives your opponent a clean counter. The best part? They often don’t see it coming until it’s already at their chest.

Somewhere along the line, pickleball players started treating opponents’ transition zones like a courtesy lane. If you’re letting people stroll up to the kitchen line with nothing but soft resets and gentle encouragement, it’s time for an intervention. The truth is, the transition zone should be a war zone — not a welcome mat. And the smartest players know exactly how to turn it into a pressure cooker with every fourth, sixth, and eighth shot.

When Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf step onto a pickleball court, it’s never as opponents. The legendary tennis couple, who collectively own 30 Grand Slam titles, have swapped backhands for dinks in their post-tennis lives — but only as a team. As Graf puts it, “We don’t play pickleball against each other. We prefer to be on the same side of the court.” Since picking up paddles during the pandemic, the two have embraced pickleball with passion, playing together three times a week, competing in events like the Pickleball Slam, and even promoting the sport globally.

While the NCAA’s basketball tournament hits the national stage, another kind of March Madness is unfolding in Cape Coral—and it’s all about pickleball. This weekend, the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) is hosting its second U.S. Collegiate Championships at the Lake Kennedy Racquet Center. With 32 college teams, 32 courts, and scholarship cash on the line, it’s a full-court press of youthful energy, fierce competition, and growing legitimacy for the collegiate side of the sport.

Even the sharpest players miss a shot now and then, but there’s a difference between a mechanical error and a mental one. This breakdown of three mental mistakes shows how even players with crisp technique can hand over points like they’re gift-wrapping them. Whether it’s trying to out-angle your opponent in a dink battle, launching an attack from a hopeless position, or treating every third shot drop like it’s a delicate surgery, these mental traps are quietly bleeding away your potential. Recognizing them is the first step—fixing them will save you points you didn’t even realize you were losing.

Tennis legend Ivan Lendl isn’t just playing pickleball—he’s running clinics. Teaming up with his former ATP adversary Mikael Pernfors, Lendl made an unmistakable statement at the Pictona Challenge 2025 in Holly Hill, sweeping the men’s 60-69 doubles bracket with comical ease. Playing in the 4.5+ division, the Vero Beach-based pair gave up a grand total of 10 points across six matches. Not to be outdone, Lendl pulled double duty and returned to the court with Jean Halahan to claim the mixed doubles title—dropping just two points in eight games. That’s not a typo.

It might not be the most glamorous piece of gear on the court, but protective eyewear is quickly becoming essential in pickleball. From casual rec players to top-ranked pros, more and more people are learning the hard way—pickleballs may be light, but they hit fast and hard when they’re flying at your face. Soren Morales of Miami learned this firsthand after taking a paddle-deflected shot to the eye from his own doubles partner. The result? A scratched cornea, serious pain, and a newfound respect for goggles. He’s now a proud proponent of eye protection, and his optometrist has started referring to pickleball as her new favorite job security plan.

In a stunning turn of events that would make even the most dramatic reality TV producers blush, a game of prison pickleball at Mule Creek State Prison took an unexpected detour from friendly volleys to divine intervention. Charles Miles, a fellow inmate, unknowingly turned into the wrath of God when he mistakenly believed Scott Peterson, convicted wife-and-unborn-child murderer, was charging at him—pickleball paddle in hand. The misunderstanding quickly escalated into a spiritual beatdown, which Miles now describes as nothing short of “God’s plan.”

Miles, who is also serving time for murder, insists that he had no idea who Peterson was when he decided to introduce his fists to the convicted killer’s face. It wasn’t until a fellow inmate conveniently yelled out, “Hey, that’s the baby killer!” that Miles’ alleged divine mission became clear. Despite now facing disciplinary action, Miles remains spiritually unshaken. “It was God’s plan for sure,” he declared, presumably unaware that divine assignments typically don’t require pepper spray and a disciplinary write-up.

The incident unfolded on the very same prison track where Miles had been praying the day before, leading him to believe this was more than just an unfortunate misunderstanding—it was prophecy. Of course, skeptics might argue that mistaking a pickleball pursuit for an armed attack might have more to do with a lack of spatial awareness than divine intervention. But Miles, ever the holy warrior, is now retiring from his prison fight club, vowing to “put the gloves up” (though, notably, no actual gloves were involved in this encounter). Meanwhile, Peterson, still maintaining his innocence, will presumably be sticking to safer pastimes—like chess, or perhaps avoiding any sudden movements near convicted felons who claim to be on a mission from God.

’ve long had a soft spot for the achilles tendon, my own and everyone else’s. This goes back to middle school where we read a book called Greeks and Trojans by Rex Warner, which I greatly enjoyed, although my engagement with the classics went no further. It related the story of the demise of the hero whose name the tendon bears. Also, my initial and my surname have been known to autocorrect to the name of the great warrior/tendon. We have a connection.

