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pickleball.com/news/anna-brights-dreambreaker-fix-a-bold-idea-to-shake-up-mlp-strategy Victoria Radnothy Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:30:00 +0000 News pickleball.com/news/anna-brights-dreambreaker-fix-a-bold-idea-to-shake-up-mlp-strategy In a recent breakdown, she outlines a potential tweak that could increase men-versus-women matchups and add a new layer of strategy.

While I enjoy watching Anna Bright’s day-in-the-life vlogs, her deeper breakdowns of the pro game are just as compelling. In her latest video, “Women Don’t Matter Enough at Major League Pickleball,” Bright takes a closer look at DreamBreakers in MLP and offers her take on how the league can fix the imbalance.

In a DreamBreaker, the typical lineup (man, man, woman, woman) means men end up playing a disproportionate share of the points. In a match that reaches 21–19, they account for roughly 60% of the action.

Why men matter more in MLP

Despite the gendered doubles and mixed doubles format that’s equal for all players, it’s the DreamBreaker where the imbalance becomes obvious. 

“For DreamBreakers, you want your best players playing first because DreamBreakers are usually won at the first or second position,” explained Bright. “For every team in MLP, your best absolute level singles players are men. Men simply play more than women in DreamBreakers.” 

DreamBreakers remain entertaining, but in the league’s early days, they frequently featured man-versus-woman matchups.

“They were incredible,” said Bright, citing some of the best moments like Lee Whitwell beating Dekel Barand Yates Johnson. “The highlights from those points are unmatched, and I think a lot has been lost now that we hardly see this anymore.” 

Bright believes there’s a way to promote men-versus-women matchups purely for entertainment value.

“Men versus women is the ultimate pressure-ridden, anxiety-filled, David versus Goliath situation that you can really get in sports. It doesn’t really exist in pro sports, but it can exist in Major League Pickleball,” insisted Bright. “The league should encourage this to happen as much as possible. It’s the ultimate battle of the sexes. People still talk about the Bobby Riggs versus Billie Jean King match.” 

How to fix the issue

Right now, the home team sets its DreamBreaker lineup first, and the away team responds accordingly, often leading to a man, man, woman, woman order. 

“My idea is to fundamentally change how home and away is approached. Instead of the home team announcing their lineup, they announce the matchups,” suggested Bright. “And the other team will react by choosing the order of those four matchups.”

Bright then illustrated what this could look like using a recent DreamBreaker between the St. Louis Shock and the New Jersey 5s.

In that scenario, the outcome could shift immediately based on lineup order and favorable matchups if players still faced the same-gender opponents.

But with a more flexible format, the 5s could strategically mix things up—pairing Anna Leigh Waters against Hayden Patriquin, Noe Khlif against Anna Bright, and creating entirely different matchup dynamics.

That, in turn, would force the Shock into tougher lineup decisions. They would likely still anchor the order with their strongest singles player, John Lucian Goins, but the overall structure of the DreamBreaker would become far more complex and far more intriguing

“It’s a DreamBreaker that the people would absolutely love to see. We’d maximize the male versus female matchups, and DreamBreaker strategy would be totally different,” mentioned Bright. “This would change how currently women don’t matter as much. We would see a lot more women playing first, and we’d see men playing last. We’d see how people deal with the pressure of playing more often, or how they deal with the pressure of playing catch-up. Right now, teams can hide behind having good, but not great women more than you can hide behind having the same for your men.” 

Bright pointed to a theoretical DreamBreaker matchup between the Brooklyn Pickleball Team and the California Black Bears. Brooklyn features some of the strongest men’s singles players in the world, while the Black Bears boast top-tier female talent.

Under Bright’s proposed format change, the dynamics of that matchup would shift dramatically, producing far more varied, and arguably more exciting outcomes, depending on how the lineups are constructed and how the teams choose to deploy their players.

“I think this is a win-win for the league because you’d see more male versus female matchups and more women playing first,” concluded Bright. “It would be an unsolved meta, more strategy, more head games, and more game theory, which is always super interesting.”

And ultimately, this is a change the league could implement fairly easily.

Bright—and I—hope to see it introduced in 2027.

To keep up to date on all the latest pickleball action, follow us on Instagram.

]]> pickleball.com/news/pickleball-inc-eyes-multibillion-dollar-future-amid-sports-boom Pickleball.com Staff Tue, 23 Jun 2026 15:30:00 +0000 News pickleball.com/news/pickleball-inc-eyes-multibillion-dollar-future-amid-sports-boom The platform is scaling its pro leagues, media reach and global footprint as participation and investment surge nationwide.

