Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!
Breakups are hard, in both life and pickleball. Today, we'll tell you how to let your partner down easy, reveal some incredible mental tips from the great Jill Braverman, unveil the latest celebrity pickleball player, and more.
Let’s go! 👇
Your pickleball partner is kind of like the person you're dating. So when the partnership ends, it feels like a breakup.
And guess what, the same basic rules apply — which is that if you're the one initiating the breakup, you should probably go with some version of "It's not you, it's me."
For those of you who are into being blunt and totally honest, ask yourself the question, "What does that accomplish?" Other than hurting someone's feelings?
After all, what's wrong with a little white lie if it's done in the name of protecting someone's confidence or innocence? You don't go around telling kids that Santa and the tooth fairy aren't real, do you?
So without further ado, here are some ways you can break up with your pickleball partner...
Tell them you've been hearing about the importance of switching partners so that you can be comfortable with different playing styles and become a more well-rounded player.
Say that you hurt yourself and need to take some time off. You will have to fake the injury a bit, and for the next month or so, be sure to only play in tournaments out of state so you won't have to awkwardly bump into your old partner.
Now if you're looking for some breakup reasons that are a little more out there, we've got those too...
Explain that you need to play with this new partner because he or she just saw you do something illegal and is now blackmailing you by threatening to tell the police unless you start playing all of your pickleball tournaments with them. 😆
Reveal to your partner that you recently got robbed and the robber just so happened to look exactly like them. 😀 So you can no longer be their partner because every time you play with them, it gives you PTSD.
All kidding aside, moving on from one partner to another is often a stressful experience. But even if it is uncomfortable, you'll both get through it. And hey, even the best players in the world go through breakups — it's just part of the game.
Only Use Topspin Dinks When Your Feet Are Set
Topspin dinks are a great way to go on offense at the kitchen line, but avoid using them on defense. Fighting a tough offensive dink with topspin is a recipe for a popup!
If you like great defense and never giving up on a point, then this rally is for you. 👇
Chasing That Feeling
You know the feeling when you're in the zone? All of your shots are going in and exactly where you placed them. You're quick and decisive, it's as if the paddle is part of your arm, and you feel like you simply can't miss.
That's an incredible feeling. But it happens more and lasts longer when you prepare the right way — like drilling, taking care of your body, and using the best paddle out there. Well, JOOLA has a new paddle. Remember the 3S series? It's back and better than ever with the 3S Dual, which is dual-certified to meet both UPA-A and USAP standards. So you can play with it anytime, anywhere! 👇
Welcome back to Ask Jilly B, a monthly thought-stream from coach + top pro player, Jill Braverman.
Small Mental Reframe = HUGE Wins
I've been coaching juniors more and more and I have to say it's probably one of the most gratifying things for a coach. The kids take and implement feedback so quickly it's like maybe they're AI? Their hands are lightning, they laugh a ton (and trash talk) and they're starving for knowledge to take them to the next level. Now here comes the but.
BUT when they go into the matchplay portion of the academy and things don't go well, man do the excuses come out. "I had to play on the sunny side"..."did you see the wind picked up?"..."I didn't get to play on my preferred side."
Excuses. So I paused matchplay and I encouraged everyone to consider mental reframes.
"Tons of wind" (reframe -->) I'm going to work on my lob!
"Sun is out/it's hot out" (reframe -->) I'm more hydrated and more prepared than my opponents!
"Partner is struggling" (reframe -->) I'm going to practice playing bigger and setting up patterns that funnel me the ball.
This isn't just juniors though — on the pro tour I hear complaints from pros ranging from: "The trainer sucks" to "There's no decent food at this venue" to "I got a bad draw" to "Ugh, I've been waiting so long to play my match."
This is why I actively practice "mental reframing" in my daily life. And I promise you that for every negative there is a positive mental reframe, and with enough time and practice these reframes can become automatic in your life and your game, helping you play your best pickleball (and live your best life).
Not Too Shabby
The very best players in the world play for Major League Pickleball (MLP), the professional pickleball league consisting of teams from various American cities that compete against one another throughout the year.
The league started in 2021, and while it has grown each year, 2025 proved to be one of its most successful years to date.
According to the Business of Pickleball, MLP's sponsor revenue more than doubled its total from 2024, and its ticket revenue rose by 84% during that same period.
Total impressions on social media also went up by a higher rate than before. From 2023 to 2024, MLP social media impressions increased by 52%, but from 2024 to 2025, there was a 67% increase.
In-person fan attendance also increased substantially in 2025, but perhaps even more importantly, digital and TV views skyrocketed!
Watching hours for national and local TV more than doubled in 2025, and on YouTube, there were over three times the number of views in 2025 than in 2024.
Another promising sign for MLP was that the Palm Beach Royals expansion team was valued at $16 million, which set a new record for an MLP team.
This is great news not just for MLP, but for pickleball in general because these numbers don't even take into account those garnered by other pro pickleball entities, such as the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Association of Pickleball Players (APP) Tours.
Because one day, maybe I’ll get it down to 97%. 💪👇
Growing Pains or Growing Gains?
As our sport continues to grow, more and more brands enter the pickleball market with products ranging from apparel to accessories to paddles. But as the competition increases, the best products are simply rising to the top.
Many brands of balls have come into the pickleball space, and yet the gap between the Franklin X-40 ball and the rest has actually increased. The X-40 is head and shoulders above the competition because it’s the most balanced, consistent, and durable ball out there. That's why it’s the Official Ball of the APP Tour, and yours truly. Pick some up today and use code (clinic15) for 15% off.
Because pickleball is fairly easy to pick up, it allows so many people to enjoy the sport pretty quickly. That's great! HOWEVER, pickleball is also a very cerebral and strategic sport, and if you actually want to get better, then you need to learn and master many different types of shots. Good thing Coach Matt is here with the essential Beginner Pickleball Tips that EVERY new player needs. 👇
Celebrity sightings are pretty cool, especially when they entail one of the biggest actors in the world. But when they also involve pickleball, that's when our antennas go up. The latest pickleball celebrity sighting was of Sydney Sweeney playing at an indoor court in New York City.
To be fair, pickleball is no stranger to Hollywood stars, as it's played regularly by actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Emma Watson, and George Clooney. But hey, we're always happy to welcome another A-lister to the club.
Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!
- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic
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