Selkirk just bought Bread & Butter, and as expected the internet already has opinions. That reaction alone tells you something important about what Selkirk actually acquired, because you don't get that kind of immediate, passionate response from a brand people are indifferent towards. Love it or hate it, Bread & Butter has built exactly the kind of cult following and community that most paddle companies would pay almost anything to have, which is why Selkirk just did.

Two very different brands, both winning at the same game

Selkirk built its reputation on a clear playbook: premium products, premium pricing, and a brand ecosystem to match. Their ambassador network is arguably the deepest in pickleball, spanning local club players, up-and-coming pros, and recognized names at the top of the game. When you see a Selkirk paddle on a recreational court, it carries a certain weight, and that's the product of years of intentional brand-building at every level of the sport.

Bread & Butter arrived at the same destination by a completely different route. Where Selkirk projects polish, Bread & Butter projects creative mayhem, and it works. The graphics are wacky, the product names (Loco, Filth, Invader) sound like they were conceived at 2am by someone having the time of their life, and the launches feel like cultural events. Founder Doug Sapusek has built a personality-driven brand with his fingerprints on everything it puts out.

These two brands are not chasing the same player, and that's precisely the point.

 

 

 

 

 

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Why the deal makes strategic sense

The official press release frames it carefully: "The addition of Bread & Butter enables Selkirk to reach a broader and increasingly diverse base of pickleball players." The more direct read is that Selkirk recognized there's a segment of the market their brand will never fully capture, and rather than try to fabricate a personality they don't naturally have, they acquired one that already works.

Bluestone Equity Partners, Selkirk's investment partner since December 2025, signaled this kind of move was coming. Bobby Sharma, Bluestone's founder and managing partner, noted they were looking for brands that are "authentic, high-performing and resonant with a fast-growing segment of the market." Bread & Butter fits that description, and more importantly, it fits in ways that Selkirk on its own cannot, not because Selkirk isn't excellent, but because the pickleball market has grown large enough that no single brand identity can serve everyone in it.

The question worth asking: Will Bread & Butter stay Bread & Butter?

This is where deals like make it or break it. The stated plan is that Bread & Butter will maintain its independent brand presence, including its website, marketing channels, and product strategy. The Sapusek family stays in place to lead brand development, creative direction, and product innovation while Selkirk provides operational scale behind the scenes.

Sapusek put it well in the announcement: "Joining Selkirk is the right next chapter because they are another family-built business that has never lost sight of the player. With their platform behind us, we can put our gear in the hands of more players without losing the fun that defines us."

If that holds, the upside is huge. Better distribution, scaled marketing infrastructure, global reach, and potentially UPA-A approval that could open more competitive doors for Bread & Butter paddles, all without dismantling the creative engine that made the brand worth acquiring in the first place. The legitimate concern is that corporate gravity slowly pulls Bread & Butter toward the center, that quarterly reviews and operational efficiency start sanding down the weird, irreverent edges that define the brand. It's a real risk with any acquisition of a personality-driven company, but if both sides remain honest about why this deal works, there's no structural reason it has to go that way.

 

 

 

 

 

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What this signals for the industry

The brands that will define pickleball's next decade are the ones who recognized early that the sport is as much about identity and community as it is about technology and performance. Selkirk understood that years ago. Bread & Butter built their entire company around it. Together, if they stay true to the vision outlined in this deal, they don't just expand market share, they expand what pickleball can look and feel like for a much wider range of players, from the premium performance buyer to the player who picks up a paddle called "Filth" because it just gets them and for whatever reason comes with a bottle of hot sauce.

Life on the road isn’t always easy, but having a strong support system can make all the difference.

For the newest group of signed pros, that sense of community has become one of the most meaningful parts of life on the professional circuit.

“The PPA Tour has given me the best friends in my life,” said Gio Morelli, who signed in 2025.

Morelli, Kiora Kunimoto, Ella Yeh and several other rising stars have already built close friendships. Whether they’re sharing Airbnbs, training together between matches, or cheering each other on during big moments, the group has formed a tight-knit bond.

“Having a community on tour makes life so much easier. I get to play with my South Florida people like Chris Crouch, Alex and Angie Walker, Nicole Conard, Tom Protzek, Anouar Braham,” said Morelli. “I love to surround myself with positive people. Having a big group, like a big family, is so great to have that support and just be there for each other.”

Spending so much time away from home can be challenging for young athletes, but the friendships they’ve created have become a second family.

“Kiora is probably my best friend on tour. She’s honestly more like a sister at this point,” mentioned Morelli. “We both got signed together because we both played Cincinnati together. We met in San Clemente last year, played a few points, and we’ve basically been friends ever since. I consider her my sister for sure, and she’s going to be a bridesmaid in my wedding one day.”

The feeling is mutual for Kunimoto. 

“It’s so great to have good friends around because you really build strong bonds,” she emphasized. “Gio and Ella are always on my bench. I love having them there to coach me and cheer me on. It means the world to have my friends there supporting me.”

