Pickleball Pro Responds to $50K Fine, Suspension

Andrei Daescu and his paddle during a pro pickleball match.

Not even halfway through his 2024 season, pro Andrei Daescu has already experienced massive highs and crushing lows.In March, he and temporary partner Anna Bright pulled off a win against the juggernauts Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns.Now, Andrei is suspended from play for 60 days, has to cough up a whopping $50,000 fine to […]

Pickleball Positioning Strategy Basics

Image of a pickleball player's balanced legs as they approach a hit.

Top five pickleball pro James Ignatowich here. One of the most common things I hear on the court is something like “this shot feels great when I drill, but it’s so much harder in a game for some reason.” Of course it’s harder! When you drill, you know where the ball is being hit, and what […]

This Year’s Pickleball Crime Spree Sadly Isn’t Over

Where is Pickleball Batman when you need him? If he were real, we’d be flashing the Bat Signal with purpose right now. A string of pickleball-related crimes affecting the Atlantic Coast have left local courts in disarray and racquet sport shop owners out of paddles. In Manhattan’s Upper West Side, police have confirmed reports of a […]

What To Do With Your Old or Broken Pickleball Paddle

Pickleball paddles can be reused or recycled. Paddles stacked with recycling logo on top.

With balls that inevitably crack and plenty of resource-intensive packaging, the pickleball industry creates plenty of non-recyclable waste. But some things can be recycled, and, even better, re-used, including old pickleball paddles. At some point, your paddle is going to break, wear down, or be shelved in favor of a newer, shinier investment. But retired […]

These U.S. Cities Have the Most Pickleball Courts Per Capita

City Pickle pickleball courts in NYC

When was the last time you saw anything grow by 650% (besides inflation)? Good news: that’s the unbelievable statistic which represents the increase in public outdoor pickleball courts in U.S. cities over the last seven years. According to the Trust for Public Land, the number of outdoor pickleball courts in the 100 most populous American cities skyrocketed from […]

French Open to Debut Pickleball at This Year’s Event

An image taken at a previous French Open of a tennis player about to serve.

Will there always be a need to write “vs.” between the words “tennis” and “pickleball?” Maybe not. In a surprising twist, the hallmark tennis event, the French Open, announces it will feature pickleball as a sideline event.  This year’s Open runs May 26th to June 9th on the famed red clay courts of Roland-Garros. From the […]

When Should I Speed Up in Pickleball? Answer These Questions First

Today’s pickleball isn’t about blind attacks, it’s about intentional aggression. In order to know when to speed up in pickleball, you need to know who to attack, where to attack, when, and your opponent’s response to those specified attacks.  Of course, in milliseconds, one or more of these questions may be difficult or even impossible to answer. […]

Two-Person Pickleball Drills and the Most Important Practice Tip

Pickleball players who have clearly practiced their drills face off during a PPA Tour match.

Top five pickleball pro James Ignatowich here. I already explained how players looking to improve should drill more than they actually play games of pickleball.  But how can you get the most out of your drilling sessions? By focusing on no more than 2 shots per practice session. I’ve seen a lot of drilling at this […]