Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Have you ever played padel? Or even heard of it? Today, we'll take a look at the rise of a racket sport rival, check out the all-new pickleball ranking system, find out what critics have to say about the latest pickleball movie, and much more.

Let’s go! 👇

Do you know of a racket sport invented in the 1960s that essentially stayed under the radar for decades until it came to life in about 2020 and kept getting more and more popular around the world?

What sport are we talking about? We’ll give you a hint, it starts with the letter “p.” It’s hard to believe, but we are actually not talking about pickleball. Instead, we’re talking about padel.

If that description sounds similar, it’s because it is virtually identical to pickleball—like so close, it’s uncanny. But despite the similarities between the rise of pickleball and padel, there are quite a few differences between the two sports.

For starters, how does one play padel? Well, it is played on a court surrounded by walls that can be used during play. The racket is thicker and heavier than a pickleball paddle and the ball looks like a tennis ball but is not as bouncy. Serves must be bounced and struck underhand, and the scoring is the same as it is in tennis. It looks like this.

One big difference is where the two sports call home. As we know, pickleball took off in the United States, and a little bit in Canada and Australia. But especially over the past few years, pickleball has seen tremendous growth in many Asian countries, like Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, and even Asia’s biggest countries: India and China.

Padel, on the other hand, became popular in Spain, Italy, Argentina, and some other countries in Europe and South America. So the two sports definitely have their geographic strongholds. However, it’s safe to say that by now, both sports have entered the other’s “turf.” 🙂

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the United States had 24.3 million active pickleball players in 2025 as compared to 1 million active padel players. However, the International Padel Federation’s 2025 World Padel Report determined that padel has more than 35 million players worldwide.

It is only natural to perhaps feel a little threatened by padel’s popularity—although to be fair, pickleball essentially did the same thing to tennis, so we can’t get too upset.

Also, there is room for our two sports to flourish. Plus, the sports seem to appeal to different groups of people. Both sports pride themselves on being social, but while pickleball can be very accessible, the simple fact that there need to be four walls in padel makes it tougher and more expensive to build courts.

That has made padel more difficult and expensive to access courts, which has in turn made it more of a luxury sport targeting a more affluent group. As we know, pickleball is played across the entire socio-economic spectrum.

The walls in padel also dramatically change the playing experience and make it more similar to sports like racquetball, squash, and paddle tennis. Also, the overhead shot is more prevalent in padel as compared to pickleball.

Ultimately, if people enjoy playing padel, then good for them. But we all know which sport is better. 💪

The Speedup Usually Sets Up a Putaway

The goal of a speedup shouldn’t always be to win the point immediately—it should be to create an opportunity to finish the point on the next shot or two. A well-placed speedup to an uncomfortable location is often more effective than simply trying to hit the ball as hard as possible. An overly aggressive speedup has a higher chance of going out or giving your opponent the opportunity to counter with even more pace.

Instead, focus on placement and creating a difficult ball for your opponent to handle. A quality speedup will often force a weaker, higher, or slower reply, giving you the perfect opportunity to step in and put away the next shot.

You do NOT need to be able to do a split in pickleball. But if you can do one, then sure, go for it! 👇

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We humans are a competitive bunch. Sure, not everyone, but there’s definitely a sizable number of us out there. Which country (or city) has the best food? Or the tallest building? Or the best sports team?

While competition can sometimes get out of hand, at its best, it forces us to strive to get better, reach higher, and achieve more.

Enter pickleball rankings. We already have DUPR to determine who is better than who among amateurs—and pros are on DUPR as well.

But what about a comprehensive ranking for the pros? Who are the absolute best players in the entire world? Well, the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) recently set out to answer that exact question with its new World Pickleball Rankings.

The PPA did have a ranking system in the past, but it was divided up among categories. Now, they have devised a way to determine pound for pound who the best players are on the planet.

The new system will start in the 2026–2027 season and will combine all of the competitive categories into one single ranking. However, each category will not be weighted equally.

What is the weighting breakdown? Gender doubles will make up 50%, mixed doubles 35% and singles 15%. And the ranking will be based on a player’s 14 best results over the past 52 weeks.

“Greatness isn’t one-dimensional,” said PPA Tour CEO and Founder, Connor Pardoe. “The World Pickleball Rankings is about clarity and credibility—one number and one global standard, that tells the story of who the best players in the world truly are. As pickleball grows into a truly global sport, our athletes deserve a ranking that matches that ambition and rewards greatness across every discipline, everywhere they play.”

Will the current GOATs, Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns, stay atop the rankings in this new system? Only time will tell—buy yeah, probably. 😉

You don’t need to be a salesman with us, Leonardo—we’re in! 😂👇

Club Spotlight: Diadem Pickleball Complex, Sanford, FL

Welcome to Diadem's newest indoor pickleball club in Sanford, Florida. Court Kings brought this project to life with 11 indoor smart courts powered by PlaySight technology, which gives players access to AI-powered video, replays, and performance analytics, along with two state-of-the-art pickleball simulators.

Designed with a limited membership of just 275 players, the club offers a premium playing experience with less wait time and more court access. Beyond the courts, the facility was built to foster community through leagues, lessons, tournaments, and social gathering and event spaces. Court Kings is proud to have partnered on a club that's raising the bar for indoor pickleball and helping grow the game in Sanford. Ready to build courts that look and play like these? Contact Court Kings at [email protected] to learn how they can help bring your vision to life.

The two-handed backhand dink is very important because it allows you to hit offensive shots with topspin when you're up at the kitchen line. But there's another reason why two-handed backhands are great for dinking—you can speed up more effectively with a two-hander. Coach Matt is here to show you how to trick your opponents with your backhand speedup. Check it out below. 👇

Apple TV's pickleball comedy movie, The Dink, finally came out! And what are the reviews? Mixed. The Wrap's William Bibbiani wrote, "There’s nothing to relish about this boring, unfunny flick, starring Jake Johnson as a jerk ex-tennis pro." But RogerEbert.com's Brian Tallerico gave it 3 out of 4 stars, and wrote, "Almost every issue that 'The Dink' has with pacing—it’s about ten minutes longer than it should be—is overcome through the talent of its cast, most notably [Jake] Johnson and Mary Steenburgen."

The movie currently has a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and according to The New York Times, it “has its moments, but they never completely cohere, and the movie struggles to maintain a consistent tone.”

Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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