“I play much better when my friends are there watching me. A part of it is the mental game, just knowing I’m not all alone out there. But it’s also so helpful from the coaching side of things. My dad is my coach and he can’t travel to tournaments, so my friends will be checking my phone for me during the match and giving me his ideas during timeouts,” said Kunimoto. “The support from my friends really matters so much to me. I’m just so grateful for them.”

While having support during tough matches means a lot, Morelli says some of the most meaningful moments happen off the court — helping each other warm up, training together after matches, and gathering for group dinners after long days at tournaments.

“Building these friendships has actually helped me get better and stronger on the court,” insisted Morelli. “When I’m traveling, I can train and practice with them, but I also just love to hang out with everyone.”

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

The Patents That Could Control How Every Top Paddle Is Built Until 2043

Most of us now know that JOOLA has sued eleven pickleball brands, but what people don’t know is the patents they're swinging, depending on interpretation, could reshape how every top paddle is built.

The two patents at the center of this case are written broadly enough that, depending on how a court interprets them, they could cover nearly every high-performance paddle on the market today. Gen 3, Gen 4, full foam, peninsula core. If JOOLA wins on the broadest reading, they don't just beat eleven defendants, they own the construction method that defines modern pickleball paddles for the next seventeen years.

That's not hyperbole; the patents expire in 2043.

Update, May 13, 2026: Since this piece was written, JOOLA and Paddletek Group have reached a settlement resolving all claims against Paddletek and ProXR. Both brands will pay royalties and license JOOLA's propulsion core patents, and will phase out the affected paddles through the fall. The remaining nine defendants are still being actively pursued. The analysis below remains fully relevant.

What JOOLA Is Actually Claiming

On April 7, 2026, Sport Squad, Inc., the Maryland-based company behind the JOOLA brand, filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against eleven paddle brands: Franklin, Proton, RPM, Engage, Friday, Diadem, Facolos, Paddletek, ProXR, Adidas, and Volair.

Two days later, JOOLA filed parallel patent infringement lawsuits against all eleven in federal district courts across six jurisdictions simultaneously. The ITC complaint is aimed at one thing: blocking those brands from importing their accused paddles into the United States. The federal cases are aimed at something else entirely: money. Specifically treble damages, which means if a court finds the infringement was willful and deliberate, JOOLA could collect up to three times the actual damages from each defendant.

This is a deliberate two-track strategy. The ITC moves fast, typically resolving in 8 to 15 months compared to federal patent cases that can drag on for years. The goal is to cut off the supply chain quickly while the slower federal cases build toward a financial reckoning.

At the center of both tracks are two patents, U.S. Patent No. 12,465,826 and U.S. Patent No. 12,357,891, both titled "Game Paddle," both invented by Fabio Kachiwazaki, and both issued in late 2025. JOOLA calls what they protect "propulsion core technology." What they actually describe is a specific structural relationship between a paddle's core, the gap surrounding it, and the materials used to fill that gap.

Most coverage of this lawsuit has framed it as JOOLA going after Gen 3 copycats, brands that cloned the construction that made their Gen 3 line famous across the 3S and Pro IV series. That’s true for the most part, but there’s a clear disparity between the “diving board” construction associated with JOOLA’s lineup and the language in the patents themselves. 

What the Patents Actually Cover

To understand why this lawsuit matters beyond the eleven brands named, you have to understand what a patent actually protects. The specification of a patent can describe materials, variations, and possibilities in broad terms. But what's legally enforceable lives entirely in the granted claims. Think of the specification as the manual and the claims as the actual legal boundary. Everything inside that boundary is owned. Everything outside it is fair game.

With that in mind, here's what JOOLA actually owns.

Patent 12,465,826 is the broader and more commercially significant of the two. To infringe it, a paddle must have five elements present simultaneously: a core whose outer boundary partially terminates inside the paddle perimeter; a gap between that core's edge and the paddle's internal perimeter; a first filler material within that gap; a hollow frame running along the edge of the paddle's head; and a second filler material inside that hollow frame.

If that sounds familiar, it should. That's the sushi roll construction that paddle nerds have been dissecting on YouTube for two years. The honeycomb polypropylene core in the center, a horseshoe shaped layer of EVA foam around the top half of the paddle between the core and the frame as the first filler, and the carbon fiber tube packed with expanding edge foam as the hollow frame. That peninsula build was first introduced on JOOLA's 3S launch and became the defining construction of their Gen 3 line across both the 3S and Pro IV series. It's also the construction that dozens of brands replicated once the performance case was proven.

But here's where it gets complicated. The patent doesn't specify materials. The core doesn't have to be honeycomb polypropylene. It can be foam, EPP, anything. The filler doesn't have to be EVA. What is protected is the structural relationship between the components, not the specific materials used to achieve it. That makes the patent material-agnostic and significantly harder to design around than most people initially assumed.

