Read in 83 countries, we cover the people, passion, and stories driving pickleball forward globally
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE
July 22, 2026— Vol. 2, Issue 28: Celebrating the global momentum.
COVER STORY From Open Play to Apple TV+ An exclusive behind-the-scenes look on The Dink featuring interviews with the writer, director, and lead actors.
FEATURE ARTICLE India’s No. One Pickleball Player Armaan Bhatia didn’t just become India’s best player. He helped convince the world that Indian pickleball had arrived.
SPOTLIGHT Pickleball’s Global Bloom North America may have ignited the sport’s rise, but the next chapter of pickleball’s story is unfolding around the world.
July 22, 2026 INSIDE WORLD PICKLEBALL Excellence Off the Pickleball Court As pickleball continues its meteoric rise from local park favorite to a global commercial force, the people driving that growth often operate behind the scenes. Behind every court …
July 22, 2026 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE The Couple that Plays Together … Date nights have become predictable. Dinner at the same restaurant. Another movie. Another evening sitting on opposite ends of the couch while each person scrolls through a …
July 22, 2026 PICKLEBALL MOVIE REVIEW The Dink Is the Movie We’ve Been Wanting Hollywood finally gives the world’s fastest-growing sport the big-screen treatment, and it delivers with heart, humor, and an authentic love for pickleball …
July 22, 2026 TOWEY’S TIPS Building a Better Two-Handed Backhand The two-handed backhand has become one of my favorite shots because it gives you so many options. Whether you’re driving the ball, rolling it crosscourt, attacking from the kitchen, or …
July 22, 2026 HEALTH & FITNESS Playing Pain-Free After the Age of 50 Walk onto almost any pickleball court in America, and you’ll quickly notice something remarkable. Players in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s aren’t simply participating. They’re competing …
July 22, 2026 PICKLEBALL ESCAPES Pickleball and Disney Pixie Dust Nine stops into the 2026 season, MLP has played its way through gyms, arenas, and outdoor courts across the country chasing a playoff field. For the finale, presented by DoorDash …
What’s your DUPR? That has become the opening line for many pickleball players today when they enter a tournament, join a new club, or just pop up for open play at the public parks. Over the past five years, I’ve had a chance to work with DUPR since it was formed by pickleball pioneer Steve Kuhn who spoke at our first Las Vegas World Pickleball Conference in 2024 …
July 15, 2026 • 17 min read Ahead of the Game Carl Foster has spent his entire career getting to new things first. He was a 19-year-old Air Force disc jockey broadcasting to American …
July 8, 2026 • 11 min read The Champion Who Helped Shape the Game Kyle Yates was one of the most dominant men’s pickleball players from 2014 to 2018 and in recognition of his achievements was …
July 1, 2026 • 11 min read Building the Courts Behind the Courts Ashley and Tim were recipients of one of the 2026 DUPR Golden Pickle Business Awards for their passion and growth of pickleball …
Hendershot’s Climb from Junior Standout to MLP Player
Inside professional pickleball, players and coaches keep using the same word when talking about Elsie Hendershot. Fearless. Not fearless in the loud, emotional sense. Not reckless. Not immature. The kind of fearless rooted in belief, composure, and a willingness to challenge adult professionals without shrinking from the moment …
July 15, 2026• 8 min read Inside the Dill Dinkers’ Playbook This week’s Inside World Pickleball column Pickleball is an interview with Will and Denise Richards, co-founders of Dill Dinkers …
July 15, 2026• 6 min read The Paddletek™ Honeyfoam™ TKO-X Paddletek has spent more than two decades building a reputation for producing high-performance pickleball paddles …
June 24, 2026 • 10 min read Prats on Facility & Community Growth Rene Prats has shared insights on facility development, operations, hospitality, and community building at events in …
For years, people argued over the best exercise for longevity. Running advocates praised cardiovascular endurance. Cyclists pointed toward low-impact conditioning. Swimmers emphasized joint-friendly movement. Tennis players long claimed racquet sports offered the perfect balance of fitness, coordination, and competition. Then Dan Buettner entered …
July 15, 2026 • 5 min read Why Shoes Are Hurting Your Game For many new pickleball players, the first equipment purchase is a paddle. The second is often a bag. Shoes rarely make the top …
July 8, 2026 • 3 min read Relief that Keeps You in the Game As pickleball has grown, so has the importance of recovery. Stretching, hydration, strength training, and proper footwear all play important …
March 11, 2026 • 5 min read Balance, Mobility, and Fall Prevention One of the reasons pickleball has attracted millions of players across generations is that it offers a rare combo of accessibility …
The road into Juillac-le-Coq feels almost cinematic. Vineyards stretch across the rolling countryside, limestone walls catch the late-afternoon light, and quiet village roads wind through one of the most historic regions in France. Nothing about the setting suggests pickleball. Then the courts appear …
July 15, 2026 • 8 min Paddles, Piran, and the Slovenian Riviera Salt gave this stretch of the Adriatic its name and its living for the better part of seven centuries before anyone here had heard of a pickleball …
July 8, 2026 • 7 min Dinks, Drives, and Coastal Vibes San Diego rarely has to try hard to impress a visitor. The weather does most of the work, the coastline does the rest, and the city has spent …
July 1, 2026 • 6 min Melbourne During the PPA 250 Every destination on the PPA Tour offers something unique. Some are known for spectacular coastlines. Others are …
