The St. Louis Shock has established itself as one of the most dominant teams in Major League Pickleball, thanks in large part to a star-studded core featuring Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Hayden Patriquin, and Gabe Tardio.

The group has competed together for three years, and that shared history has helped create one of the strongest team bonds in the league. But the Shock’s tight-knit chemistry wasn’t built overnight.

It took time for this version of the Shock to develop. Bright and Fahey recently opened up about the team’s early days on a podcast, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how their camaraderie began to take shape.

Tardio and Fahey did not get along at the start. 

“Gabe was terrible our first year. He was such a jerk,” said Bright. 

When Fahey got engaged, she wasn’t sure if Tardio would be invited to the wedding. 

“I remember thinking, do I have to invite the other guy on our team?” admitted Fahey. 

In the end, Tardio and the rest of the Shock attended Fahey’s wedding last year.

But the squad started off with a lot of tension between Fahey and Tardio. 

“I won a singles tournament, the Shock posted a picture of the medal winners on their Instagram, and Gabe commented ‘Yeah, the event that no one cares about,’” said Fahey.

“I think that’s how Gabe shows affection, by kind of being a jerk, especially because it was Kate’s first year playing pro. She’s brand new and she didn’t even have a PPA contract for a while. And Gabe is just calling her bad at doubles all the time,” added Bright. 

“I remember Andrei Daescu came up to me three years ago and said, ‘Maybe we can play mixed together? Gabe always tells me you suck, but I think you’re not bad.’ And Gabe was my mixed partner,” said Fahey. 

Tardio didn’t go easy on Fahey in her early days on the Shock.

“Do you remember our first practice with Gabe?” asked Bright. “Kate came to Florida to play with Will Howells, Gabe, and I, and we played four times in one day. For the last session of the day, we played mixed and we were so tired.”

“I popped every ball up, I played so bad. Will was really nice about it, saying don’t worry it’s just practice. But Gabe stormed off. He said, ‘I’m not playing with this chick,’” recapped Fahey.  

“I told Gabe I promise she’s better. We were doing really well today in women’s. And later that day, Gabe went to Hayden and said, ‘We’re screwed. Kate isn’t good,’” said Bright. 

A month later, the four Shock teammates played again and Fahey had a better day on the practice court. Patriquin started to see what Bright saw in Fahey. And eventually, so did Tardio.

Now, the Shock are one of the strongest teams in the game, Tardio and Fahey have countless wins under their belts, and the Shock are top contenders to win the Finals.

This team has certainly come a long way in a few seasons. 

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

“I’ve always loved grassroots marketing, and when I started with the company, I was trying to think outside the box. I love getting into the community and having those face-to-face interactions with players,” said Weiner, PB5star’s events and account manager and the van’s primary driver. “So I loved the idea about getting a sprinter van, getting it wrapped, and driving it around to promote PB5star to the local community players. I pitched the idea to our CEO, Chris Gallagher, and he gave me the go-ahead to test drive some vans.”

“Of course, I had to go with a Mercedes. Chris jokes that I have good taste, but the Mercedes definitely drove the best,” she mentioned. “After that, I went on the road and test drove it for about 3,000 miles to show proof of concept in Florida.”

Weiner has brought the van to major pickleball tournaments across Florida, connecting with players and helping them find the right court shoes.

“It’s actually gone kind of viral in Florida. People are responding to the ads saying they bought shoes off the van and asking me to come to their courts now. It’s been really cool to become the face of the van,” she explained. “Once I hit all the big areas in Florida, we were thinking of what else we could do and where we could go with the van, and that’s how the road trip came to be.” 

There’s no question this grassroots approach is paying off for Weiner and the PB5star team. Seeing an ad for the latest shoes on Instagram is one thing, but getting to try them on and test them in person is a completely different experience.

These days, my feed is flooded with ads from paid influencers who don’t always feel authentic. That’s why it’s so refreshing to show up at a local pickleball court, shake hands with Weiner, and hear her passion firsthand as she advocates for proper footwear.

I saw it in action during one of their road trip stops. The moment Weiner and Farnsworth arrived with their bright green shoe boxes, players immediately started trying them on. Within minutes, more people drifted over, curious and eager to learn.

And that was just one small glimpse of the impact.