It gets broader still. Throughout the claim language, the patent uses the phrase "at least" repeatedly. The gap only needs to extend around at least part of the core boundary. The filler only needs to fill at least a portion of that gap. The frame only needs to run along at least a head portion of the paddle. A manufacturer cannot escape the claim simply by making these features partial rather than complete. A partially floating core still qualifies. A frame that only covers part of the head still qualifies. A close reading of the claim language suggests designing around this patent is considerably harder than a narrow interpretation would imply, and likely explains why so many different paddle constructions find themselves inside the boundary.

Patent 12,357,891 is narrower and more specific. It protects the throat foam block architecture found in JOOLA's Pro 4 and Pro 5 paddles. To infringe it, a paddle needs two gaps carved into the core adjacent to the throat, one on each side, filled with foam, with a frame anchored physically within those gaps forming a boundary along the paddle's interior. This is the construction that eliminates the traditional neck flex of a honeycomb core, redirecting that energy through the foam inserts instead. RPM is the only brand named under both patents, making them the defendant in the most precarious legal position of the eleven.

Critically, neither patent has anything to do with the diving board shape or any specific performance characteristic. What is protected is a structural method of construction. That distinction matters enormously for what comes next.

The Peninsula vs. Floating Core Question

Look closely at the eleven brands named in this complaint and a pattern emerges. Every accused paddle shares one structural trait: the center core connects down into the handle, the peninsula build first introduced on the JOOLA 3S. None of the defendants have fully floating cores, where the center core is completely surrounded by foam with no direct connection to the handle.

That absence is telling. And it connects directly to prior art, which is the legal argument that a construction existed before JOOLA filed their patents, potentially invalidating them entirely.

When the patent examiner reviewed JOOLA's applications, two specific paddles were cited as prior art references: the Selkirk LABS Project 002 and the Gearbox Pro Power Elongated. Both feature separated core-edge structures. The examiner reviewed those references and granted the patents regardless. That doesn't close the prior art door for defendants, but it does raise the bar considerably for walking through it.

What it also tells you is that the examiner was aware of fully floating core constructions when these patents were granted. Whether the broad "at least" language in the '826 patent extends to cover fully floating cores despite that awareness is an open legal question. If a court interprets the most broad reading of JOOLA's patents, the scope expands dramatically and almost every performance paddle on the market today is potentially inside the boundary. If the court reads them narrowly, the damage is largely contained to peninsula builds.

That interpretation question is the single most consequential thing to watch as this case develops.

Why JOOLA Has a Point

Before picking this lawsuit apart, it's worth sitting with something uncomfortable: JOOLA built something real, and the market copied it without hesitation.

The propulsion core wasn't an obvious next step. They spent years developing it, refining it across multiple paddle generations, and watched it become the performance standard for competitive pickleball. Within 18 months of the Gen 3 line proving the concept, dozens of brands, many of them white-labeling from Chinese factories with zero original engineering investment, were selling near-identical constructions at 30 to 50 percent lower prices.

The patent system exists precisely for this situation. It's the incentive that makes R&D investment worthwhile in the first place. Without it, the rational move for any brand is to wait, watch who spends the money, copy what works, and undercut them on price. Paddle nerds benefit directly from brands willing to invest in engineering. JOOLA's patents are, in part, an argument for why that investment should continue.

Why JOOLA's Case Isn't So Clean

The copying argument is fair. The most broad interpretation of JOOLA's patents is a different conversation entirely.

These patents aren't written narrowly. They don't say "you can't build a paddle that looks like a JOOLA Gen 3." They describe a structural relationship between a core, a gap, and the materials filling that gap, and they use language broad enough that a partial implementation still qualifies as infringement. Any material. Any core type. As long as the basic layered structure is present, you're potentially inside the boundary.

Under the most broad interpretation of JOOLA's patents, that sweeps in nearly every high-performance paddle on the market today. Not just the obvious JOOLA lookalikes. Gen 4 full foam builds. Peninsula cores. Paddles that look nothing like a 3S and were engineered independently. Technical analysts who have studied the claim language suggest that except for Gearbox, almost every paddle serious players are reaching for right now could fall inside these claims.

There's also a timing problem that's hard to ignore. JOOLA introduced propulsion core technology around 2022 and 2023. They watched the market adopt it wholesale, said nothing for two to three years, and filed suit only after full proliferation. Those paddles are already on US shores, already in players' bags. Critics aren't wrong to ask: where were you in 2023?

Friday Pickleball, one of the named defendants, put their response simply: "The technology in these patents is from a previous generation of paddles. We've already moved on to the next gen."

Whether that's a legal defense or just good PR is something a court will eventually decide.

What This Means for Brands

The eleven companies named in the complaint have a few options: settle, fight, or find the prior art that makes the patents crack.

For most of them, settling is probably the most realistic path. An ITC investigation typically costs millions of dollars to litigate. For smaller brands already operating on thin margins in a crowded market, that math is brutal. A licensing arrangement with JOOLA, however unfavorable the terms, may simply be cheaper than the alternative.