Back in 2022, billionaire investor Tom Dundon partnered with PPA Tour founder Connor Pardoe to acquire the tour and consolidate assets under Pickleball Inc., a holding company that now spans retail, media, facilities, software and professional leagues.

Fast forward to today, and Dundon has emerged as a driving force behind pickleball’s future.

“It seemed a pretty good bet that pickleball would grow because it’s easy to do, it’s fun, it’s easy to learn. And obviously the world knows that being active means you’re healthier,” Dundon told Sports Business Journal in a story published on June 19 by reporter Rob Schaefer. “We could then ride that movement and take the pro side and professionalize it, and that would be better for the players who wanted to make a real career out of it. It just seemed to fit.”

Capital raise signals next phase

In May, Pickleball Inc. announced a $225 million capital raise led by Apollo Sports Capital, valuing the company at $750 million. The deal also reconsolidated its assets, including the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, under one umbrella following their 2024 merger into the United Pickleball Association.

Armed with fresh capital, executives are now targeting a multibillion-dollar future.

Chief strategy officer and MLP commissioner Samin Odhwani said Pickleball Inc. projects $140 million in revenue in 2026, with roughly $80 million coming from its pro leagues. Those leagues are expected to host more than 50 events, employ 180 athletes and distribute over $33 million in prize money this year.

Ticketing and sponsorships make up the bulk of league revenue, supported by major partners like Carvana and DoorDash. Early indicators point to rapid growth, with PPA ticket revenue up 58% and MLP attendance up 57% during the first half of this year.

“You’ve got a sport that went from effectively no one playing to 25 million people in five years. We’ve got a ton of young talent, well-backed investors and a management team that is young and hungry,” insisted Odhwani. “We said, ‘The moment feels like now, so let’s give it a shot.’”

Deploying capital across three pillars

Of the $225 million raised, more than half was used to restructure debt and investor positions, leaving about $100 million available for growth initiatives.

Pickleball Inc.’s strategy centers on three main areas:

Infrastructure: The company is pursuing public-private partnerships to build or expand facilities capable of hosting thousands of spectators, creating festival-style tournament environments.

International expansion: With an office in Singapore, the PPA Tour is scaling across Asia, Australia and Europe. International operations are expected to generate nearly $10 million in revenue this year.

Media and content: The company is investing in production and storytelling to grow audiences and secure a national broadcast rights deal.

Pickleball matches are currently distributed through Pickleballtv, a joint venture with Tennis Channel, along with limited national broadcast windows. Executives believe demand is building, pointing to a January PPA broadcast on CBS that drew 791,000 viewers, a U.S. record for the sport.

“It is going to be a good investment if it keeps going the way it does,” said Pardoe. “If we end up getting a big media rights deal and media really leans in, then it’s going to be really, really great for everybody … That’s where it turns into a multibillion-dollar sport.”

An ecosystem play

Beyond the pro game, Pickleball Inc. is positioning itself as a full-service ecosystem within the sport. Fans can watch matches, follow coverage, purchase equipment, register for events and play on courts built and managed within the company’s network.

“It’s unlike any other [sports] property in that it’s so diversified in the way that it’s generating revenue in the full spectrum,” said investor Jason Stein. “You can see the connectivity — people playing, people watching on TV, people going to events, people buying products. The NFL is the greatest sports property in the history of the world, but it’s not going to sell mass helmets to people watching on Sunday because 99% of those people don’t play football. It’s just a different opportunity set.”

Pickleball Inc. also holds stakes in The Picklr, a fast-growing facility franchiser, and DUPR, a player ratings system with more than 1 million users.

As participation continues to surge nationwide, Pickleball Inc. is betting that its integrated approach, from grassroots play to pro competition, can turn the fastest-growing sport in America into a global business powerhouse.

]]> pickleball.com/people/why-pro-pickleball-players-are-turning-to-pilates Victoria Radnothy Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0000 People pickleball.com/people/why-pro-pickleball-players-are-turning-to-pilates Athletes like Rachel Rohrabacher are using the low-impact workout to develop core strength, improve movement, and build power while reducing injury risk.

Pro pickleball athletes don’t just put in the work on the court—they’re dialing in their fitness off it, too. From cardio to yoga, their training routines are wide-ranging. But one workout, in particular, has become a favorite among the top women in the sport: Pilates.

