Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Will another country become the next pickleball powerhouse? Today, we’ll explore the growth of pickleball in China, Andre Agassi’s interest in our sport, how to hit a third shot drop, and a lot more!

Let’s go! 👇

We know pickleball was created in Washington State in the 1960s, but that it only took off in America a few years ago during the pandemic.

Smaller countries, by population, such as Canada and Australia are into it, and the country with the world's largest population, India, is seeing some interest as well.

Now it appears that China, the world's 2nd largest country (it's basically tied with India), is also developing an interest in pickleball.

According to Jenny Feng in her article in The China Project, it appears that pickleball is gaining some popularity among young women in China, who like it because of the fun, exercise, and fashion associated with the sport.

Last year, a lifestyle social media platform, Xiaohongshu, launched a campaign called "Pickleball Together" to promote the sport, and it partnered with other facilities to host pop-up pickleball events in many big cities throughout the country.

In addition to organic growth through social media, Americans, such as Seymour Rifkind, founder of the World Pickleball Federation, are actively trying to grow the sport in China by going over there to give pickleball demonstrations and donate complimentary nets, paddles, and certifications.

Some of China's most popular sports today are table tennis and badminton — and with a population that quadruples America’s, it is perfectly reasonable to imagine that China can soon be a big player on the world pickleball stage.

The global growth of pickleball is only a good thing for our sport. Imagine when you'll be able to travel anywhere in the world and pack your paddles wherever you go!👍 Or at least maybe your local pickleball club will begin serving not just burgers, but also Shrimp on the Barbie, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Peking Duck! 😃💪 

Pay Close Attention to Your Paddle Angle

Your paddle angle should change depending on how far above or below the net you are contacting the ball. Any contact point above the net requires the paddle to be closed (meaning angled downward) and any contact below the net requires the paddle to be open (meaning angled upward).

The farther above the net you make contact with the ball, the more closed the paddle face will need to be and the farther below the net you make contact, the more open it will need to be. Being aware of this will help you adjust accordingly and minimize errors.

Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Anderson Scarpa played Division I college tennis at Mercer University before becoming a pro pickleball player. Today, he shares his thoughts on keeping your nerves in check during tournaments.

“Everyone deals with tournament nerves to varying degrees and every person has slightly different ways of coping with them to help perform under pressure. My personal belief is that nerves are a good thing and it’s your mind’s way of making sure that you are fully engaged.

Whenever I’m feeling nervous, I exaggerate my footwork and preparation for each shot to ensure that I’m perfectly balanced. Pickleball is a tricky sport because it requires patience, focus, and a level of relaxation when executing certain shots (dinks, drops, resets). Nerves tend to make us more jacked up and tight, which is the opposite of what we want when playing these finesse shots. By exaggerating my footwork, I’m putting all this excess energy and excitement into my preparation which then allows my mind to be calm and focused on the shot at hand.

Ultimately, the best way to improve at dealing with tournament nerves is by playing in more tournaments and exposing yourself to pressure situations as often as possible. Nerves will always be there but the more we force ourselves into tournament situations, the better we will become.”

Feel free to follow Anderson here on Instagram.

JOOLA Brings the Color!

JOOLA is proud to collaborate with Brazilian artist Romero Britto on a series of custom-designed pickleball paddles and accessories. Britto is considered one of the most famous, successful and celebrated living visual artists on the planet, as well as the most licensed artist in history. He uses vibrant, iconic imagery and fun patterns to reflect his optimistic view of the world around him. With these custom pickleball items, Britto brings the world of art to the pickleball courts.

Learn more and use “clinic10” to save 10% off at: www.joolausa.com.

What could be cooler than pro pickleball under the lights? A sweet ATP to set up a put-away.💪 

Andre the Giant

Andre Agassi. Sports legend. Cultural icon. Philanthropist.

