Travis Rettenmaier playing pickleball.
Travis Rettenmaier competing at the PPA Masters earlier this year. PPA Tour

Rettenmaier executes first official PPA paddle challenge of 2025

Travis Rettenmaier is levying a challenge of Liz Truluck’s paddle after the two faced off in the mixed doubles Round of 64 on Tuesday afternoon at the Mesa Arizona Cup presented by Proton.

Truluck/Eric Roddy took the win against Rettenmaier/Allyce Jones 11-4, 11-6, and both Rettenmaier and Jones were adamant that Truluck’s JOOLA paddle was delaminated.

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No paddles were tested ahead of Tuesday’s contest because it was a Round of 64 match, since paddle testing doesn’t begin until the Round of 32.

Thus, if the paddle was delaminated, there would have been no way to verify it ahead of the match.

So, what next?

Per protocol outlined in the 2025 UPA-A Paddle Rules document, the paddle in question will be sent to the Pickle Pro Labs testing facility for analysis. The additional testing will be completed within one week.

If the paddle is found to be in violation of UPA-A guidelines, the player who used said paddle and their partner will be disqualified and will forfeit all PPA rankings points earned from the match, as well as any additional points earned in additional rounds.

The player in question—and the paddle manufacturer—will face additional consequences on a case-by-case basis. At a minimum, the player who used the paddle will be fined $2500.

If the paddle is found to abide by UPA-A standards for pro competition, the player who initiated the challenge—in this case, Rettenmaier—would be fined $1000.

Stay tuned for the final verdict on the paddle in the coming days.