Many of the game’s best are regularly hitting the mat or hopping on the reformer to build strength, stability, and control, all of which translate directly to their performance.

Players like Hurricane Tyra Black, Nicole Conard, Alex Walker, and Hannah Blatt are often spotted taking Pilates classes together, sharing glimpses of their sessions (and matching grip socks) on social media.

Rachel Rohrabacher also added Pilates to her routine, leaning into it after her trainer pushed her to prioritize strength work. 

“I have an amazing trainer at home who’s also my PT, and we’ve been working on a lot of bilateral and body weight. I don’t ever lift too much because I feel like that’s what gets me injured. We do a lot of bouncy, athletic moves, and reformer Pilates is my favorite,” said Rohrabacher. “Where I live in Tampa there’s more options for mat Pilates, but any Pilates is better than none.” 

Rohrabacher says it’s a great addition for pickleball players and athletes at any level.

“I recommend any kind of Pilates to everyone. I love that it’s a complete, full-body workout, and it’s incredible for your strength training and flexibility. You get to work out these tiny muscles that can prevent you from getting injured,” she explained. “It’s so important for anyone, but especially athletes who are constantly putting strain on our bodies every day.” 

 

 

 

 

 

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Rohrabacher has also noticed an improvement in the quality of her movement during matches, something she credits to Pilates.

“It’s taught me how to always activate my core the proper way. When you are doing any workout, your core should be activated, even if you’re doing a calf raise,” she emphasized. “Pilates has been so helpful in helping me train and get better.”

Core engagement is at the heart of Pilates. Rohrabacher and other pros have found that activating the kinetic chain through the core leads to more power on their swings, while also enhancing balance, mobility, flexibility, and range of motion.

“I definitely think it’s helping my game, even if it’s just on the mental side of things,” she noted. “I’ve found that it’s a workout that makes me feel good, and that is going to make me play better in the long run.” 

If you’ve been curious about Pilates, consider this your sign to give it a try and see how it can help you.

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.

]]> pickleball.com/learn/parris-todd-how-to-dink-in-pickleball-without-overthinking-it Guest Contributor Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000 Learn pickleball.com/learn/parris-todd-how-to-dink-in-pickleball-without-overthinking-it Gain expert insight on a key skill every player needs.

If you’re serious about improving in pickleball, sooner or later you run straight into the skill everyone talks about, but few actually master: the dink.

It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. It’s not the kind of shot that gets you clipped on social media. But it wins matches. And once you understand how to do it well and why it matters, everything else starts to settle down and you can start to trust your game.

Here’s a clean, honest breakdown of how to actually dink with purpose, control, and confidence.

Start with your stance: Low and balanced

The foundation of a good dink is simple: get low and stay balanced.

Bend your knees more than you think you need to. Keep your paddle out in front. Lean slightly forward, so your weight is ready to move.

If you’re upright or stiff, the ball controls you. When you’re low, you control the ball.

Use a short, calm stroke

Dinking is not a big swing. It’s not a drive. It’s not even half a swing.

Think compact:

• Minimal backswing
• Paddle face steady
• Contact slightly in front of your body
• Smooth follow-through, but small

A good dink feels almost like you’re pushing the ball or guiding it rather than hitting it. Soft hands matter here. The less tension you carry in your grip and shoulders, the more natural the shot becomes. You should really be holding the paddle at a 3/10 with your grip tightness.

Shape the ball over the net

A lot of players simply “tap” the ball, but great dinkers shape the ball.

Your goal is:

• Over the net with margin
• Landing in the kitchen
• Staying low on the opponent’s side

Aim for 6–12 inches over the net.

Move your feet, not your arms

Don’t reach. Move behind the ball with small, controlled steps.

Use cross-court dinks as your anchor

Cross-court gives you the longest distance and widest margin for error.

Stay patient and wait for the right ball

Dinking sets up the point. Wait for the pop-up.

Reset when needed

If you get pulled wide, stretched low, or out of position, reset.

Layer in depth and direction once you’re consistent

Add variety once the basics are automatic.

Don’t chase perfection

Great dinking isn’t glamorous, but it wins games.

]]> pickleball.com/news/mlp-st-petersburg-is-all-about-st-louis Jim Kloss Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 News pickleball.com/news/mlp-st-petersburg-is-all-about-st-louis Time to separate fact from fiction with what we learned in Florida, along with the latest trade rumors.

