PicklePod

Zane’s Worlds run included a surprise qualifier, a rolled ankle, and a referee with some confusing challenge rules. Nico had a 20-minute score dispute—and witnessed J-Dub and Tama pull off a huge comeback. The Pickle Pod is back with a post-Worlds recap, hot takes on the top players, and a big announcement: Zane’s farewell episode is next week. Nico and Zane break down the matches, argue about court etiquette, debate Ben Johns’ lefty forehands, and revisit your comments. Plus, Guess My DUPR and the return of the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord. In this episode: - Zane’s unexpected Worlds qualifier and tournament experience - Court challenges, refereeing, and whether pros should get warm-up courts - Nico’s dramatic Moneyball score dispute - J-Dub and Tama’s comeback—and the crowd reaction - Who’s playing the best men’s pickleball right now? - Jack Sock, John Lucian Goins, and the tennis-to-pickleball debate - Sophia Sewing’s big week and the women’s doubles shake-up - Ben Johns’ lefty forehands: serious strategy or just messing around? - Guess My DUPR and your comments - Zane announces his last Pickle Pod episode 💥 Boomstik ST giveaway ends Nov. 10 at 11:59 p.m. EST, so enter now at giveaway.thedinkpickleball.com. Good luck! 👉 Go to marekhealth.com/bfcm26/early-access and use code THEDINK to take advantage of Marek Health’s Black Friday deal. (New clients only. Rx by provider. Full terms at marekhealth.com/bfcmterms26.) Guess My DUPR is sponsored by Warping Point. Check out their paddles & gear at https://warpingpoint.com. 🏓 Donate to the Solomon Boltes Memorial Pickleball Courts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-solomon-boltes-memorial-pickleball-courts 📩 Subscribe to our free newsletter for everything that matters in pickleball: https://subscribe.thedinkpickleball.com #Pickleball #PickleballPodcast #mlp #ppa ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Follow us on IG : https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Join the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord → https://discord.gg/ZCqXrxhgsv -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball ------------------ 0:00 Intro 3:01 Zane at Worlds 6:16 Breaking news 9:52 Zane at Worlds cont’d 16:43 Pros flooding the commentary booth 19:44 Nico’s World’s experience 31:42 Should pros have priority on courts 35:40 A huge men’s doubles comeback 46:22 Singles results and JLG’s secret weapon 56:58 Mixed doubles results from Worlds 1:04:37 Sofia and Catherine are heating up 1:11:29 Ben Johns’ lefty forehand 1:14:17 Guess my DUPR and mean comments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zane is playing Worlds qualies on his birthday, CJ Klinger's Chipotle order is a crime scene, and Zane is officially "a correct asshole." 🥒 Nico the Lefty and Zane recap the MLP Nations Cup and ask whether it's a missed opportunity. They rank Team USA, argue about those jerseys, and preview PPA Worlds in Dallas. Then they go back through your comments on what makes someone a pro, play Guess My DUPR, and finish with a Halloween candy draft that Zane may regret. In this episode: - Worlds week in Dallas: birthdays, Airbnbs, shuttles, and Zane's qualifier surprise - Why mixed doubles is the toughest draw in pickleball - MLP Nations Cup: the team splits, Team USA's jerseys, and how to fix the format - Is this Team USA the best MLP team ever? CJ Klinger's Chipotle sponsorship and order - The new Houston Hammers, and the MLP commissioner we still don't have - Worlds partnerships to watch, including Sophia Sewing and Nico Acevedo - "What defines a pro pickleball player?" Round two, with your comments - Guess My DUPR, plus a new use for DUPR in the comments - The Halloween candy draft Customize your own pickleball paddle today: https://www.joysentsport.com/pages/design (and don't forget to use code THEDINK for 10% off) Shop for your next paddle at 🏓 Donate to the Solomon Boltes Memorial Pickleball Courts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-solomon-boltes-memorial-pickleball-courts 📩 Subscribe to our free newsletter for everything that matters in pickleball: https://subscribe.thedinkpickleball.com #Pickleball #PickleballPodcast #mlp #ppa ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Follow us on IG : https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Join the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord → https://discord.gg/ZCqXrxhgsv -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball ------------------ 0:00 Intro 4:14 The shuttle situation in Dallas 10:35 The draws at Worlds are DEEP 12:19 Nations Cup reactions 20:30 CJ Klinger’s Chipotle sponsorship 25:04 Team USA is not #1? 33:31 MLP expands to 21 teams 38:24 New partnerships at World’s 45:55 Nico’s delisted paddle 56:06 What defines a pro response 1:09:00 Comments section 1:16:45 Guess my DUPR 1:23:32 Candy draft Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zane almost took a game off the world number one, and Nico still can't say "Catan." 