“That’s a big trend the team noticed. With the rise of AI and everything becoming digital and fake, you don’t know what’s real and what’s not. I think there’s a real craving for real-life interactions. That’s what pickleball gives so many people. When you play pickleball, you’re so in the moment that you can’t get stressed about the craziness of the digital media world or what else is going on off the court. You’re just in the moment with people,” said Farnsworth. “It’s amazing for people to almost go back to analog and just be human again, and that’s what pickleball does.”

Follow their journey on Instagram. And to keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow Pickleball.com on Instagram.

The paddle landscape has changed so much over the past five years that it may be hard to even know what constitutes a control paddle these days, and why the heck you might play one. Truthfully, paddles that were once considered all-court are now control paddles by comparison to the modern game. The meta has shifted without a doubt, but it's not just power that's received the upgrade. The advancements in core technology and surface grit retention have paved the way for the most precise and forgiving paddles that we've ever seen, and they certainly still have a place in slowing down this fast-paced game alongside some of the most tried and tested paddles on the market.

Here's our top 5 favorite control paddles right now.

1. 11Six24 Jelly Bean 2

Who says control paddles don't deserve the latest tech? Not 11six24, that's for sure. The Jelly Bean 2 features a full foam floating core with their best in class durable "Hex Grit" surface treatment, a combo we've only ever seen on power paddles. While it's a little pricier than it's predecessor, the original Jelly Bean, the benefits in surface and core durability are well worth it. Top tier spin, forgiveness, durability, and control in a single paddle, we love to see it. 

Learn More Launching 8/21 - Use Code PADDLEREPORT to save

2. Selkirk LUXX Infinigrit

The original LUXX was one of the best control paddles ever made, but its grit wore down quickly, making it harder to consistently land tight-corner topspin shots as the paddle aged. Infinigrit, Selkirk's proprietary long-lasting grit technology, is the upgrade that keeps everything that made the LUXX great while finally solving the spin-durability problem.

Shop Now

3. Chorus Shapeshifter

Lightweight, effortlessly controlled, with just enough of a power boost on harder swings to stay competitive when a firefight breaks out at the net — plus good spin potential. It comes in three shapes, so there's a fit for most playstyles. 

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4. PIKKL Hurricane Pro 16mm

One of the pioneering long handle/widebody shaped paddles on tour, the Hurricane Pro gives phenomenal ball shaping and forgiveness with plenty of space for a second hand on the paddle Players looking for a little more pop in this zippy shape should try the 14mm that is still a control/all-court paddle just with a little more responsiveness.

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5. JOOLA Hyperion CFS 16mm

The OG. When it launched, the Hyperion CFS 16 played closer to an all-court/power paddle — but the game has moved so much since then that it reads as control now. A huge sweet spot, a fantastic handle, good spin, and a great warranty make it a workhorse pick for players who want something that's proven it can hold up over time.

Shop Now

Marisa Farnsworth and Alex Weiner are driving the PB5star van across the U.S. for a pickleball road trip of a lifetime.

Trekking from Florida to California, they’re stopping at some of the biggest hotspots and sites in the sport while promoting their court shoes with a grassroutes marketing approach. 

Farnsworth, the senior director of marketing and e-commerce, and Weiner, the events and account manager, hit the road Wednesday.

“We have a van that Alex drives to events and some of the bigger tournaments in Florida. We wanted to take the van over to the West Coast for a season, and I thought why don’t we drive the van across the country and find pickleball spots along the way?” explained Farnsworth. “We started in Palm Beach. That’s where the van is kept. And we went straight to Fort Lauderdale, then we went to Naples, then St. Pete, and we got to The Villages late last night.”

And that was only Day 1. 

So far, Farnsworth and Weiner were incredibly impressed by St. Pete Athletic Club. 

“That’s the nicest, bougiest athletic club. I love that it’s so focused on pickleball and every detail was so beautiful there,” praised Farnsworth. “We saw some pros training there, and that was so cool to see.”

Over the next few weeks, Farnsworth and Weiner will travel to Pensacola, New Orleans, Houston, Austin, and Dallas, before heading to New Mexico, Arizona, before finishing their route in Santa Monica, California.  

Even in the early stages of the trip, they’re already realizing their timeline may be more flexible than expected.

“We’re covering 20 cities in 16 days, but we’ve already learned that the timeline we’ve made for ourselves might not be perfectly followed. For example, last night we were supposed to get in at 6pm and we didn’t get in until 10pm,” mentioned Farnsworth. “I love the quote ‘Learn by doing.’ We took five weeks to plan this, and we’re excited to get closer with our customers and have those face-to-face interactions and connect with people on the court. We’ve already learned that our stops take twice as long as we thought they would and we’ve already had to stop at Best Buy to buy some tech we needed. Each day is a new experience and something different.”