The St. Louis Shock made it two event wins in a row, adding a first place finish in St. Petersburg to their first-place finish in their last event in their hometown. St. Louis was dominant all week, winning 21 of 23 games played. They closed the action on Super Sunday with a three-game sweep of the LA Mad Drops. Time to separate fact from fiction with what we learned in St. Petersburg, and we will end with the latest trade rumors.

 

1. St. Louis is the best team. MOSTLY FACT

 

St. Louis has long been thought of as the most talented team. The current starting lineup is unchanged from the original free agent draft in 2024. Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Hayden Patriquin, and Gabe Tardio were a super solid team when drafted, and they are nothing if not even better today in 2026. Bright remains the best woman player not named Waters; Fahey has improved at doubles; Patriquin still appears to be the top challenger to Ben Johns at the top of the mountain; and, Gabe Tardio has cemented his status as the best right side player in the game. They are also very good at Dreambreakers. But, this team did not win it all in 2024 or 2025, falling short each year. For 2026, it has to be championship or bust for St. Louis.

 

The main challenger to St. Louis is New Jersey. Along with St. Louis, New Jersey has also won two MLP events in 2026. Anna Leigh Waters makes New Jersey a co-favorite with St. Louis. Expect St. Louis and New Jersey to grab the top two spots in the regular season standings, and it will surprise no one if they meet in the championship finals.

 

 

2. Columbus is not as good as we thought. FICTION

 

When Columbus traded for Tyra Black, they solidified their roster, with every starter now a clear top 10 player. But Columbus’ new roster stumbled in their first event together. Columbus opened MLP St. Petersburg with a close win over a decent Orlando squad, then had a closer than expected win over Miami. The surprise came in Columbus’ third match in group play against Palm Beach. Against Palm Beach, Columbus lost a tough women’s doubles game, won men’s doubles easily, but then surprisingly lost both mixed doubles games. The loss by Andrei Daescu and Parris Todd was the one that was the head-scratcher. Tyra Black is coming off an illness, so her losses can be attributed a bit perhaps to her not being at full strength. But Daescu and Todd have played a lot together and should not be losing key matches.

 

Columbus defeated Chicago easily on Sunday to finish a disappointing fifth in St. Petersburg. Columbus is averaging over 15 points per event, and will certainly finish in the top five in the regular season. I expect Columbus to improve as the season goes along and gel better as a team. I do not think they are the team we saw in St. Petersburg. I think they are a dangerous team that is capable of beating anyone come playoff time.

 

 

3. Palm Beach is a contender. FICTION

 

Palm Beach grabbed a surprising fourth place finish in St. Petersburg. Their finish was even more surprising as they had to play without Dekel Bar and then Tyson McGuffin twisted an ankle midway through the event. But even with two substitutes at times, Palm Beach put up a fight every match. They were led by their women’s doubles team of Sofia Sewing and Tina Pisnik, who were undefeated in the event. Sewing and Pisnik beat every team in pool play, and capped it all off with an 11-3 pasting of Brooklyn’s fine team of Rachel Rohrabacher and Jackie Kawamoto on Sunday. Palm Beach did not have the depth to hang with Brooklyn, but Sewing and Pisnik sent a message that they can beat just about anyone.

 

But the reality is that Palm Beach, even at full strength, does not have the top talent to be a threat to win it all. They are a solid playoff team, as we thought at the beginning of the year. They may now be competing to be as high as sixth in the regular season. They could even win a playoff matchup. But to win it all, they would have to defeat three of the top teams, and that is not going to happen. They are a nice story this week, but not a long term one.

 

 

4. LA needs a trade. FACT

 

With the Tyra Black trade, the top five teams (St. Louis, New Jersey, Columbus, LA, and Brooklyn) now have a monopoly on the 10 women generally considered to be the 10 best women players on the PPA Tour. On the men’s side, of the 10 men on the five teams, nine are generally considered to be among the dozen or so best players now on the PPA Tour. The one exception is Max Freeman, currently ranked #30 in men’s doubles. Not only is he an outlier, he is very much an outlier.

 

Freeman has actually played fairly well in the 2026 MLP events. But to some extent, he was exposed in St. Petersburg. Against St. Louis in the Sunday final, Patriquin and Tardio were able to focus on him. Ben Johns, who has been giving a solid effort in MLP so far this year, looked a bit dispirited on Sunday in the men’s match. Johns does have the habit of not giving full effort when his partner is not up to his high standards.

