Happy Wednesday! 🎉

​The 2024 US Open Pickleball Championships is poised to make history with a record year that mirrors the remarkable growth of the sport. With an incredible 52% increase in participation, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America for the third year in a row! 📈 Keep reading below to learn more about the unparalleled experiences and record breaking numbers expected at The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World™. 👇

So, let's dive straight into your pickleball tips, strategies, stories, news, and more... 👏

​Click here to access the online version of this newsletter​

#1. THE ADVANTAGES AND CONSIDERATIONS OF PLAYING PICKLEBALL INDOORS

By Greg Hansen

Playing pickleball indoors offers numerous benefits and also brings a set of unique challenges that players need to consider. Achieve your best performance when playing indoors by adapting your game and choosing the right equipment suited for indoor play. 💪

#2. THE 2024 US OPEN PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS IS SET FOR A RECORD BREAKING YEAR

The US Open Pickleball Championships has evolved into a sporting event phenomenon. The upcoming 2024 event is poised to make history with a record year that mirrors the remarkable growth of the sport. Experiencing the US Open Pickleball Championships is more than just a sporting event; it’s a bucket list item that promises to deliver The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World™. 🎉

Featured Pickleball Tournaments from Pickleball Den​

​Barstool Pickleball Open - Pickle Haus​ Barstool is setting out to deliver a pickleball experience that will bring together Stoolies and Pickleball fanatics alike. Get ready for the second of Bartsool's one-of-a-kind tournaments in Chicago, Illinois on June 1st. Register now for an experience you won't want to miss! ​Learn more about the other dates of the Barstool Pickleball Open. REGISTER NOW

The NCPA is hosting the 2024 National Collegiate Pickleball Championship on March 15-17 in the beautiful San Diego, California. With almost 50 colleges around the nation being represented, this will be the largest collegiate pickleball event to date! Visit ncpaofficial.com for more info on Nationals and the livestream link. Follow NCPA on Instagram for the most up to date info on college pickleball and the NCPA. LEARN MORE

QUOTES FROM RECENT TOURNAMENTS

#3. SUN’S OUT, PICKLEBALL LOBS OUT? WHAT IS THE HIGH LOB STRATEGY?

If you have played pickleball long enough, then you have certainly played against players that love the lob. They may even love it so much that they employ the “high lob strategy” and hit the pickleball high into the air, shot after shot. What is this high lob strategy? Plus, learn why pickleball players use this strategy and how to beat the "high lobbers" on the court. 👏

#4. MURMURS FROM THE LOSERS’ BRACKET: LOB INTO THE SUN? MAYBE, MAYBE NOT

Not all lobs into the sun are created equal. ☀️ With prize money and rankings on the line, the standard for fair play at the professional level can reasonably be expected to be different than for recreational play. Should you take advantage and lob into the sun against your opponents, or does the situation call for a higher standard of pickleball etiquette?

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR THE US OPEN PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS​

The countdown is on for the ​2024 US Open Pickleball Championships!​ 🗓️ With an estimated 1,500 medals and $150,100 in prize money up for grabs, this is an event you don't want to miss. Be sure to mark your calendar for The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World™ April 13th-April 20th, 2024 in beautiful Naples, Florida! 🥳

#5. KITCHEN TALK: PICKLEBALL EDITION WITH KAITLIN MILLER

Episode 13: Unlocking the Pickleball Mindset through the Relationship Between a Player and Coach ​ Dayne Gingrich is a mental performance and pickleball coach and Jill Martin is an attorney turned personal trainer, yoga instructor, and pickleball enthusiast. With their upcoming book, "Pickleball Mindset," set to hit the shelves, Dayne and Jill show through the lens of a coach and player what it takes to dominate the court both mentally and physically. ​​​

Episode 14: Altaf Merchant's Animated Journey from Pickleball Champion to Corporate Powerhouse ​ Altaf Merchant is the undefeated sensation of the court! With a jaw-dropping 53-0 record in the 2023 season, Altaf's animated gameplay and signature celebratory move, the hip thrust, have made him a legend in the sport. But there's more to Altaf than just his victories on the court. Discover how he's leveraging his success to make a lasting impact in his hometown. ​​​

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#6. QUICK TIP - MAKE YOUR OPPONENTS MOVE

When playing competitive pickleball, it is important to make your opponents move. One of the hardest shots on the pickleball court is hitting in motion. 🏃‍♂️ So, get your opponents moving—whether it be with drives, drops, aggressive dinks, lobs, drop volleys, shots with angles, etc. These shots will put pressure on your opponents to hit a quality shot and will open up court space for you or your partner to hit the pickleball for a winner.

