Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

What do you think of when you hear "Las Vegas"? Today, we'll take a look at a brand-new, multimillion-dollar pickleball facility that's on its way to Sin City, reveal a game-changing proposal for our sport, check out a new pickleball record, and a whole lot more. 

Let’s do this! 👇

As we all know, Sin City is known for its entertainment, casinos, and all-around nightlife. But will pickleball soon be added to the list? It certainly could, thanks to a new public facility that just broke ground at Wayne Bunker Park.

The $12 million facility is set to feature 24 new pickleball courts, which will almost double the existing public court total in Las Vegas.

It will feature lighted courts, some of which will be covered for shade, as well as concession stands, seating, and a sound wall to help reduce noise.

Since the facility is publicly funded and will cost a pretty penny, there are of course some in the community who have questioned where the money came from and why it isn't being used for other public needs.

Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske explained that the decision was made 6 years ago and that the money came from the sale of federally-managed land.

"This was a competitive bid process," said Allen-Palenske, "And the money is earmarked for public purpose recreational use."

You know who else was born, raised, and currently lives in Las Vegas? Tennis star, turned pickleball advocate, Andre Agassi, along with his wife (and fellow tennis legend), Steffi Graf.

So when the new facility officially opens in 2027, we wouldn't be surprised if a certain power couple drops by to check out the courts! 

Keep Your Paddle Up Between Shots

Always keep your paddle up and in front of your body after hitting the ball. Many beginners drop it to their side, which makes them vulnerable to attacks. When your paddle is down, you have to lift it back to chest level before you can turn your hand and defend a strong shot. Keeping your paddle up between shots reduces the steps needed to defend effectively!

Is this the best match point ever? 👇

Why do you think pickleball has become so popular? There are many reasons, but perhaps the biggest one is that it's fun. Yup, pickleball is pure, unmitigated FUN. That's why we all want to play pickleball for as many hours and years as we can!

Unfortunately, aches and pains can get in the way of our fun. But it doesn’t have to anymore because Picklebalm just added a new Pain Relief Spray that features the same powerful pain-relieving formula that made it the best topical pain reliever for pickleball players on the planet. Picklebalm’s new spray is great for hard-to-reach areas and it provides a light, even coverage without manual spreading. Grab a bottle today so you can play more and hurt less.

Welcome back to the section where we will define a word or term that is widely used in the pickleball world…

Tweener (noun)

A tweener is a shot that entails a player hitting the ball between his or her legs. A true tweener is one in which the ball goes over the player's head, and with their back facing the net, he or she hits the ball between the legs. However, the term is also used for shots in which the player is facing the net and hits the ball between his or her legs.

Have you ever thought to yourself that you might enjoy playing singles pickleball if only it didn't involve so much running?

Now we're not talking about you young whippersnappers out there who can run for days. For you people (let's say under 30 years old), tracking down balls left and right might not be a problem.

But once you start celebrating some more birthdays, it's not quite as easy. Plus, even if you can run from side to side, is that as much fun and exciting as crafting a point with precise dinks or ending it with a fast hands battle?

It appears that this latter concern is the impetus for the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour Challenger Series decision to introduce new singles lines in a few upcoming tournaments, which will make the singles court narrower by 3 feet — 1.5 feet on each side.

Of course the PPA Tour doesn't care about its players running around too much. Most of its players are in their 20s, and as professional athletes, they should be in tip-top shape.

But what the PPA Tour does care about is what pro pickleball (and pickleball in general) looks and feels like. 

We all know that doubles pickleball is extremely popular, but singles pickleball has not caught on in the same way. Perhaps it's because the baseline rallies and passing shots of the current singles pickleball game looks a lot like, dare we say... tennis.

With the PPA Tour Challenger Series experiment of shrinking the width of the court for singles, it is hoping that classic pickleball doubles shots and exchanges like drops, dinks, and firefights can be brought to the singles game as well.

In other words, as the PPA Challenger Series said in a statement about the new lines, "This change will allow for longer points, fiercer battles, and a more exciting player and spectator experience.” 

If the experiment succeeds, might it lead to singles lines being drawn on pickleball courts everywhere? Nobody knows, but it certainly could. 

That take is like so 2020. 😆

You don't need too many things to play pickleball, but you definitely need a few. Actually 4 things: paddles, a net, a hard surface with lines on it, and... a ball. But we're not just talking any ball — we're talking about a gorgeous, bright yellow plastic ball.

And if it's a Franklin X-40, then it's the most balanced, consistent, and durable one in the world, which is why it’s consistently not just the best-selling pickleball, but one of the best-selling pickleball products in America. It's also the Official Ball of the APP Tour and The Pickleball Clinic. You can get some X-40s with code (clinic15) for 15% off.

The more mistakes you can eliminate in your game, the better player you'll be. If you're a beginner, you're probably making a ton of mistakes, some of which you may have no idea you're making. Well, Coach Matt is here to help you with 5 critical mistakes that many beginner players (and probably some intermediates) make all the time. 👇

Do you remember the Connecticut-based set of identical twins, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, who have set multiple pickleball Guinness World Records? They have the record for the longest rally without missing (16,046 shots lasting more than 6 hours) and for the longest volley rally without missing: 10,532 volleys.

Well, they're back at it again, this time setting a record for the most consecutive volleys hit in a minute…113! The twins have been breaking pickleball records (and tennis ones before that) for many years, and they do it to raise money for charities they believe in and to inspire others to reach for their dreams.

Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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