 

 

Gabe Tardio and Kate Fahey eliminated LA in the first mixed match, defeating Freeman and Catherine Parenteau 11-6 in a game that was not as close as the score might indicate. Freeman is a good player; you do not get to be #30 without being a good player. But, when measured against the top teams, which are made up of all of the very best players, Freeman is a step or two behind.

 

LA does have trade options. They need a right side men’s doubles player, who also is good at mixed doubles and is on a team that is not competing to win in 2026. Federico Staksrud and Dylan Frazier are two names that quickly come to mind. Either would elevate the talent level of LA and thus elevate Johns’ interest in playing hard. Without the trade, LA is capable of winning it all, but would at best be fourth choice. With one of the trades mentioned, LA would jump up to at least be even with Columbus and only a small notch below St. Louis and New Jersey.

 

5. Trade talk 

 

The MLP trade deadline is June 30. There is one more event prior to the deadline, MLP New York. But, nothing that happens in New York would appear likely to change the current outlook on trades, at least for the top teams.

 

St. Louis and Columbus are set. None of their starters are going anywhere. Brooklyn is likely set as well. That leaves New Jersey and LA as the two teams in the top five that could look to make a trade. LA, as discussed, should look to trade Freeman. Rumor has it that they have been offered Dylan Frazier for Freeman and cash. After seeing how LA played in St. Petersburg, LA would be foolish to not do this trade, unless they can get a better player than Frazier. The one real possibility is Federico Staksrud. Staksrud is stuck on an Orlando team going nowhere fast. Staksrud for Freeman and a boatload of cash makes a ton of sense.

 

New Jersey could look to stand pat or trade Noe Khlif. Khlif is a very good player, but he has been a little uncharacteristically shaky the last couple events. There seems to be some dysfunction in men’s doubles next to Will Howells. Howells, playing right side, has taken over more and more of the court, as Khlif has looked tentative. They are certainly capable of beating anyone, as they have shown, but they have also shown they can lose to anyone. A trade of Khlif for a top player would make some sense. The best target is JW Johnson of Dallas. Dallas cannot keep Johnson next year (under current rules), and could use cash to help draft a batter team in 2027. But rumor has it that Dallas is unwilling to trade Johnson to New Jersey, as Dallas is mad that New Jersey stole Jorja Johnson away in the 2026 draft. Of course, Dallas was outbid for Jorja by several teams, so being mad at New Jersey is counterproductive at best.

 

Other possible targets for New Jersey are Staksrud or Eric Oncins. Both would potentially upgrade New Jersey, while Orlando or Texas would benefit from getting to keep Khlif for 2027 and add some cash.

 

One complicating factor for trades of top players is the rumor that MLP will add a franchise player tag for 2027. Such a rule would allow each team to keep a player they would otherwise have to release. Such a tag, if implemented, should be limited to the very best players and would only make sense if combined with a player acquisition cap (or salary cap as it is more commonly known). But even with a cap and tag system, the tag number should be set very high, to discourage its overuse. Players like Johnson or Staksrud or Oncins should not be cap targets; instead, if implemented, it should be limited to players like Waters and Johns.

 

In any event, if we do not see the trades discussed above, and only see lower level teams and players traded before the deadline, blame the franchise tag rumor. These trades should happen, but some owners may be too timid to make the needed moves, instead holding on to players that should be traded for cash that is key to drafting a winning team in 2027.

 

MLP New York is next up, beginning Thursday. Watch it all, as usual, on Pickleballtv.

 

Follow me for the latest MLP news and rumors @pickleball_jim.

]]> pickleball.com/news/shock-stay-hot-sweep-mad-drops-for-second-time-to-win-mlp-st-petersburg Will Daughton Sun, 21 Jun 2026 22:45:00 +0000 News pickleball.com/news/shock-stay-hot-sweep-mad-drops-for-second-time-to-win-mlp-st-petersburg The St. Louis Shock have now won 11 matches in a row and have captured the Super Sunday Belt at their last two events in St. Louis and St. Petersburg.

When the St. Louis Shock and Los Angeles Mad Drops faced off at the first MLP event of the season last month, the Mad Drops triumphed with an epic comeback effort that ended with a tightly contested DreamBreaker. 

When they played again on the Shock’s home court in St. Louis, it was a different story as the Shock won in dominant 3-0 fashion. 

This week’s MLP St. Petersburg event set the stage for the two juggernauts to share the court once again, with the Super Sunday belt up for grabs in the Sunshine State. 

And in the contest to break the 1-1 tie of the season series, the Shock delivered a devastatingly impressive performance that ended with a second straight 3-0 sweep for St. Louis. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday’s encounter began just like the first two had, with the Shock winning both women’s doubles and men’s doubles. 