Despite the scale of the journey, Farnsworth and Weiner have only spent about 48 hours together in person. With Farnsworth based in California and Weiner in Florida, they’re now diving headfirst into life on the road together for the next few weeks.

“It’s only Day 2, but we’re doing all right,” said Weiner. “We’re both pretty easygoing. We have some rules like whoever is driving gets to pick whatever music or podcast we’re listening to.” 

This is no small undertaking. With families and loved ones back home, the timing aligned well for both of them.

“We’re both at the right stage in our life. Alex isn’t married and doesn’t have kids yet, so she’s got a little bit of freedom,” noted Farnsworth. “Both my kids are in college and my husband and I work from home, so it was an easy time for me to get away.”

Looking ahead, both are especially excited about their upcoming stops in Texas.

“I’ve never been to Austin,” said Weiner. “I know the food scene is really good, and the workout and fitness scene is amazing, so I’m looking forward to checking it all out.”

The PB5star team is already thinking beyond this trip, too, with hopes that their sprinter van won’t be parked for long once this journey wraps.

“We’re calling it “The Pickleball Route” and we’re hoping that people will follow along,” concluded Farnsworth. “If it all works out, we’d love to do different legs or take different routes, maybe from the southwest to the Pacific Northwest.”

As the PB5star van makes its way through some of the sport’s biggest hotspots, this feels like just the beginning. And it’s a journey worth following every mile of the way.

Follow their trip on Instagram. And to keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow Pickleball.com on Instagram.

While Major League Pickleball kept it official with just two season awards—Most Valuable Player and Most Improved—Anna Bright took things into her own hands, creating 10 unofficial honors and breaking them down on her YouTube channel.

Her categories are:

1. 1. MVP
2. 2. Most Improved
3. 3. Rookie of the Year
4. 4. Impact Player of the Year 
5. 5. Crashout of the Year
6. 6. DreamBreaker of the Year
7. 7. Best GM
8. 8. Best Trade
9. 9. Best Moment
10. 10. Most Annoying Bench
11.  

Most Valuable Player – Anna Leigh Waters

For Bright, she agrees with MLP that Anna Leigh Waters should win the MVP because “there is no argument for anyone other than Anna Leigh.”

“Her record this year is an astounding 60-4, which is somehow better than it was last year,” added Bright. “As her friend, I’m really happy for her, but as her competitor, when she’s Fives uniform, it’s pretty annoying how good she is.”

Most Improved – Kate Fahey

Bright works closely with Fahey on the St. Louis Shock, so Bright has a front-row seat to Fahey’s improvement on the court. 

“Kate is ranked No. 4 in the player standings at the moment. She’s a huge reason for the Shock’s ascent,” noted Bright. “She has always been good, but she has gotten so much better from last season to this season. That’s particularly in our women’s doubles results.”

Rookie of the Year – Sofia Sewing

Bright believes that Danni-Elle Townsend and Sofia Sewing are the top two contenders due to their impressive win streaks and how they’ve positively impacted their teams.

“My pick is Sofia. I lost twice to Sofia and I’ve been really impressed with her level,” praised Bright. “I think she has just been incredible for the Palm Beach Royals. She has a better record and higher in the player standings than Danni.”  

Impact Player of the Year – Jackie Kawamoto

“This is the player who’s had the biggest impact on the team relative to the other players,” said Bright. “There’s only one player who I’d consider for this award, and it’s Jackie Kawamoto.”

Bright called Brooklyn “the most unlucky MLP team in the league,” and Jackie has been their steady rock throughout the season. And even more impressively, Kawamoto also juggles a full-time job while competing in MLP. Kawamoto’s impact is nothing but positive for Brooklyn.

DreamBreaker Clutch – John Lucian Goins

This is the category for the type of player on an MLP team that comes into play during a DreamBreaker, and they perform incredibly. Bright revealed that she actually has the best win percentage in all of MLP DreamBreakers against the players who’ve competed in at least three DreamBreakers.  

However, she’s not giving the award to herself—it’s going to Goins.

