Los Angeles Mad Drops, Chicago Slice make first trade of Major League Pickleball offseason

The first trade of the Major League Pickleball offseason is official: The Los Angeles Mad Drops receive Max Freeman, while the Chicago Slice receive Hunter Johnson and cash.

The first trade of the Major League Pickleball offseason is official: – Los Angeles Mad Drops receive Max Freeman. – Chicago Slice receive Hunter Johnson and cash. Updated rosters LOS ANGELES MAD DROPSMen: Ben Johns, Max Freeman, Wes BurrowsWomen: Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, Mehvish Safdar CHICAGO SLICEMen: Hunter Johnson, Carlos Di LauraWomen: Callie Smith, Pierina […]

Chaos or order: Which style will prevail in pro pickleball in 2026?

Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin tap paddles after a point during the PPA Tour Indoor National Championships in 2026.

We are entering interesting times at the top of pro pickleball. For a long time now, order has prevailed in the men’s doubles division. Ben and Collin Johns were able to wear opponents down with a steady soft game diet. Drop, move forward, dink, wait for a mistake or a ball that Ben could attack. […]

Pickleball influencers face off in (mostly) friendly competition

Many of the biggest paddle reviewers and personalities in pickleball are now competing against each other in a new competition organized by Pickleball.com. The contest — appropriately called Pickleball Pick’em — involves teams of 3 making their picks for every PPA Tour event. The participants are asked to make their selections for each bracket (men’s […]

UPA-A outlines how paddle testing methods differ from USA Pickleball standards

United Pickleball Association logo

The United Pickleball Association of America recently released paddle testing data that shows key differences between UPA-A standards, which govern the pro game, and USA Pickleball standards, which are broadly used across the amateur game. In a news release, the UPA-A said it “applies significantly more stringent testing standards than USA Pickleball (USAP) and that […]

Expert review: Paddletek launches new ‘Reserve’ program, releases first full-foam paddle

Paddletek recently launched its new Reserve Honeyfoam pickleball paddle.

Following last month’s announcement of the creation of Paddletek Group, which unites Paddletek, ProXR and Yobow under one brand, the company is launching a new program meant to give players an early look at the latest paddle technology in the game. The Paddletek Reserve campaign will offer “limited-release paddles” showcasing the “latest breakthroughs coming straight from […]

PPA Tour Masters was the most-watched pickleball broadcast ever

Last week’s PPA Tour Masters made history as the most-watched pickleball broadcast in the sport’s history, the tour said Friday. Sunday’s 2-hour broadcast window on CBS, which featured the men’s doubles final (Ben Johns/Gabe Tardio vs. Hayden Patriquin/Christian Alshon) and part of the women’s doubles final (Anna Leigh Waters/Anna Bright vs. Jackie Kawamoto/Jade Kawamoto) had […]

How UDRIPPIN became a one-stop shop for pickleball accessories

A close-up view of the UDRIPPIN grip case.

Like a lot of entrepreneurs, Jon Nilson wasn’t really trying to start a business in the early days of what eventually became UDRIPPIN. He was just trying to find some tennis and pickleball overgrips for himself after Wilson stopped making their hot pink tour grips – his favorite at the time. After searching on sites […]

Paddle tracker: What the top pros were using at the PPA Tour Masters

Anna Leigh Waters hits a shot during the 2026 PPA Tour Masters.

Several big-name pros were using new paddles at last week’s PPA Tour Masters, including Anna Leigh Waters, Gabe Tardio, Chris Haworth and more. Below is a breakdown of exactly which models were being used by every player who won a medal, as well as a few notable players who didn’t hit the podium. Shopping for […]

PPA Tour Indoor National Championships: Draws, schedule and TV information

PPA Tour Indoor National Championships logo.

The PPA Tour has a quick turnaround this week after the Masters, which wrapped up on Sunday evening. The tour is going from sunny Palm Springs, California, to frigid Minnesota for the Indoor National Championships. The event is being held at the Life Time in the Minneapolis suburb of Lakeville, an indoor facility that has dozens […]