Franklin and Adidas are the exceptions. Both have the legal infrastructure and financial resources to mount a real defense. For Adidas, the calculus is strategic: does fighting this case align with their ambitions in pickleball, or is a licensing deal the cleaner path to staying in the market? For Franklin, there is no clean path. They are mid-release on Anna Leigh Waters' signature Aurelius paddle line, built around the exact construction at the center of this complaint. They don't have the option of quietly stepping aside.

The Paddletek situation is its own cautionary tale. A founding brand of the sport, Paddletek spent years building paddles around traditional cold-pressed honeycomb cores that had nothing to do with JOOLA's patents. Then Anna Leigh Waters let her contract expire, signed with Franklin for a reported $10 million, and Paddletek scrambled. Twenty-seven days after losing the world's number one player, they launched the Reserve Honeyfoam, their first foam-based product, built around a construction that closely mirrors what the '826 patent protects. Ten weeks later, they were named in the ITC complaint. A brand that would have been completely untouched by this lawsuit made a panicked pivot and ended up inside it.

As of May 13, 2026, Paddletek and ProXR became the first brands to settle, and the terms are telling. Both will pay royalties, add JOOLA's patent number to their affected products, and phase out the Reserve Honeyfoam and ProXR Signature Jolt through the fall rather than redesigning around the patents. Paddletek Group CEO Ron Saslow stopped well short of fighting words in his statement: "We take intellectual property protection seriously and rely on it in our own business." That's a careful but meaningful concession from a brand with its own patent portfolio. The settlement happened in roughly five weeks, which tells you something about how their legal team assessed their chances. For the nine brands still in the fight, Paddletek's quick exit is either a pragmatic example to follow or a cautionary tale about what happens when you pivot into someone else's IP without doing your homework first. .

One practical note that hasn't gotten enough attention: a patent litigator commenting publicly on the case pointed out that an ITC exclusion order is meaningless if the products being imported no longer infringe by the time it takes effect. Brands that move fast, redesign now, and get the ITC to bless the new construction as part of the investigation can potentially sidestep the whole thing. That window exists. It won't stay open forever.

What This Means for You

If you play with one of the eleven accused paddles, nothing changes right now. These cases will take months to years to resolve. No paddle is getting pulled from shelves tomorrow.

But the longer game is worth paying attention to.

The most immediate risk is price. If JOOLA wins and licensing becomes the cost of doing business in the performance paddle market, those costs get passed to consumers. The paddles that currently compete with JOOLA at lower price points exist partly because the brands making them didn't spend on R&D. If they now have to pay royalties on top of manufacturing costs, that price gap closes.

The second risk is selection. If smaller brands can't afford to license, litigate, or redesign, they exit the market. The variety of options at every price point that paddle nerds have enjoyed for the last two years was a product of an open innovation environment. That environment is changing.

The optimistic version of this story is that competition doesn't disappear, it just changes shape. Brands get pushed to find new constructions, new materials, new performance approaches that aren't encumbered. Some of those might be better than what exists today. Paddle technology in 2026 looks nothing like 2022, and there's no particular reason 2028 has to look like 2026.

But for now, the construction that defines the paddles most serious players are reaching for sits inside a legal boundary that expires in 2043. How broadly a court draws that boundary will determine a lot about what the next generation of equipment looks like, who gets to build it, and what you end up paying for it.

The Bigger Picture

This lawsuit doesn't exist in isolation. It's the loudest signal yet that pickleball's equipment market is growing up, and not entirely in a good way.

The week before JOOLA filed, CRBN and Vatic Pro quietly settled a patent infringement case between themselves. No costs awarded, terms confidential, Vatic's counterclaims dismissed without prejudice. The details will never be made public. That's what IP disputes in a maturing market look like: expensive, opaque, and resolved in ways that leave everyone guessing.

The broader pattern is clear. Gearbox has had their SST core locked down with patents for years and nobody touches it. Carbon and Six Zero are both building patent portfolios. The brands that invested early in IP protection are now the ones with the leverage. The brands that didn't are finding out what that means.

What's happening right now in pickleball happened in tennis, in golf, in every equipment-driven sport that scaled fast enough to attract serious capital. The open innovation era, where a small brand with a good idea and a Chinese manufacturer could compete with anyone, is closing. The walled gardens are going up. Only a handful of brands will have the resources to operate inside them comfortably.

That's not necessarily all bad. The brands that survive this consolidation will probably make excellent paddles. The sport isn't going anywhere. But the wide-open, anything-goes equipment landscape that produced the last three years of genuine paddle innovation may be ending.

How JOOLA's patents get interpreted will go a long way toward determining how quickly.

I love sports documentaries, and I’ve seen just about all of the great ones. In my opinion, Partners, the PPA docuseries, belongs in that conversation. It tells the story of the sport we love in such a captivating, honest, entertaining, and fascinating way. I can’t recommend it enough.

The series gives incredible behind-the-scenes access to the biggest storylines in pickleball from the past year, offering real insight into the relationships, dynamics, and unfiltered opinions shaping the pro game.