“I would give it to him over myself because he plays in the first position and as I play in the fourth,” said Bright. “John has played in more DreamBreakers, and he’s had to be a clutch god when their entire season was on the line.”

Crashout of the Year – Meghan Dizon

“MLP brings us a lot of crashouts, but for me, the clear winner for Crashout of the Year is Meghan Dizon firing a ball right at Emma Nelson at a short range right after she got hit in the face,” mentioned Bright. “It’s definitely not something Meghan should have done at all. It’s really inexcusable. But it was a good crashout.”

Best General Manager – Zane Navratil

For Bright, it’s between Zane Navratil, who’s more of a player-GM with the Chicago Slice, Ryan Harwood from the New Jersey 5s, and Johnny Goldberg from the Miami Pickleball Club. 

Bright’s giving it to Navratil for helping lead his team to victory even when the odds were stacked against them. 

“I’m giving it to Zane over Ryan because it’s harder to know what to do to set your team up for success when you’re not already a top two team in the league,” said Bright. “Zane set up the Chicago Slice very well for future success.”

Best Trade of the Year – The Dallas Flash

Bright defines this category by prioritizing the trade that most immediately impacted winning and most significantly transformed a team before and after the deal.

“The Danni-Elle trade is the one that really changed things. The Dallas Flash seemed to lack identity and purpose. Mark Molthan traded away Tyra in exchange for Danni-Elle, a relatively unknown Aussie, and it absolutely paid off. That trade completely reinvigorated the Dallas Flash. They seem to be very close and won their last two regular season events,” explained Bright. “That was a really impressive move from Mark.”

Best Moment of the Year – Elsie Hendershot

“Elsie Hendershot in MLP Orlando coming in and clinching the DreamBreaker for the Chicago Slice to ultimately keep their playoff hopes alive was by far the best moment,” identified Bright. 

Bright, Fahey, and the rest of Hendershot’s former team watched the whole moment live, and it was truly special. 

“With the crowd chanting her name, I’m getting chills just talking about it. You really couldn’t script it any better,” described Bright. “Kate and I were so proud of her. We were tearing up. MLP gives people the opportunity to show up on the big stage in a way. For me, I don’t think there’s any moment from this season that’s going to top that.”

Most Annoying Bench – Texas Ranchers 

Bright clarified that annoying doesn’t mean bad. She would rather have a bench that’s annoying over a bench that doesn’t care. Bright thinks the top contenders are the Shock, the Fives, and the Texas Ranchers. 

“My team is the least annoying it’s ever been,” she said. “I think we’re probably still pretty annoying, but I don’t have a problem with saying that.”

The Fives’ clown collective show up with enthusiasm for their team, but Bright is giving the award to the Ranchers.

“The main thing that’s annoying about the Ranchers' bench is that they have a trifecta of women who are both very loud and very high-pitched,” concluded Bright. “But annoying is not bad. I have no problem with it personally. I just think it’s funny. You’d rather have annoying than a bench who doesn’t want to be there.” 

What do you think of Bright’s winners? Let us know on Instagram.

The MLP playoffs are heating up on AND off the court.

Jimmy Miller and Adam Stone break down a drama-filled opening round in Dallas, including Zane Navratil's viral confrontation with Casey Diamond, the blue card that followed, Dekel Bar's reaction, and the backstory that may explain why things got so heated in the first place.

Then it's time to look ahead to Newport Beach. The guys break down all four second-round playoff matchups and explain why the New Jersey Fives chose Palm Beach, whether the Texas Ranchers have a realistic path to upsetting the St. Louis Shock, and why the LA Mad Drops' decision to select the red-hot Dallas Flash could come back to haunt them.

In this episode: 

- Zane Navratil's viral scream at Casey Diamond
- The Zane, Casey Diamond & Dekel Bar drama explained
- What Adam witnessed firsthand after the match
- SoCal pushes Brooklyn to a DreamBreaker
- Will McKinnon and Kaitlyn Campbell's breakout performances
- Why the New Jersey Fives chose Palm Beach
- Can the Texas Ranchers upset the St. Louis Shock?
- Did the LA Mad Drops make a mistake choosing Dallas?
- JW Johnson and the Flash enter Newport on a 14-match winning streak
- How Rachel Rohrabacher's health could change the playoffs
- Columbus Sliders vs. Brooklyn breakdown
- Jimmy and Adam's MLP playoff predictions 

The road to the MLP championship continues in Newport Beach, and Jimmy and Adam break down which favorites should advance—and where the next big upset could be waiting.