A notable change came in the mixed doubles order, however. 

The Shock’s Anna Bright/Hayden Patriquin had stepped out against the Mad Drops’ Jade Kawamoto/Ben Johns in the first two meetings (with a 1-1 record), but on Sunday, the first mixed doubles game featured LA’s Catherine Parenteau/Max Freeman taking on Kate Fahey/Gabe Tardio for St. Louis. 

Fahey/Tardio rose to the occasion with an 11-6 victory, avenging their prior loss against the duo to close out the encounter without even needing to see the second mixed doubles game. 

“It definitely added a little bit of pressure, but we’re confident that me and Kate can beat any team,” Tardio said of being in the first mixed doubles slot. “We’ve been playing really well, and they gave us the opportunity. We lost to Catherine and Max the last time we played them, so this one felt good.” 

With this result, St. Louis has now won 11 matches in a row and captured the Super Sunday Belt at two straight events. 

With only the Mid-Season Tournament and MLP Orlando remaining on his team’s regular season schedule, Shock owner and chairman Richard Chaifetz likes where his team is at as the playoffs come into view. 

“I’m just so proud of our players and am happy to be peaking now,” he said. “We have two Super Sunday wins in a row, and we’re looking forward to seeing what comes next for us at the Mid-Season Tournament.” 

Here is a look at the final standings from St. Petersburg: 

1. 1. St. Louis Shock: 25 points 

1. 2. Los Angeles Mad Drops: 18 points 

1. 3. Brooklyn Pickleball Team: 15 points 

1. 4. Palm Beach Royals: 12 points 

1. 5. Columbus Sliders: 10 points 

1. 6. Chicago Slice: 8 points 

1. 7. Utah Black Diamonds: 6 points 

1. 8. Texas Ranchers: 4 points 

1. 9. Orlando Squeeze: 1 point 

1. 10. Florida Smash: 1 point 

1. 11. Miami Pickleball Club: 0 points

 

The 2026 Major League Pickleball season continues this week at MLP New York presented by Cleary Gottlieb, which will run June 25-28 at Sportime Randall’s Island. 

Click here for tickets, and catch all the action on Pickleballtv. 

]]> pickleball.com/people/the-father-son-bond-fueling-cj-klingers-rise Victoria Radnothy Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:30:00 +0000 People pickleball.com/people/the-father-son-bond-fueling-cj-klingers-rise Darrin Klinger isn’t just guiding CJ’s game—he’s sharing the journey, one road trip at a time.

If you’re watching a tournament and see CJ Klinger at work, chances are his dad, Darrin Klinger, isn’t far away.

Beyond cheering from the sidelines, Darrin plays a pivotal role as CJ’s coach and was once his doubles partner before his son turned pro.

“When we first started playing pickleball, we actually played tournaments together for the first couple of years. I think we played 3.0 or 3.5 for our first couple of tournaments,” recalled Darrin. “Then I had to encourage him to go and play with the better and younger players. I had my day in the sun, and now it’s his turn. I had some injuries catching up with me, but we still hit a little bit and I can drill with him.” 

Darrin has been by CJ's side every step of the way.

“It’s always been just him and I,” noted Darrin. “He’s self-sufficient, but I try to take some stuff off his plate so he can focus on being a great teammate and what he needs to do on the court.”

 

 

 

 

 

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Though it comes with its challenges, Darrin is embracing life on the road.

“There’s nothing better,” he praised. “We don't take a moment for granted.” 

Given CJ’s rapid rise, it’s safe to say Darrin is doing something right in the mentorship department.

“We have a philosophy. We try to learn something from everybody, whether it’s what to do on the court play-wise or what not to do behavior-wise,” explained Darrin. “It’s one of the reasons I love MLP, because he’s surrounded by great teammates, great coaches, and it’s just a healthy environment.”

One unique aspect of this father-son duo is that whenever possible, they drive to PPA and MLP tour stops, turning their travel into road trips.

“We had an RV for about three years and we drove to a lot of the stops. We mostly fly now, but there’s a handful of stops we can drive to, so we take advantage of that,” said mentioned Darrin. “We make the most out of our road trips. We love listening to music and podcasts. It’s all part of the education. We also try not to do the obvious stuff as well. We do some museums and try to dig a little deeper and find out the different stuff, like what the city is known for or what the big industries are.”