Honestly, I wish the cameras had just kept rolling, because the 2026 season is already delivering incredible storylines. I don’t want the series to end.

Every major moment was covered — from Anna Leigh Waters’ unbelievable dominance, to Ben Johns cementing his GOAT status, to the Girlies’ difficult breakup and Waters ultimately parting ways with Catherine Parenteau. Learning more about the “why” behind those decisions helped tell a much bigger story about the sport, and about how important the right partner is in chasing victory.

Anna Bright was arguably the central narrator throughout the series, providing background and insight into many of the major storylines. At the same time, it was a lot of fun hearing from the pros, broadcasters, and PPA Tour staff, all of whom added personality and perspective to the series. I also really enjoyed Ben Johns’ occasional analytical breakdowns, which gave viewers a deeper understanding of the game.

One of the standout personalities for me was Lucy Kovalova. Her one-liners and observations were both hilarious and surprisingly insightful.

Another major strength of the series was the spotlight on veteran players like Matt Wright, whose perspective highlighted just how much the sport has grown and evolved over the years. It also showcased the diversity and longevity possible at the professional level of pickleball.

I also appreciated that the series didn’t shy away from more difficult topics, including Quang Duong’s sudden termination last year. Hearing firsthand explanations from UPA CEO Connor Pardoe added valuable context, and learning more about Duong’s relationship with his father and coach, Duke Duong, made that storyline especially compelling. Overall, it helped answer many lingering questions surrounding the situation.

Another storyline I really enjoyed centered around Kate Fahey. She’s become a polarizing figure on social media, with some fans praising her on-court intensity while others criticize her for it. Seeing Fahey open up about the emotional toll of hateful comments was powerful and, unfortunately, very relatable in today’s digital world.

I also appreciated her honesty about working with a mental coach and discussing the mental challenges that come with competing at the professional level. Hearing about her growth and progress throughout that journey added a deeper layer to her story. It made you see Fahey not just as a pro athlete on Pickleballtv, but as a real person navigating pressure, criticism, and personal growth in the public eye.

And of course, we have to mention the breakup between Parris Todd and Hunter Johnson. The documentary certainly wasn’t afraid to dive into the drama and reveal some behind-the-scenes details. But if you want the full story, you’ll have to watch the series for yourself.

What stood out to me, though, was that the show never leaned too heavily into the reality TV aspect. It easily could have been edited to focus entirely on the drama and messy storylines.

Instead, the series treated both the sport and the players with a level of seriousness and respect that I really appreciated. The emotions, conflicts, and relationships all felt authentic, and the documentary presented them in a way that honestly reflected life on the PPA Tour. As someone who was courtside watching many of these moments unfold throughout the season, the series felt like a genuine portrayal of those major events.

Overall, this was an incredibly well-produced series that balanced drama, intensity, and insight perfectly. It offered a compelling look into the growth of professional pickleball and the personalities shaping the sport today. It’s absolutely a must-watch.

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

The Toys “R” Us PPA Finals wrapped up tournament season in style, delivering some standout fashion moments from the top pros in pickleball.

While I’m excited for the start of the MLP season, it’ll definitely be a little sad to trade these bold individual looks for team uniforms all summer long. Still, the players made sure to end the season on a fashionable high note.

Here are the best dressed players from the Toys “R” Us PPA Finals.

Alix Truong and Meghan Dizon

I’m a sucker for a blue and white color combo on the pickleball court, so it’s no surprise I really liked this women’s doubles team’s fits. Dizon wore a sleek white t-shirt, blue skirt from Lululemon, white visor, neon yellow Babolat shoes – even her blue and white sunglasses matched her fit. Truong wore head to toe Kamito Pickleball, with a white tank, pleated light blue skirt, and purple and white shoes. She even topped everything off with a white hair bow, making the look so charming. 

Hurricane Tyra Black

Black just continues to deliver with her fashion on the pro pickleball court, and for the Finals, it was no exception. Wearing an incredibly cool dress from Wiskii, Black just looked like a star. The white bubble hem dress has a halter style with an open back, and a rosette for added texture. Paired with a white visor and dainty jewelry, this look is a standout. 

Dylan Frazier and Eric Oncins

While this men’s doubles partnership isn’t perfectly matching, they still make the best dressed list because they brought the style to the court. I’m always delighted to see Frazier’s playful looks from Volair, this one featuring artwork from Keith Haring, paired with blue shorts and white court shoes. And Oncins wore a head to toe fit from Joma. I love the blue color blocking on the shirt, and the pop of color with the orange in his shoes. Overall, these fits are definitely worthy of the Best Dressed List. 

Rachel Rohrabacher

Rohrabacher kept her mixed doubles look sleek, and wore a long sleeve white top, dark gray skirt from Lululemon, white K-Swiss shoes, white visor, and her Friday Pickleball paddle that matches her outfit – something I particularly appreciate.

Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto

Parenteau and Kawamoto looked so cute at the PPA Finals when they played women’s doubles together. I love when partners wear the inverse of each others’ outfits, and this team did this perfectly. Parenteau wore a baby blue fitted high neck tank top with a white skirt, and Kawamoto wore a white tank top and light blue skirt from Vuori. Topped off with similar light pink shoes, I really liked these looks. 

Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson

The Johnson siblings brought some vibrancy with their outfits this tournament, and I loved it. Jorja wore a new set from Lululemon that features a scalloped and ventilated texture. And the fit and flare silhouette is so flattering on her. And JW matched by wearing that same plum purple color in men’s shorts, a white muscle t-shirt, and white hat. These looks were a big win for me. 

Who had your favorite look from the tournament? Let us know on Instagram.

After a long PPA campaign, the pros are eager to shift gears and dive into the fast-paced excitement of team competition of MLP.

One of the biggest storylines is the pairing of Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson on the New Jersey 5s.

“I’m really excited for MLP. I feel like we’ve been playing this PPA season for a long time. We’ve had a lot of tournaments and I’m excited for something new. The MLP dynamic is very different from the PPA. It’s fun to play for a team because there’s so many different variables going on. I’m excited to have a break between the two,” said Waters. 

“I’m also excited to play with Jorja. We’ve been competitors for such a long time, and we played one tournament together in Daytona and it was really fun. It’s cool in pickleball how you can play with your biggest competitors, whether it’s MLP or PPA. A lot of other players switch up their partners more, but for me it’s interesting because I play with the same partners. It’s going to be fun for me to switch it up.”

Waters brings plenty of MLP experience, of course, but for rising star Kiora Kunimoto, this season marks her debut in the league.

She was drafted by the California Black Bears for her first taste of team play. 

“I’m so excited to play MLP. I’ve been watching my teammates’ matches and cheering them on,” said Kunimoto. “I’m really excited to play with the team. It’s going to be so fun.”

Getting drafted to an MLP team was one of Kunimoto’s biggest goals this year, and now that she’s achieved it, she’s thrilled to finally kick off the season.

“I was so excited when I found out I got drafted. A few team owners reached out, but I’m really happy to be on the California Black Bears,” she mentioned. “I know pretty much everyone on the team, so that’s great. I think we’ll all get along and have a lot of fun together.”

“It’s going to be really fun competing as a team,” she noted. “I’m really looking forward to getting a lot of match experiences.”

Kunimoto is also excited for the opportunity to learn from and compete alongside veteran Michael Loyd.

“Michael has played in a lot of MLPs, so I think it’s exciting to be playing with him since he’s done this before,” insisted Kunimoto. “He’ll have good advice for us.”

“I think MLP will be cool. I haven’t really played MLP yet, but that seems like a really fun event,” he praised. “Everyone looks like they’re having a great time out there and the crowd seems more involved, so I think it’s going to be a great environment.”

With the MLP season just around the corner, it’s shaping up to be an exciting summer for pickleball fans.

Click here to grab tickets to an MLP event near you.

And that's exactly what your opponent is counting on.

The players who win the most points at the net aren't always the ones swinging the hardest — they're the ones swinging the smartest. The deceptive putaway is one of the sneakiest weapons in pickleball, and once you understand how it works, you'll never look at an overhead opportunity the same way again.

What Is the deceptive putaway?

The shot itself is simple in concept and infuriating in execution (for your opponents, at least).

You load up your overhead swing exactly like you're going cross-court with all the body language of a hard smash in one direction. Your opponent reads it, starts shifting their weight, maybe even takes a step. Then, at the last moment, you redirect your paddle face and send the ball the opposite way. They're already moving the wrong way, and even if the shot isn't hit hard, they can't recover. 

Here's the key principle: the deception happens in the setup, not the swing. 

Why misdirection beats power

Think about what happens when you just rear back and blast an overhead at a ready opponent. They absorb it, reset, and suddenly you're back in a dink rally you didn't want. A hard shot at someone who's ready can absolutely come back.

A ball placed where they aren't standing cannot.

At higher levels of play, opponents can handle pace. What they can't handle is being in the wrong place at the right time. Misdirection solves a problem that power simply doesn't — it doesn't matter how fast the ball is if your opponent is already moving to catch it.

This is also a huge mental game shift. Once you've hit one deceptive putaway on someone, they start second-guessing every overhead read for the rest of the match. That's free points you haven't even earned yet.

How to do it: Step by step

Step 1: Positioning and reading the lob

The shot only works if you're in position early. Get under the ball with room to swing — if you're scrambling, you won't have the composure to sell the deception. As you set up, consciously think about which direction your opponent expects you to go. That's your misdirection target.

Step 2: Load the swing and sell the fake

This is where the magic happens. Your backswing, your shoulder turn, your hip rotation — everything should scream cross-court (or wherever the "obvious" shot would be). You want your opponent to commit. Let them commit. The more they buy the fake, the better.

Don't rush this part. A slow, exaggerated setup actually helps sell the deception better than a quick swing.

