College Pickleball Revolution + Tennis Stars Go Pro

Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Pickleball explodes on college campuses, tennis stars splash into the pro circuit, an insane singles highlight and so much more!

Let’s dive in 👇

Pickleball is experiencing huge growth on college campuses. 📈

Erin Preblick, currently a college sophomore and member of the Pickleball Clinic team, helped establish Virginia Tech’s pickleball club in 2022.

When asked about the club's progress, Erin mentioned, "the club started with 50 members last fall and has grown to 550 members!”

With over 125 colleges currently holding pickleball programs on their campuses, the sport is now beginning to gain nationwide acceptance at the collegiate level.

This has been furthered solidified by the APP’s recent announcement of their U.S. Collegiate Championship.

Additionally, Utah Tech intends to offer pickleball scholarships by the end of the year, marking a unique initiative nationwide.

Pickleball is exploding everywhere and we are here for the ride. 😎

Here is what top pro players Hunter and Yates Johnson have to say about the growth on college campuses ⤵️

“Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country! Everywhere you look courts are being built or tennis courts are being converted.

An exciting indication of pickleball’s growth is the expansion into college campuses across the country! To see teams popping up on major college campuses is very exciting! Pickleball is fun on a recreation side, but the competitiveness on the pro side is booming and only going up.

As former D1 tennis players at SMU, we understand the fun of college athletics and the valuable memories and experiences that come with being a part of such a community. Witnessing pickleball's breakthrough is truly amazing, and I hope it continues to thrive. It will be interesting to watch pickleball’s position in five years or so if it maintains this growth trajectory.

The next most important thing is to get pickleball in the hands of kids and increase the participation at a junior level.

If a junior tournament structure is created for pickleball, parents will start to put kids into the sport at a young age, and it will then create a pathway for juniors, to high school, to college and then to the pros. We think if this can happen, pickleball will be the sport of the future, no doubt.”

Check out Aaron’s interview with the twins here!

The Franklin X-40: Where Precision Meets Performance!

The sweet pop of a paddle to a pickleball is music to our ears, and there’s none more beautiful than that of the Franklin X-40. Weighted and sized to perfection, this might just be the best pickleball made to date. Major bonuses: durability and precision of design. You can play your heart out and be certain that the X-40 will stay strong and that its quality is long-lasting. Get 10% off your X-40 pack with code tpc10, exclusive to The Pickleball Clinic.

If you find yourself missing serves, keep this in mind:

• Take your time when you step up to the line.

• Take a moment to bounce the ball and look at your target.

• Relax your arms and body and hit your serve when YOU feel ready.

The serve is the only shot in pickleball that you have 100% control over, take advantage of it!

The only limitation is that you have to hit the ball within 10 seconds of calling the score, but this shouldn’t be cause for rush. There are so many lost opportunities on rushed serves and sloppy technique.

Be mindful about taking your time. 👍

Mind-blowing angles with a sick winner to finish! 🔥

What do Venus Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have in common?

They’re both two of the best tennis players of all time? Well, yes but… they both play pickleball! 🎉

Venus Williams and Carlos Alcaraz participated in a pickleball exhibition held at Lotte New York Palace Hotel prior to the start of the 2023 US Open.

We're witnessing a growing trend of top tennis players not only endorsing pickleball but also signing exclusive contracts to play professionally in the sport.

Most recently, Canadian tennis sensation Eugenie Bouchard, a former world number 5 in the WTA rankings, has joined Jack Sock, Sam Querrey, and Donald Young (as well as others) in exploring the world of pro pickleball.

Which top tennis players will join the pickleball wave next? 🤔

Pickleball priorities…🏓🤣

Today, Matt breaks down one of the most important skills to play high level pickleball: the reset.

Watch below ⬇️

Key takeaways:

• Paddle out in front

• Keep a loose grip

• Get behind the ball with a low, strong base

The largest percentage of dedicated pickleball players are male, comprising 62% of the player base. Among casual players, 57% are male, while 43% are female.

Thanks for reading!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

Join the conversation below! ⬇️