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by CJ Klinger (@cjklinger_pb)

One of Darrin’s favorite memories came during a trip in May when they stopped at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on their way to the PPA Atlanta Pickleball Championships.

“We took a detour to because we love all kinds of music, but we really love country music. It was crazy because we were just chilling there and a family recognized CJ, so we had a good chat and took some photos,” he concluded. “We’re just not used to that, and it really doesn’t happen that often. It was such a random place to be recognized, but a very cool moment.”

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.

]]> pickleball.com/news/super-sunday-matchups-set-for-mlp-st-petersburg Will Daughton Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 News pickleball.com/news/super-sunday-matchups-set-for-mlp-st-petersburg The St. Louis Shock and Los Angeles Mad Drops will square off for the third time this season on Super Sunday in the Sunshine State.

The fifth event of the 2026 Major League Pickleball season has reached its final day of action, with four matches remaining to determine who will leave St. Pete Athletic with the most standings points.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by MLP Major League Pickleball (@majorleaguepb)

 

Here is a breakdown of how Super Sunday's matches will work, and how many points will be on the line in each contest:   

• Group A #1 v. Group B #1: Winner receives 25 standings points; loser gets 18   

• Group A #2 v. Group B #2: Winner receives 15 standings points; loser gets 12   

• Group A #3 v. Group B #3: Winner receives 10 standings points; loser gets 8   

• Group A #4 v. Group B #4: Winner receives 6 standings points; loser gets 4   

• 5th place teams receive 1 standings point each; 6th place team receives 0.

 

Here are the final group standings: 

Group A 

1. 1. Los Angeles Mad Drops (4-0) 

1. 2. Brooklyn Pickleball Team (3-1) 

1. 3. Chicago Slice (2-2) 

1. 4. Utah Black Diamonds (1-3) 

1. 5. Florida Smash (0-4)

 

Group B 

1. 1. St. Louis Shock (5-0) 

1. 2. Palm Beach Royals (3-2) 

1. 3. Columbus Sliders (3-2) 

1. 4. Texas Ranchers (2-3) 

1. 5. Orlando Squeeze (2-3) 

1. 6. Miami Pickleball Club (0-5)

 

And finally, here are Sunday’s matchups: 

• #4 Matchup: Utah Black Diamonds (A) v. Texas Ranchers (B) 

• #3 Matchup: Chicago Slice (A) v. Columbus Sliders (B) 

• #2 Matchup: Brooklyn Pickleball Team (A) v. Palm Beach Royals (B) 

• #1 Matchup: Los Angeles Mad Drops (A) v. St. Louis Shock (B)

 

The action starts at 10am ET on Pickleballtv. 

]]> pickleball.com/news/mlp-st-petersburg-group-standings-after-day-3 Will Daughton Sat, 20 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000 News pickleball.com/news/mlp-st-petersburg-group-standings-after-day-3 While making his MLP debut, Casey Diamond helped the Palm Beach Royals beat the Columbus Sliders in one of the most entertaining matches of the season.

The third day of MLP St. Petersburg is in the books, so let’s look at the group standings after Friday’s matches.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by MLP Major League Pickleball (@majorleaguepb)

 

As a reminder, the top 4 teams in each group will have a chance to compete for standings points on Super Sunday in the Sunshine State.

Here is a breakdown of how Sunday’s matches will work and how many standings points will be up for grabs:  

• Group A #1 v. Group B #1: Winner receives 25 standings points; loser gets 18   
• Group A #2 v. Group B #2: Winner receives 15 standings points; loser gets 12   
• Group A #3 v. Group B #3: Winner receives 10 standings points; loser gets 8   
• Group A #4 v. Group B #4: Winner receives 6 standings points; loser gets 4   
• 5th place teams receive 1 standings point each; 6th place team receives 0.

 

And here are the group standings:  

Group A

1. 1. Brooklyn Pickleball Team (3-0)
2. 2. Los Angeles Mad Drops (2-0)
3. 3. Chicago Slice (2-1)
4. 4. Florida Smash (0-3)
5. 5. Utah Black Diamonds (0-3)

 

Group B

1. 1. St. Louis Shock (3-0)
2. 2. Palm Beach Royals (3-1)
3. 3. Columbus Sliders (2-1)
4. 4. Texas Ranchers (2-2)
5. 5. Orlando Squeeze (1-3)
6. 6. Miami Pickleball Club (0-4)

 

Group play from the fifth regular season event continues Saturday at 9:00am ET, and live broadcast coverage will be available on Pickleballtv.