Step 3: The redirect — paddle face does the work

At contact, rotate your wrist to open or close the paddle face and redirect the ball the other direction. Your swing path stays mostly the same — it's the face angle that changes the destination. Keep your follow-through natural so you don't tip off the change too early.

The contact window is small, so this takes reps to feel comfortable. But once it clicks, it becomes surprisingly instinctive.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Telegraphing the redirect too early. If your wrist rotates before contact, a sharp opponent will pick it up. Commit to the fake right up until the moment of impact.
• 
  Only using it when you're obviously set up. Mix it in on balls where you look slightly rushed too — it keeps opponents from relaxing when you're in a comfortable position.
• 
  Hitting it too hard. This shot thrives on placement, not pace. A softer redirect to an open corner is far more effective than trying to blast and redirect at the same time.
  
  

When to use it

The deceptive putaway isn't a shot for every overhead — it's a shot for the right overhead. Look for it when:

• - Your opponent has clearly committed to one side in anticipation
• - You've already hit a few cross-court overheads and established a pattern
• - The rally is long and your opponent is reading your shots well
•  

Use it selectively and it stays effective. Use it constantly and it becomes predictable which defeats the whole point.

The bottom line

Pickleball is a game of angles, patience, and information. The deceptive putaway is all three wrapped into one shot. You're giving your opponent bad information, using the angle they don't expect, and staying patient enough to wait for them to commit before you pull the trigger.

It's not the flashiest shot in the game. But it might be one of the most satisfying — because when it works, your opponent doesn't just lose the point. They lose it knowing they were completely fooled.

And that's a feeling worth practicing for.

If you could go back to the beginning of your pickleball journey, what advice would you give yourself?

Whether you’re new to the game or trying to break through to the next level, a few key concepts can dramatically improve your consistency, decision-making, and confidence on the court.

Here are 10 pickleball tips from Barrett Bass and Danea Zeigle we wish we had learned sooner, the same concepts many advanced players and pros use every match.

1. Stop hitting every drive at 100%

One of the biggest beginner mistakes is trying to crush every drive as hard as possible.

The problem is that flat, hard drives often sail long or sit up for your opponent to counter aggressively. Instead of trying to overpower the ball, focus on creating dip and shape. A controlled drive with a low-to-high swing path creates topspin, allowing the ball to arc over the net and drop safely into the court. This forces your opponents to hit upward on their next shot, making it much easier for you to advance and hit an effective third-shot drop.

Rather than swinging at full power, try swinging at roughly 70% pace while brushing up the back of the ball. Consistency and spin will help you get to the kitchen line far more effectively than raw power ever will.

2. Create spin from the sides of the ball

Most players learn topspin by brushing the back of the ball, but advanced players often create spin by brushing the sides of the ball as well.

Learning this technique changes the game because it allows you to manipulate angles and direction without having to perfectly position your body behind every shot. Instead of constantly chasing the ideal contact point, you can use your paddle face to shape the ball more creatively.

This creates more deception, improves court positioning, and reduces unnecessary footwork. It also allows you to create sharper angles on dinks, drops, and drives while staying balanced at the kitchen line. Once you start using the sides of the ball to generate spin, your shots become much less predictable and much more difficult to defend.

3. Only speed up balls you’re prepared for

Knowing when to attack is just as important as knowing how.

A great rule to follow is that you should only speed up balls when you are prepared early. That means your feet are set, your paddle is ready, and your body is balanced before contact.

If you are stretched wide, off balance, or late to the ball, speeding up usually leads to errors or easy counters for your opponent. Smart aggression comes from preparation, not panic.

When you get your paddle-side leg behind the ball and prepare early, your attacks become more deceptive, controlled, and effective. If you cannot get prepared in time, it is usually better to stay patient and reset the point instead of forcing offense.

4. Target the middle against strong dinkers

When you are playing against opponents with aggressive angles and strong dinking skills, trying to out-angle them often leads to mistakes.

A smarter strategy is targeting the middle of the court. Hitting through the middle naturally removes many of the extreme angles your opponents rely on. It also shrinks the court and limits their attacking options.

When opponents are pulled wide, they can attack crosscourt, down the line, or through the middle. But when the ball stays in the middle, those options become much more limited. As a result, attacks become easier to anticipate and defend.

If you struggle against aggressive dinkers, simplifying the game by targeting the middle can completely change the flow of a match.

5. Target backhands at the baseline

Early in a match, targeting your opponents’ backhands from the baseline is usually a smart strategy.

Most players are naturally more comfortable hitting forehands, especially under pressure. By serving or driving toward the backhand side, you can create indecision and force weaker responses.

Shots aimed near the inside foot are especially effective because they make players hesitate about whether to run around the ball for a forehand or stay with their backhand. That hesitation alone can create errors or weak returns.

Until your opponents prove they can consistently handle pressure on the backhand side, it is often the safest and most effective target.

6. Target forehands at the kitchen line

Interestingly, the strategy changes once players reach the kitchen line.