Visit https://polymarket.com to see pickleball prediction markets and put money on your favorite teams and players.

Visit https://pickleball.com for weekly pro pickleball analysis, news, interviews, and tournament coverage.

Looking to elevate your pickleball footwear game? If you’re still playing in running shoes or casual sneakers, it’s time to invest in a high-quality pair of court shoes designed specifically for pickleball. The right footwear not only improves performance but also helps reduce your risk of injury.

With so many options on the market, it can be tough to know where to start. I haven’t tested every shoe out there, but this list features my top picks—pairs I’ve personally worn on the court or come highly recommended by trusted sources.

You’ll notice some major brands are missing, including Adidas, JOMA, Selkirk, and Head. That’s simply because I haven’t had firsthand experience with their pickleball shoes yet. With that said, let’s dive into the pairs that stand out.

K-Swiss 

If you’re looking for a quality pickleball shoe that supports your pickleball game, then K-Swiss is a great place to start. 

K-Swiss pickleball shoes are supportive, more structured, and they’re my go-to favorite when I’m playing singles and I’m looking for maximum durability on the court. 

They come in so many different colors and sizes, so you can definitely find the best shoe for you. 

For women’s sizes, I currently own the K-Swiss Hyper Court and I really like them. While I haven’t tried the K-Frame shoes, I love the purple and white color combo, and if they’re as good as their other shoes, then they’d be perfect. 

For the men, I recommend the express light pickleball shoe because of their lightweight feel. They’re a best-seller for very good reason. I also really like the khaki colored shoes for the guys. These would elevate any pickleball fit to a 10 out of 10.  

Pickleballtv broadcaster and coach Matt Manasse also loves K-Swiss shoes. Often wearing them with a suit to interview the stars of the game, Manasse is a big fan of K-Swiss shoes. Rumor has it, he might even be working on some signature shoes. 

However, if you do like a softer, more flexible shoe, these might not be the shoe for you because they’re more stiff and sturdy. But for someone like me who likes a structured feel, these are my favorite. I highly recommend K-Swiss.

JOOLA Pickleball Shoes

The JOOLA R4LLY court shoe are a great pickleball shoe for pickleball players. These are Ben Johns’ pickleball shoes. And they’re also trusted by the other top players in the game, including Kate Fahey, Federico Staksrud, and Brooke Buckner. 

I prefer the white and black JOOLA shoes for the men’s sizes. But if you’re looking for a pop of color, the lime green can spruce up a pickleball fit. 

And for women, I love the sleek all-white JOOLA shoe. I’m already looking forward to more colorways hitting the market because if they’re trusted by the best in the game, you know they’re going to be a high-quality shoe. 

Skechers

Skechers are the experts in shoes, so of course they’re making an appearance on the best pickleball shoe list. Trusted by top pros like Tyson McGuffin and Catherine Parenteau, you know they’re good enough for us. 

For women, I personally like the Viper court pro 2.0. It’s a classic design that’s been perfected for pickleball play. They have a more flexible feel compared to the K-Swiss, but still maintain their structure with high-quality durability. 

They also come in fun colors. I love this white and pink colorway and this coral and purple edition for a nice pop of color. 

For the guys, you can’t beat a black or white shoe to keep things sleek. But if you’re looking for something more bold like McGuffin, these yellow or blue ones would make him proud. 

Skechers creates versatile shoes that I recommend to every pickleball player, from the singles specialist training to turn pro to the rec casual players looking for good support. 

PB5Star 

One of my favorite pickleball shoe brands is PB5Star. I have recommended these shoes to everyone at my court because they’re a great all-around shoe. 

Like all the other shoes on this list, PB5Star shoes are so comfortable, durable, and have the prettiest colorways for both men and women’s sizes. 

For women, I own the Court2 shoe in white and pink and I absolutely adore them. I recently converted my women’s doubles partner to the all-white option and they’re her go-to shoe. And my mixed partner owns the men’s navy blue Court2 and loves them.

PB5star is an underrated pickleball shoe. Seriously, not enough people are wearing them.

SQAIRZ

Another shoe trusted by pro pickleball athletes like Zane Navratil and Ava Ignatowich, SQAIRZ has a unique design element to their shoes. They have a patented toe box for a roomier feel and are specifically designed to maximize lateral movement.