]]> pickleball.com/blogs/team-events-within-a-tournament-live-walkthrough-webinar Tyrece Warner Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:30:00 +0000 Blogs pickleball.com/blogs/team-events-within-a-tournament-live-walkthrough-webinar

Team Events Within A Tournament: Live Walkthrough

Team events are changing the way pickleball tournaments are played — and now you can run them with ease on PickleballTournaments.com.

Whether you're a tournament director looking to add a team format to your next event or you want to understand how the feature works before you commit, this live walkthrough is built for you. We'll go step by step through setting up, customizing, and managing team events directly inside your tournament so you leave the session ready to run one yourself.

Stay for the live Q&A and get your specific questions answered in real time.

Webinar Details

🗓️ Date: June 23rd
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM CT
🔗 Register Your Spot

What You'll Learn

We'll cover how team events work within a tournament on PickleballTournaments.com, including how to set one up from scratch and customize it to fit your tournament structure. You'll also learn how to manage teams, rosters, and brackets once registration is open, along with best practices for keeping everything running smoothly on tournament day and how to handle any updates or changes without disrupting the event.

Why This Matters

Team events add a new dimension to tournaments — deeper competition, stronger community, and a format that players genuinely get excited about. But setting them up incorrectly can create headaches on game day.

This session is designed to take the guesswork out of the process. When you know exactly how the tools work, you can build team events with confidence before registration opens, avoid common setup mistakes, give your players a smoother experience, and spend less time troubleshooting and more time running a great tournament.

Live Q&A Included

Have a specific tournament in mind? Bring your questions. We'll be answering live during the session so you can get direct clarity on your setup and learn from other tournament directors at the same time.

Ready to See It in Action?

If you're planning to add team events to your next tournament — or just want to understand the format before you decide — this walkthrough will give you everything you need to move forward with confidence. Don't wait until tournament day to figure it out.

🔗 REGISTER FOR YOUR SPOT 

]]> pickleball.com/people/gio-morelli-finds-her-happy-place-on-the-pickleball-court Victoria Radnothy Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:15:00 +0000 People pickleball.com/people/gio-morelli-finds-her-happy-place-on-the-pickleball-court From grinding through qualifiers to funding her own journey, the rising star shares what it really takes to make it on tour.

Becoming a signed pro pickleball player is anything but easy. The path grows more competitive each year, with more talent entering the sport and raising the bar.

Gio Morelli, joined the PPA Tour last year, offered a glimpse into her path to the pros.

Coming from a tennis background, she was initially skeptical of pickleball.

“About a year and a half ago, I was working at a country club in West Palm, Florida and one of our members said I should start playing pickleball. I play tennis, and I honestly laughed at the idea at first. Then, I started playing like once a week and I loved it. I picked it up pretty quickly,” recapped Morelli. 

“I was 100% one of those tennis players that hated pickleball. My parents played pickleball, so I thought it was a sport for old people, but I really like the fast pace of the game. I’m not super tall, so in tennis I always had a hard time covering the court. I like the smaller pickleball court and the fast game.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by gio morelli💗 (@gio__morelli)

From that point on, Morelli was hooked.

“I just feel the happiest I’ve ever felt in my entire life playing pickleball,” she said. “I like how quickly players can improve, so it helps motivate me to practice because I always can get a little bit better.”

Once Morelli felt ready to compete, she jumped straight into qualifiers.

“I played in the qualifiers for about six months, and then I got signed in September 2025,” she mentioend. “I’m still so young, and you only live once, so I was going to go for it and try to go pro.” 

The qualifying rounds, however, proved to be a battle.

“It was exhausting, but I wanted to invest in myself. I was funding it completely on my own, so it gave me a little bit more incentive and motivation to work really hard to be there,” emphasized Morelli. “I also didn’t have the pressure to make anyone else proud. This was all for myself.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by gio morelli💗 (@gio__morelli)

To help fund her career, Morelli now coaches pickleball at her country club.

“I’m on the court teaching pickleball for seven hours a day, which is how I afford traveling to tournaments,” she explained. “I try to drill at least once a day, but It’s a grind.”

With a pro contract secured, what guidance does Morelli have for aspiring pros?

“Work hard. Nothing is automatically given to you. And everyone is on different timelines. There were times when I was beating myself up because I saw other people getting signed or getting drafted to MLP, and I was still grinding in the qualifying rounds,” she concluded. “It’s all about trusting that everyone is on a different timeline and your time will come.” 

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.

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