Get more tips to play better pickleball with The Pickler’s video series, My Pro Pickleball Coach!

#7. HIT YOUR SPOTS! WHY PLACEMENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN POWER

Everyone loves to hit the pickleball hard. 💥 Power is impressive. However, hitting the pickleball hard can sometimes be counterproductive when you are looking to attack a pickleball. What is more important than power is placement. So, attack the pickleball, but attack with precision! Learn key placements of the pickleball when you are on the attack. Like in real estate, location, location, location! 

​SELKIRK VANGUARD CONTROL​

The Vanguard Control is an Elite Raw Carbon Paddle with Supreme Spin. Crafted for players who crave unwavering consistency, the Vanguard Control is specially engineered to make the execution of precise shots effortless. Ideal for skill play, such as third shot drops and resets, the innovative paddle technology maintains the unwavering control you know and love from the Vanguard Series, while adding a punch of spin and precision. 🙌

Available in three paddle shapes: Invikta, Epic, and S2.

#8. RULES REFRESH Q&A - PLAY OR REPLAY

By Mark Peifer, USA Pickleball Certified Referee; Past Chairman, USA Pickleball Rules Committee

QUESTION: A ball landed on the receiver’s side of the net with enough backspin that it went back over the net before the receiver could make a play on the ball. Let’s call this Player A. After the ball went back over the net, Player A reached over the net and hit the ball back towards the net, but it hit the large crossbar that runs from net post to net post. The referee immediately called for a replay. Why is this smart play by the player considered a replay? 🤔

ANSWER: To fully understand this situation, we have to look at three rules. The first one, which you have described very well, is Rule 11.I.1. Just as you described, as long as the back-spinning ball crosses back over the net, Player A may reach over the net and play the ball. To understand the hitting of the crossbar, however, we look to a different rule.

All the rules in the Rulebook are referenced to a standard net system. The standard net system is described in Section 2.C of the Rulebook. Essentially, it includes two permanent net posts, anchored in the court, with a net strung between them. What you described, however, was not a standard net system, so separate rules were written to cover those, which are commonly referred to as ‘temporary nets’.

Please see Rule 11.L.5.b. In your scenario, Player A made a legal play, but the ball hit the horizontal bar before bouncing on the court. Player B must be allowed to play the ball. Because that crossbar isn’t there on a standard net system, we have to account for that difference in your scenario by giving Player B a replay. It’s the fair and just thing to do. Now, if it was a standard net system, then Player B would have had a chance to play the ball off the net.

#9. HEADLINES FROM THE COURT

Check out the latest headlines to stay in the know on all things pickleball 📢

• Pickleball 101 is in session! 🍎 Anna Leigh Waters recently visited Gerald Ford Elementary School in California to host a pickleball clinic and Q&A for the students.

• The wait is over! ⏲️ The long-awaited merger between The PPA and MLP has been finalized.
• Pickleball and investing both take time and practice. Could the lessons learned on the pickleball court be the new source of inspiration for investment advice? 💰

​​UP YOUR GAME & HAVE A LAUGH!​​

Have a laugh and learn some great tips to take to the pickleball court with longtime humor writer Frank Cerabino's book ​I Dink, Therefore I Am: Coming to Grips with My Pickleball Addiction​! Plus, this book makes a great gift for your favorite player or partner! 📚

#10. ON THE TOUR - TRIPLE CROWN FOR JORJA JOHNSON

The PPA headed to snowy ❄️ Lakeville, MN for the National Indoor Championships March 6-10. With top pros Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns sitting out this event, and James Ignatowich and Tyson McGuffin with injuries, there were new teams and new medalists on the winner’s podium. Gold medals went to Vivienne David and Thomas Wilson in mixed doubles, Christian Alshon and Thomas Wilson in men’s doubles, and Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher in women’s doubles. These wins marked the first PPA gold medal for Wilson, Alshon, and Rohrabacher. 🥇

The APP traveled to warmer weather in California for the Sacramento Open. Jorja Johnson secured her first triple crown 👑👑👑 with the help of brother JW in mixed doubles and Jill Braverman in women’s doubles. Men’s singles saw a shakeup with three of the bracket’s top players absent from the event. Will Howells defeated Jack Foster to earn the gold.

For a full recap on these events, check out the following:

• ​Multiple First-Time Gold Medal Winners At PPA Pickleball Indoor Nationals​
• ​Johnson Finds California Thrice As Nice At The Association Of Pickleball Players Sacramento Open​

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for more pro pickleball action in March! 📆

​GRAB 10% OFF!​

Up your game by grabbing 10% off a new paddle, shoes, and more pickleball necessities from Fromuth Pickleball (some exclusions apply) with the code 10PICKLER! 💸

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