At the net, many players defend best with their backhand because it naturally covers more of the body during counters and hand battles. That is why attacking the forehand side can actually be more effective at the kitchen line.

Targeting the forehand side often creates the awkward “chicken wing” position where players become jammed and unsure whether to use a forehand or backhand. This uncertainty slows reaction time and creates pop-ups or weak counters.

Until opponents prove they can consistently defend that area, attacking the forehand side at the kitchen line is often the smarter play.

7. Use depth at the kitchen line

Many players are taught to hug the kitchen line at all times, but eventually that mindset becomes limiting.

Advanced players constantly adjust their depth by using drop steps, pivots, and small retreats off the line. Moving backward slightly creates space to contact the ball at a better height and allows players to hit more aggressive and controlled dinks.

Staying glued to the line often forces players into purely defensive shots because they do not have enough room to attack comfortably. By giving yourself space and moving dynamically, you can create better angles, apply more pressure, and become much more deceptive.

The best dinkers are not stationary. They are constantly adjusting their positioning to create offensive opportunities.

8. Move forward with your partner, not alone

One of the hardest transitions in pickleball is moving from the baseline to the kitchen line effectively.

Many players either rush forward recklessly or stay back too long. The better approach is to move based on the quality of your partner’s drop shot.

As your partner hits the third-shot drop, float slightly forward while reading the ball. If the drop is good, move in aggressively and apply pressure. If the drop sits too high, stay back and prepare for defense.

This approach helps you avoid getting caught in “no man’s land” and keeps you balanced during transitions. The key is understanding that you should not chase bad drops. You should only advance when your team has earned the opportunity.

9. Keep firefight swings short and compact

Fast hands win firefights at the kitchen line.

One of the biggest mistakes players make during hand battles is taking oversized swings or leaving their follow-through extended after contact. That may feel powerful, but it leaves them completely unprepared for the next shot.

Professional players keep their counters extremely short and compact because compact mechanics allow faster reloads and quicker reactions.

By shortening your swing and immediately resetting your paddle after contact, you improve your reaction time, control, and consistency during fast exchanges. In firefights, efficiency almost always beats power.

10. Learn the “Teeter Totter Effect”

The final concept is simple but incredibly valuable.

The “teeter totter effect” refers to reading paddle position to anticipate what type of shot is coming next.

If your opponent’s paddle is low, they will usually need to hit upward on the ball. That means you can prepare to attack downward on the next shot. On the other hand, if your opponent’s paddle is high, they are more likely to attack aggressively downward, which means you should lower your stance and prepare defensively.

Understanding this relationship between paddle height and shot trajectory helps you anticipate play before the ball is even struck. That anticipation alone can help you react faster, defend better, and win more points.

Improvement in pickleball rarely comes from learning one flashy shot. More often, it comes from understanding positioning, timing, decision-making, and pressure.

These 10 concepts can help you reach the kitchen line more consistently, make smarter attacking decisions, defend more effectively, and become a more complete player overall.

The sooner you start implementing them, the faster your game will improve.

The PPA Tour season officially came to a close Sunday evening with the men’s singles, women’s doubles, and men’s doubles finals, where Chris Haworth, Anna Leigh Waters, Anna Bright, Ben Johns, and Gabe Tardio all struck gold in their respective events.

In men’s singles, Haworth followed up his slam title last week in Atlanta with an 11-2, 11-8 victory over John Lucian Goins to snag gold and further cement his No. 1 singles ranking.

Goins actually had an 8-4 lead in the second game and threatened to send it to a decider, but Haworth went on to score the match’s final seven points to score his second title in as many weeks.

“After last week, I was a little beat down, so I wasn’t sure how this week would go,” he admitted afterwards. “I’m super blessed to be here. This was an amazing event, and I’m glad to end the season on a high.”

The 33-year-old, who only began competing on the PPA Tour full-time last August, took a moment to reflect on his meteoric rise to the top spot in the men’s singles rankings.

“It’s been a total whirlwind,” he shared. “The last eight months have been something I could only dream of.”

Elsewhere, in gender doubles, the top-seeded pairings of Anna Leigh Waters/Anna Bright and Ben Johns/Gabe Tardio stayed atop their respective disciplines with straight-game victories.

Waters/Bright defeated Parris Todd/Rachel Rohrabacher 11-7, 11-6, 11-2; Johns/Tardio outdueled Andrei Daescu/Federico Staksrud 11-8, 11-3, 11-0.

For Johns/Tardio, Sunday’s win closes out an undefeated 2026 campaign. Their last loss came back in November of 2025, so the top seeds had a perfect back end to the 2025-2026 season.

“It’s phenomenal. It’s been a long season. We’ve played a lot of tournaments. I don’t know what number this is, but it feels like we can take a deep breath knowing that we’re all done for now. And of course, finishing with a win is optimal, so thank you to Gabe. We played a great season together.”

PPA Tour players will get a much-deserved break for the next week and a half before the Major League Pickleball season kicks off at MLP Dallas, which will run May 22-25.