For women, the pink and white SQAIRZ are a charming addition to your footwear game. But they also have a gorgeous blue, sage, and light brown, which are all so stunning. 

And for men, these vibrant shoes are a win. Also, the fact that these shoes sell quickly proves to me that pickleball players are loving the SQAIRZ. 

I personally can attest to playing in the SQAIRZ XRZ shoes, and they have a much more lightweight and flexible shoe than others on the list. If you’re looking for a pickleball shoe like that, these would be a great place to start.  

There are so many great pickleball shoes on Pickleball Central, so I highly recommend starting your search there. And if you want to score a discount, shop Pickleball Central using this link to automatically get the best deal on everything in your shopping cart. 

Click here to shop my full shoe list. And to keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.

In this edition of Fans Want to Know, Dave Fleming asks Danni-Elle Townsend burning questions. Townsend recaps her time training for Pickleball in Australia, her experience getting traded, and what her mindset is for her career.

Top 4 overall storylines for the quarterfinal round of the playoffs (one per matchup):

• How will the men for the New Jersey Fives be utilized against the Palm Beach Royals?

• Will the St. Louis Shock sweep the Texas Ranchers as the favorites?

• Who will win the head to head showdowns across all disciplines between the LA Mad Drops’ Ben Johns and the Dallas Flash’s JW Johnson? 

• Will Rachel Rohrabacher play women’s doubles and mixed for the Brooklyn Pickleball Team against the defending champion Columbus Sliders?

Storylines per matchup in Newport Beach:

New Jersey Fives (1) vs. Palm Beach Royals (7)

New Jersey Fives: As the #1 seeds, they chose Palm Beach due to matchups (Sewing/Pisnik are the strength of the Royals, but the #1 team in MLP is the Fives’ Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson). Can Federico Staksrud make the same impact in men’s that he has made so far in mixed?

Palm Beach Royals: Can the fellas find their best level of the year? The Royals went with the hot hand of Casey Diamond in Dallas (Tyson McGuffin did not play). Will that be the plan in Newport? 

St. Louis Shock (2) vs. Texas Ranchers (8)

St. Louis Shock: Will they treat this matchup like a business trip and cruise into NYC? Their challenge in the playoffs the last two years has been getting upset in the semis - this round has not been a problem. 

Texas Ranchers: Can Eric Oncins go wild and win his 2 doubles games to force a DreamBreaker? If so, the Ranchers have a good chance to win in the singles corral, with the formidable women’s duo of Kaitlyn Christian and Lea Jansen.

Los Angeles Mad Drops (3) vs. Dallas Flash (7)

Los Angeles Mad Drops: What’s the utilization of their personnel? The same as Orlando? If Garnett/Parenteau falter early, will Freeman get added to mixed? NOTE: Ben Johns LOST his 2 doubles matchups in San Diego to the Flash and they still made it to a DreamBreaker, ultimately losing 21-17. NOTE 2: Garnett not on the team for that matchup. 

Dallas Flash: LA chose this team: RED HOT. 13 straight match wins. Beat LA last time, also in California. Chip on their shoulder from 2025 playoff loss. Can they carry the momentum to Cali again and will the Flickwizard, JW Johnson, be the difference? 

Columbus Sliders (4) vs. Brooklyn Pickleball Team (5)

Columbus Sliders: Defending Champs. Played their last match on July 19th, a loss to Dallas on Super Sunday with a chance to claim the belt. Will rust or rest prevail? And will their “Peak in August” mantra deliver again in 2026? 

Brooklyn Pickleball Team: Incredibly, they did not play Columbus in 2026, so zero H2H history. Can Alshon dominate his 2 games to force at least a DreamBreaker? And if so, can Chris Haworth resemble his “best singles player in the world” status in the playoffs? He is just 46-45 in DreamBreaker points in MLP so far this season.