When he first entered the public eye, Agassi was a teenager from Las Vegas known for his big game, long hair and rebellious spirit. The product he was best known for advertising? The Canon "Rebel" camera. His best known catchphrase for the Rebel? "Image is everything."

Fast forward a decade and Agassi was bald, known for his superior level of fitness and discipline, and one of the most respected elder statesmen in the sport of tennis. Talk about reinventing yourself.

After relationships with celebrities including Barbara Streisand and Brooke Shields (who he married and divorced), Agassi was on the verge of marrying the far more understated Steffi Graf, one of the greatest female tennis players of all time.

Fast forward a couple more decades and Agassi is still married to Graf, has two children in their 20s, and has helped raise more than $180 million dollars for the Andre Agassi Foundation, an organization with the mission of transforming public education by influencing national policy and through a public charter school in Las Vegas.

So what's next for the man who has demonstrated an amazing propensity to evolve? You guessed it, pickleball.

Agassi publicly dipped his toe in the sport with last year's "Pickleball Slam," which pitted former tennis stars against each other. (He just played in "Pickleball Slam 2" with his wife over the weekend and they beat John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova.) He also recently partnered with a paddle company, where he's trying to help create innovative paddle designs.

On the sport of pickleball in general, Agassi recently stated, “I’m playing people that are better than me, pushing me… It’s added to my life on so many levels.”

Who knows what other pickleball projects Agassi will take on. Whatever they are, one thing is for sure — pickleball is lucky to have the great Andre Agassi in its corner. 

A Pickleball Vacation!

Ever heard of some guy named Ben Johns? He dabbles in pickleball 😂 — and by that, we mean he’s the undisputed best pickleball player on earth. He also writes a regular bulletin for our newsletter.👍 Anyway, he founded an amazing company called Pickleball Getaways that hosts pickleball vacations all over the world — to beautiful places including Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, Croatia and Slovenia!  

Not only will you get world-class instruction on these trips, but you will also take in the sights and sounds of the country you visit through tours and other incredible experiences. There are only a few rooms left on upcoming trips in the spring, summer, and fall. Check out what's available before it's too late! 

Some people get it pretty quickly, while others try to deny it. But if you play enough, you WILL realize the power of the soft game.

Ready to Roll!

Wouldn’t it be cool if rather than having to build a pickleball court, you could simply roll out a professional level surface? And not only could it be temporary, but it would also be so good that it could be used permanently?

Well, before you get too excited about this idea, you should know that it already exists! It’s called Pickleroll, and it’s the premiere temporary (and permanent) court service used at homes, events, and locations including NOLA Fest, the National Mall, and outside Chase Field — home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

So if you’ve been eyeing that piece of your backyard patio or dirt road that’s just been looking at you 😄 and taking up space for the past few years, then it may be time to consider putting a pickleball court there! 

Want to move up from a 3.0 to a 3.5?

Then you need to be able to hit the Third Shot Drop. Coach Matt shows you how below!👇

Key takeaways:

• Minimize your backswing.

• Get below the ball.

• Be relaxed, have an easy follow-through.

Pickleball admittedly has some pretty silly sounding terms. (When the name of the sport has the word “pickle,” in it, it doesn’t really have much of a choice.😃) Yes, the term “kitchen” is pretty cool but for those of you who may not know, there’s also a “Bert” and an “Erne.”

An “Erne” is a pickleball shot named after Erne Perry, a pickleball player credited with bringing the shot into the mainstream in competitive play. The shot entails jumping over your corner of the kitchen and hitting the ball midair or running around or through the kitchen and re-establishing yourself out of bounds to hit the ball out of the air.

And now for the “Bert.” Since Bert and Ernie were such well-known muppets on Sesame Street — and because they are always together — the “Bert” pickleball shot got its name because it too goes hand in hand with the “Erne.” It’s basically the same shot as the Erne except that rather than jumping over or stepping around the kitchen on your side of the court, you do it on your partner’s side of the court!

Thanks for the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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