San Francisco’s transit agency, Muni, is considering an unexpected revenue stream to help address its looming $322 million budget deficit—pickleball. This past Tuesday, the Board of Directors discussed transforming the rooftops of the city’s underused Fifth and Mission and Sutter-Stockton parking garages into pickleball or tennis courts. As parking revenues continue to decline—down over 50% in some areas—the agency is exploring creative ways to repurpose its 39 parking facilities. With 19,000 square feet available on each rooftop, these spaces could accommodate at least 12 pickleball courts, offering a potential new revenue stream while addressing the city’s demand for more courts.

The third shot drop is one of the most essential shots in pickleball, yet it’s also one of the most overlooked. It’s the key to transitioning from the baseline to the net, allowing players to neutralize an opponent’s advantage and set up for a strong offensive position. A well-executed third shot drop should peak on your side of the net and start descending before reaching your opponent, forcing them to make a difficult decision—attack out of the air or let it bounce. The most common mistake players make? Moving too much while hitting the shot. Stability is key, and having a controlled, balanced stance ensures that your shot lands consistently in the kitchen.

A great pickleball serve is more than just a way to start a point—it’s a tool to gain control and set the tone for the rally. While power and spin are crucial, consistency is the true foundation of a deadly serve. Having a reliable serve routine ensures that every serve builds on the last, helping you refine your technique and make targeted improvements. The key? A consistent pre-serve ritual, a controlled ball release, and a well-balanced stance that maximizes energy transfer. The best players aren’t just hitting the ball—they’re strategically placing their serves to create immediate advantages.

Pickleball is a game of precision, strategy, and quick decision-making. But even the most enthusiastic players can fall into bad habits that limit their growth. The biggest mistake most players make? Poor shot selection. It’s easy to fall into patterns that feel right in the moment but ultimately put you at a disadvantage. Whether it’s forcing a hands battle, hitting straight into an opponent’s strengths, or failing to recognize when to attack, these errors can cost you points—and games. By understanding key shot selection mistakes, you can instantly elevate your level of play.

Every new pickleball player makes mistakes—it’s part of the game. But some mistakes are so common that they hold players back without them even realizing it. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to clean up bad habits, avoiding these three missteps will instantly level up your play.

Facing a hard-hitting banger at the net can be overwhelming, but the key to shutting them down lies in preparation, reaction time, and precise shot placement. The first mistake many players make is having a poor ready position. Keeping the paddle too low forces extra movement, adding critical milliseconds to your reaction time—milliseconds you don’t have when the ball is coming at 50+ mph. Instead, keep your paddle around net height and maintain a wide, balanced stance, allowing for quick lateral movement. A strong ready position ensures you’re not caught off guard when the next drive comes flying your way.

The kitchen line is where games are won and lost, yet so many players make simple mistakes that sabotage their success. From poor footwork to impatience, these errors can cost you crucial points. One of the most common missteps is crossing your feet unnecessarily when moving laterally. Instead of shuffling smoothly, many players take extra steps that slow their recovery, leaving them out of position for the next shot. Another issue? Big backswings. Whether dinking or volleying, a large backswing reduces control, making it harder to keep the ball low and unattackable.

Pickleball has grown beyond just a backyard pastime—it’s now influencing industries and even the stock market. Companies like Zimmer Biomet, Henry Schein, and Graphic Packaging Holding are tapping into the sport’s popularity, each benefiting from trends that link pickleball to aging demographics, healthcare advancements, and consumer shifts. Investors looking for stable, risk-averse options might find an unexpected sweet spot in businesses that align with the sport’s booming influence.

For years, pickleball’s name has been mistakenly linked to an enthusiastic family dog named Pickles, allegedly notorious for stealing balls. But as it turns out, that story is as much of a misdirection as a well-placed dink shot. The sport, born in the 1960s on Bainbridge Island, Washington, was actually named after a term used in rowing: a “pickle boat,” which describes a crew made up of leftover rowers from other teams. The name was coined by Joan Pritchard, wife of one of the game’s inventors, who saw a resemblance between her husband’s improvised backyard game and the hodgepodge nature of a pickle boat. Ironically, the Pritchards did later have a dog named Pickles—but he was named after the sport, not the other way around.

The 2025 Desert Smash charity event in La Quinta brought together an unexpected but entertaining mix of sports and star power. Pop star Jason Derulo took to the pickleball courts alongside tennis maverick Nick Kyrgios, showcasing some surprising reflexes despite an ill-fated attempt at an overhand serve. The event, which benefited the WTA Foundation, added a new wrinkle this year—an entire day dedicated to pickleball before the usual tennis festivities. With Naomi Osaka, Kyrgios, and current world No. 1 pickleball pro Federico Staksrud in attendance, the mix of fun and competition kept the crowd entertained, especially when Kyrgios and Osaka went head-to-head in doubles action.

At first glance, the dink in pickleball seems like the easiest shot in the game—just a soft tap over the net. But if you’ve ever actually played against high-level opponents, you know that dinking is anything but simple. The margin for error is razor-thin, and even the slightest mishit can result in a pop-up that your opponent smashes for a winner. Even former pro tennis players transitioning to pickleball, like Jack Sock, have admitted that the dink is one of the hardest shots to master. The good news? With the right strategies, you can make your dinking game as automatic as brushing your teeth.