The Paddle Report, July 2026

PADDLE SNAPSHOT Six Zero Coral Pro The original Coral was already one of the easiest all-court paddles to recommend, so the bar for a follow-up was high, but the Coral Pro clears it. This is a UPA-A only version of a category leader, built around a grittier diamond tough surface with roughly double the diamond dust of the original, and the result is a paddle that holds its spin better than almost anything on the market. That durability is a HUGE deal, because you're not just buying spin, you're buying spin that sticks around long after a lesser surface has gone slick. If you're looking to level up your game with a paddle that's more balance than bazooka that is built to last, this is it. And the spin? It'll have you hunting topspin on shots that absolutely did not need it in the best way. View Paddle

DEEP DIVE How is the OWL USAP Approved? If you've ever hit against an OWL, you know the puzzle: a surface that feels more like felt than sandpaper, producing some of the nastiest spin in the sport. So how did a paddle like that pass the Starrett roughness test, the same one that's gotten multiple paddles delisted? The short answer is that it didn't. It never took it. The OWL received a provisional approval that USAP kept internal, and that provisional status has secretly functioned as full tournament approval for more than two years while an entire product line launched underneath it. We put our questions directly to USAP, and their CTO Carl Schmits answered on the record. His answers are in the full deep dive, along with the timeline and the documents. Put on your tinfoil hat and dig in. Read the Full Breakdown

Swingweight & Twistweight: The Practical Guide Two numbers show up in every paddle review, and they tell you far more about how a paddle actually plays than the static weight ever will. Swing weight is how heavy the paddle feels when you swing it, driven by where the weight sits, not just how much there is. Twist weight is how well the face resists twisting on off-center hits, which makes a huge difference in forgiveness. The catch is that neither number means anything until you know the shape you're holding, because heavy on a widebody can be dead average on an elongated. That's exactly why we built a quick-reference table: pick your shape, find your numbers, and know before you buy. Learn More

POLL Have you played with/against an Owl Paddle? Click an option below to vote and see results: Yes, those things are awesome Yes, those things probably shouldn't be legal Yes, I wasn't that impressed No, not interested No, but now I really want to try one

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A new brand is stepping onto the backs of the world’s top players: J. Pritchard.

Founded by twin brothers Steve and Darren Gable, the brand was born after they discovered pickleball in 2020 and saw an opportunity to elevate the sport’s apparel while honoring its rich history.

Named after Joel Pritchard, one of pickleball’s founders, J. Pritchard pays tribute to the game’s roots. Darren has also shared the story behind how they secured the name of one of pickleball’s most influential figures. 

“The Pritchards invented the sport. We wanted to be the most authentic brand on the market,” he said. “By working with the founding family, we wanted to share this beautiful story.”

Without any personal ties to the Pritchard family, however, they had to get creative to make it happen.

“We talked to an IP lawyer, we found a phone number, and we had no idea if it was connected to them or not. My brother called this number and he left a heartfelt message on their answering machine where he said, ‘My brother and I want to pay homage to what your family has done for this sport,’” recalled Darren. “We also wrote them a handwritten letter and sent it to some random address with no idea if it was going to reach them. Eventually, it reached Frank Pritchard, who’s now in his 70s, but he was 13 when the sport was invented.”

Joel Pritchard’s son, Frank Pritchard, asked if Steve and Darren could fly out to Seattle to meet and see if this was going to be a good partnership. 

As soon as Steven and Darren hopped in Frank’s car, they knew they’d be a good match. Pritchard even had one of the original wooden pickleball paddles in his backseat. Then, Pritchard took them on a grand tour of the original pickleball court—and the rest is history. 

But Frank had two requirements for the brand if they wanted to use his father’s name. 

“He wanted it to be a premium brand,” said Darren, “And we wanted to take this Ralph Lauren and Peter Millar mindset,” so it was a perfect match. 

What else?

“Frank wanted to make sure that his mom got credit for naming the sport. They had a dog named “Pickles,” but Pickles was born three years after the sport was invented,” mentioned Darren. “Frank’s mom absolutely named the sport after the pickle boat in sailing.”

Mystery solved. 

Frank, Steve, and Darren shared a clear vision: to create a refined, elevated apparel line for pickleball. Drawing inspiration from Ralph Lauren, they set out to design pieces that feel at home alongside the polished style of a country club or luxury resort—blending performance with the timeless sophistication you’d expect from a club golf pro.

“If we’re sharing this beautiful heritage story, we need to come with the most beautiful, classic and timeless colors—Wimbledon white, nautical navy, the grass court green that we’ve named Pritchard green,” said Darren. “Our tagline is “Play Proper.” It doesn’t mean to show up snobby, but it means show up as if you are at a country club. Like if you’re a golfer, there’s a dress requirement, and if you want to look like a professional sport, you have to look professional.”

And after working with MLP’s LA Mad Drops, J. Pritchard is certainly helping to elevate the fashion game at every level.

Shop J. Pritchard online or at their store at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, CA. And to keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.