Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Hey Picklers. This week, we will celebrate our country’s independence, which is basically the opposite of our complete and utter dependence on pickleball. 😄 It's OK, if pickleball is your worst addiction, then you’re doing great. Anyway, today, we’ll take a look at the planet’s most beautiful pickleball courts, a city that transformed its own streets into pickleball courts, some incredible women’s doubles highlights, and a whole lot more.

Let’s do this! 👇

Imagine playing pickleball on your local streets.

And no, we don't mean at the end of your quiet cul-de-sac. We mean on the actual streets of your local city.

Well, that's what happened over the weekend in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, when sections of busy city streets were closed off for pickleball!

How awesome does that look? Granted, there are some really cool urban pickleball locations, some with great views, some right near busy streets. But to actually be playing ON your local city streets? That's awesome.

On the flip side, your ball may bounce on a piece of glass that came from a car accident the previous day 😲. Or it may land on some recent roadkill 😄. But that's probably rare (just like the temperature of the roadkill meat 😂) — and at least it would make for a great story! 

There was a tournament, open play and clinics in this inaugural Downtown Pickleball Street Fest, and it was replete with music, artisan vendors, local breweries, food, and entertainment.

If Louisville sounds familiar, it's because we recently revealed that it has the highest number (per capita) of outdoor pickleball courts in public parks in America. 💪

So it's not as if they didn't have extra courts to use. 😄 No, instead this was a concerted effort to showcase pickleball and highlight Louisville’s downtown area.

Well played, Louisville. And congrats on your inaugural event! 🙌

Split Step When Your Opponent Makes Contact with the Ball

The split step is arguably the most important footwork step in pickleball, as it prepares you to move in either direction as soon as your opponent hits the ball. The split step is a small hop onto your toes that gets your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

You should time your split step so that you hit the ground at the same time your opponent makes contact with the ball. If you do this, you will get to the ball faster and be more prepared to react to the shot. The split step is especially important in transition and when playing the net because you have limited time to react.

How do you reject a speed-up? With a strong counter of your own. 💪

It’s Time to Join the Party

Do you like parties? Yes? OK. What about pickleball, do you like that? Yes? Interesting. Then, hmm, you’re probably the perfect candidate for a WEEK-LONG celebration of JOOLA Pickleball in Orlando, Florida!

From August 30th - September 4th, join JOOLA’s top touring pros at the 2024 JOOLA Pickleball Celebration! Learn from the pros at the JOOLA Pickleball Clinic, showcase your skills during the team format tournament, and watch your favorite pros battle it out in a special pro invitational. Hosted at the beautiful Gaylord Palms Hotel, you’ll be in the center of the action with the Disney attractions right around the corner. Act fast, these events are sure to sell out! Register now at joolausa.com.

Patrick (PK) Kawka is a professional pickleball player and former professional tennis and padel player. Today, he speaks about “Why You Need to Be Poaching…”

“I know, I know — hear me out before you throw stones at me. I’m not telling you to go play singles in a doubles game but I do believe poaching is a crucial tactic in pickleball for several compelling reasons.

For example, if your partner is being targeted and feeling pressured, poaching and redirecting the ball can alleviate that pressure. This not only helps your partner readjust but also enhances your offensive strategy. By taking shots intended for your partner, you can take control of the game, cut off angles, and force opponents into difficult positions. This aggressive approach keeps opponents on their toes and can lead to forced errors.

It can also improve court coverage. In doubles play, effective poaching allows players to cover more of the court, reducing the chances of the ball landing in open spaces. This is extremely important for maintaining a strong defense and preventing easy points.

However, it’s crucial to be smart about your poaching and poach with caution. Reckless or poorly-timed poaching can leave your side of the court vulnerable and disrupt your partner’s game. Always communicate and ensure that your poaching is helping your team’s performance and not ruining it. This is why poaching is necessary with the consent of your partner. Done right, poaching can help build teamwork because it requires excellent communication and trust between partners, leading to better synergy and an effective playing strategy.”

Be sure to follow Patrick’s journey on Instagram.

The Most Beautiful Courts in the World

"Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya. Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama. Key Largo, Montego..."

OK, OK, enough of the classic vacation-inspiring “Kokomo” song from The Beach Boys. Why? Because the new vacation destinations aren't about beaches — they're about pickleball!

At least that's what Forbes must think because it just published an article called "22 Amazing Pickleball Destinations Around The World."  

From pickleball courts featuring spectacular views to others that offer programming and coaching, resorts are starting to up their pickleball games. Twenty-two destinations are a lot, so we'll just highlight three super cool ones. Here goes...

Le Logis, Cognac, France

Ever think you could play pickleball at a French chateau surrounded by vineyards? Well, you can. You may have to rent out the whole place, but hey, don't think about money when you're on vacation. 😂 

Park Hyatt, St. Kitts, Christophe Harbour

Remember the Caribbean islands from above? Well, you can play pickleball in St. Kitts, right next to a sugar mill. Except it's not a real sugar mill, but rather a spa designed for healing and relaxation.

Nobu Hotel, Los Cabos, Mexico

Play pickleball in the Baja desert at a Japanese-inspired, Four-Star retreat. Courts can be reserved for open play or for private lessons.

No matter where you go on your trip, if pickleball is involved, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a good time. 👍💪

At least it only haunts him at night. 😂

Do You Use Protection? 😉

If you’re single and looking to mingle, then you should definitely use protection. 😄 But we’re not talking about that kind of protection. We’re talking about sun protection, which everyone should be using, regardless of whether you’re single or fifty years married. 💪

When it comes to sun protection, we turn to Sonrei because they provide the very best water and sweat-resistant, fragrance-free, paraben-free, and vegan sun protection. So the next time you’re heading out to the pickleball courts, use Sonrei sunscreen — and use code "clinic20" at checkout for 20% off.

We show lots of footage from pro pickleball players — but enough about them 😉, we want to see YOU!

Yup, you heard that right. We want you, our community members, to send in highlights of your best pickleball points. Just DM your video to us on Facebook or Instagram, and you may be featured on those platforms or right here in this newsletter! (Please only send pickleball videos — we don’t want to be seeing anything inappropriate. 😆)

We’ve assembled our Top 5 plays from the recent APP NYC Open Women's Doubles Final between Megan Fudge/Yana Newell and Allison Harris/Simone Jardim. If that last name sounds familiar, it may be because (at least before Anna Leigh Waters came along) Simone Jardim was probably considered to be the GOAT of women’s pickleball. Check out these great points below. 👇

Highlights:

• The power and hand speed displayed by all four players is top notch!

• In point #5, notice how Jardim and Harris are able to keep the point alive by backing up after Jardim hits a pop-up.

• Did you see Jardim hit between her legs toward the end of point #2? (It looked cool, but it basically made her lose the point. 😄)

• How sweet is the angle Newell gets on her overhead to end point #1?!

There is a new sheriff in town! At least in the world of men’s doubles on the PPA Tour — and at least for now. Who is he? It’s Dylan Frazier, who just took over the title of #1 Men’s Doubles player from Ben Johns, who held that honor since September of 2020. Congratulations Dylan!

The official switch happened this weekend when Dylan Frazier and his usual partner, JW Johnson, won the Orange County Cup in San Clemente, California. Meanwhile, Ben Johns and his usual partner, brother Collin Johns, lost in that same tournament in the quarterfinal round.

But don’t worry, Ben Johns isn’t going anywhere. He’s still #1 in mixed doubles, and #2 in men’s singles and men’s doubles.

Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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