🥒 Nico the Lefty and Zane break down PPA Hong Kong, the "slam" that isn't a slam, and why the courts and the ball had the ball strikers struggling. Then they design the ultimate pro pickleball combine, argue about what makes someone a real pro, and guess Jordy from Barstool's DUPR rating. Listener comments are teased for next week, and apparently Nico may be a bad father. In this episode: - PPA Hong Kong: the results, the upsets, and Hayworth's slump - Court surfaces, slower bounces, and the Lifetime ball "powered by Yola" - Ben and Gabe's losing streak, and the men's doubles power rankings - The Selkirk Sparta Combine: which tests a pro pickleball combine should include - What actually defines a pro pickleball player - Guess My DUPR with Jordie from Barstool 💊 Marek Health → https://www.marekhealth.com | Code: THEDINK for 10% off 🏓 Donate to the Solomon Boltes Memorial Pickleball Courts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-solomon-boltes-memorial-pickleball-courts 📩 Subscribe to our free newsletter for everything that matters in pickleball: https://subscribe.thedinkpickleball.com #Pickleball #PickleballPodcast #mlp #ppa ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Follow us on IG : https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Join the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord → https://discord.gg/ZCqXrxhgsv -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball ------------------ 0:00 Intro 2:09 Zane’s experience in Hong Kong 5:48 Can any ball compete? 11:44 PPA Game night invites 14:37 Is Chris Haworth in a slump? 24:51 The new #3 player in women’s singles: Andie Dikosavljevic 28:54 Women’s doubles and mixed doubles 33:06 JW Johnson is the new #1 on DUPR 38:34 Fed and Hayden upset Ben and Gabe 43:14 Power ranking men's doubles 48:49 Should Asia have its own PPA season + Batman?? 59:51 Nico’s upcoming combine 1:08:45 Definition of a pro 1:15:41 Guess my DUPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pickleball is getting louder, messier, and more interesting—and this week’s conversation proves it. Zane Navratil and Nico break down the latest pro pickleball stories, from tournament scheduling chaos in Australia and Hong Kong to first-time gold medalists, the rise of Elliott Shupp, and the debate over what belongs on center court. Zane shares firsthand updates from competing overseas, including the challenge of overlapping tournaments and players having to choose between a semifinal and making it to their next event. Then the hosts discuss standout performances from Sophia Seving, Jaume Martinez Vich, and Elliott Shupp—and whether Shupp could already be one of the most dangerous lefties in pickleball. The conversation turns to one of the sport’s biggest debates: screaming, taunting, and whether pro pickleball needs new rules. The hosts explore the proposed changes, possible double standards, and whether the sport should rein in its players—or embrace the moments that grab attention. 🏓 Donate to the Solomon Boltes Memorial Pickleball Courts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-solomon-boltes-memorial-pickleball-courts 📩 Subscribe to our free newsletter for everything that matters in pickleball: https://subscribe.thedinkpickleball.com #Pickleball #PickleballPodcast #mlp #ppa ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Follow us on IG : https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Join the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord → https://discord.gg/ZCqXrxhgsv -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball ------------------ 0:00 Intro 4:06 PPA Australia vs Virginia Beach 11:24 Congrats Jaume + Elliot 21:21 MLP needs a commissioner 24:25 Jim Kloss’s proposed yelling rule 38:49 Crunching the numbers 49:24 Protesters at APP Louisville 51:29 Challenging AI line calls 58:59 Mean comments 1:15:37 Guess my DUPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest indoor pickleball business story of the year collides with a wild Chicago recap, and the debate around Annalee Waters, Ben Johns, and the future of pro pickleball gets surprisingly deep fast. If you want the sharpest takes on the PPA Chicago chaos, the Pickler bankruptcy, and the next wave of stars, this is the episode. Zane and Nico break down everything that mattered from Chicago, starting with Annalee Waters hitting 200 PPA golds at 19 and the uncomfortable question nobody else wants to ask: what is left for her to chase? They also dig into Ben Johns’ latest doubles stumble, the pressure of playing with him, and why Jack Sock and Bruno/Anwar completely changed the feel of the men’s draw. 💊 Marek Health → https://www.marekdiagnostics.com | Code: THEDINK for 10% off 🏓 Donate to the Solomon Boltes Memorial Pickleball Courts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-solomon-boltes-memorial-pickleball-courts 📩 Subscribe to our free newsletter for everything that matters in pickleball: https://subscribe.thedinkpickleball.com #Pickleball #PickleballPodcast #mlp #ppa ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Follow us on IG : https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Join the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord → https://discord.gg/ZCqXrxhgsv -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball ------------------ 0:00 Intro 1:42 Zane’s Australian hotel 4:17 Ranking US cities that are better than Sacramento 7:40 Anna Leigh Waters wins 200th PPA Gold 18:53 Nico's semi-pro ball knowledge 25:50 Men’s doubles recap with Ben and Jack 33:12 Big H stirs the pot with Eric Oncins 36:16 Men’s singles race + the new Flying Frenchman 44:57 Women’s doubles results + top ten rankings 53:50 Quick mixed doubles recap 57:01 Picklr bankruptcy 1:06:21 1% of players are 5.0s 1:10:42 MEAN COMMENTS 1:24:56 Guess my DUPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices