Avenged Sevenfold’s M. Shadows Plays Pickleball, India Debuts at World Cup
Good morning, pickleballers!
A slightly quieter 24 hours for pickleball news, but we have the latest stories from around the world for you.
Dive in!
Heavy Metal Meets the Kitchen: Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows is Pickleball's Newest Rock Star
Los Angeles, USA – Pickleball, America’s fastest-growing sport, has found an enthusiastic new champion in the world of heavy metal: M. Shadows, the 44-year-old lead vocalist of Avenged Sevenfold. Shadows, who prioritizes fitness, found pickleball to be a perfect addition to his routine and now "fancies himself quite the pickleball player".
The rock star’s introduction to the sport followed a familiar path—initial underestimation. Shadows recalled meeting "a bunch of old guys that were talking smack," confidently assuming he would dominate, only to find himself "running around like a mad man" while they remained stationary, illustrating that he learned the basics the hard way.
Shadows' passion for pickleball has turned into a lifestyle, noting that his wife, friends, and competitive kids also play, often resulting in his kids "screaming at each other, yelling, cussing" due to their competitive nature. He is so confident in his skill that he considers himself the best player in the band, urging others to ask Falling In Reverse lead singer Ronnie Radke to vouch for his talent.
Shadows revealed he introduced Radke to the sport during a tour stop outside Atlanta. After a quick lesson on the basics, including the "kitchen," Radke was hooked, immediately buying nets and gear. This led to intense, consistent play: "every day, in the arena, they would tape out pickleball courts and we would play pickleball for probably four to five hours before every show". The dedication was intense—once, they refused to stop playing even as a line of fans was being walked through, with the crowd watching and yelling. Shadows cautions that while pickleball is easy to learn, it is hard to master, lamenting that "there’s so many bad players in pickleball because they just don’t understand it".
Baseball Star Michael Frankie Trades the Mound for the Kitchen, Names Ben Johns His Role Model
Richland, USA – When 12-year-old Texas East baseball standout Michael Frankie appeared on national television during the Little League World Series in August, he caught the "picklesphere's" attention by naming professional pickleball player Ben Johns as his favorite athlete. The Grade 7 student from James Bowie Middle School in Richland, Texas, was introduced to the sport just three years ago by his great-aunt and immediately embraced it.
Frankie enjoys learning the new sport and playing with friends on courts near his house whenever his baseball schedule permits. He is determined to improve, currently working specifically on his backhand and overheads, constantly seeking to learn "all the new techniques". He closely studies Johns during tournament coverage on Pickleballtv and YouTube, admiring his balanced approach. Frankie praised Johns' style, stating, "I like how he stays aggressive, but has patience at the same time". He specifically hopes to transfer Johns' key attribute of patience into his baseball game when he has to be patient at the plate.
Despite throwing and hitting right on the diamond, Frankie is actually a lefty when holding a paddle. He utilizes this distinction, noting that when he faces righties, he executes a sidespin or "chop" serve that "just pops around over their paddle when they try to hit it back".
Frankie’s mother, Nicki, credits the social and competitive aspects of pickleball with helping Michael develop "soft skills". She notes that the sport, where players enforce rules themselves, fosters accountability and aids his resiliency, as he sometimes gets down on himself after mistakes. Although baseball remains his main competitive focus—he is a pitcher, catcher, and versatile player who taught himself how to throw a knuckleball—his dedication to improvement suggests a bright future in both sports.
Coachella Valley Scorpions Secure NPL Championship Victory in High-Stakes Final
Palm Springs, USA – The Coachella Valley Scorpions secured a significant win in the world of professional paddle sports, claiming the National Pickleball League (NPL) Championship title.
The Scorpions faced off against the Seattle Tsunami in the National Pickleball League finals, emerging victorious in the high-stakes contest. This championship adds a major professional title to the Coachella Valley's sports achievements, capping off a successful season for the Scorpions.
The championship win comes amidst other local sports news, including the Coachella Valley Firebirds falling in overtime during their own competition against the Bakersfield Condors. The NPL victory, however, ensures that the Coachella Valley area retains a championship banner for 2025.
India Sends First Official Contingent to Pickleball World Cup, Aims to Disrupt Global Stage
Fort Lauderdale, USA – India is making its official debut on the global pickleball stage, sending its first-ever national contingent to the Pickleball World Cup in Florida, running from October 27 to November 2 at FORT Pickleball.
Leading the charge is Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, who carries the dual responsibility of serving as the President of the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) and the playing captain of the Seniors 50+ team. For Bhullar, this event marks the culmination of years of effort to establish India firmly on the global pickleball map, validating their holistic growth model and declaring that India is "ready for the world stage".
The 14-member squad is structured across three categories: Under-16 Juniors, Open, and Seniors 50+. Bhullar boldly stated that the country is sending a clear message: “India are a competitive force in the making. We are bringing structured talent development, a robust national ranking system, and the energy of a billion people to global pickleball. We are the next major hub for the sport".
The team was selected through rigorous and transparent national selection trials held in Ahmedabad in August, emphasizing performance and consistency under pressure. Bhullar himself secured his spot in the 50+ men’s doubles category alongside former India Davis Cupper Nitten Kirtane. The Juniors, including Veer Shah and Aayra Khanna, are already being touted as strong medal contenders.
Facing seeded teams like the USA and Puerto Rico, Bhullar’s strategy is clear: close the competitive gap by leveraging Indian players’ "innate hand-speed and reflexes from our racquet sport heritage" to disrupt the opponents' rhythm. While the World Cup is a major milestone, Bhullar sees it as just the beginning of professionalization through the coming Indian Pickleball League, projecting India to be a "perennial medal threat" across all categories within the next few years.
Pickleball Takes Center Court in Lifetime's New Holiday Film, "A Pickleball Christmas"
Los Angeles, USA – Pickleball is making its splash into the holiday entertainment lineup, as Lifetime announces the film "A Pickleball Christmas" will anchor its "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" holiday schedule. The film is set to air on Saturday, December 20, at 8 p.m. ET.
The movie stars James Lafferty, known for his role on One Tree Hill, as Luke Hollis, a successful tennis star. Luke returns home to Florida for Christmas following a career-best win, only to discover his family’s racquet club is facing a potential sale.
To save the establishment, Luke must team up with Caroline, the club's pickleball coach, played by Zibby Allen of Virgin River fame, and reluctantly agree to compete in a high-stakes holiday tournament. The plot synopsis confirms the familiar "feel-good, romantic drama" format, where sparks fly both on and off the court, leading Luke to realize that true victory lies in "love, family, and a new chapter at home".
The familiar plot point of the "reluctant tennis purist begrudgingly enters a pickleball tournament to save the day" is also central to the upcoming comedy feature, The Dink, which stars Jake Johnson and is produced by Ben Stiller. The Dink was recently purchased by Apple, marking it as the first feature-length film on the subject slated for a major streaming platform. The inclusion of "A Pickleball Christmas" alongside 12 other new movie titles, featuring stars like Brandy Norwood and Vivica A. Fox, confirms the sport's arrival as a prominent element in popular culture.
Little India Bus Terminal to be Converted into New Recreational Pickleball Courts by Year's End
Singapore, Singapore – Pickleball players in Singapore can look forward to significantly more accessible facilities soon, as the Little India Bus Terminal (LIBT) is set to be transformed into recreational pickleball courts.
The conversion plan comes in accordance with Sport Singapore’s (SportSG) initiatives to increase the availability of pickleball facilities across the island. Currently, the Little India Bus Terminal serves only as a private pick-up point on Sundays, allowing sections of the terminal to be retrofitted for pickleball activities.
Details of the project were made public through a Request for Quotation (RfQ) published on the government e-procurement portal, GeBIZ, on October 10, 2025. The RfQ, titled "Addition and Alteration (A&A) Works to Convert Sections of Little India Bus Terminal (LIBT) for Recreational Pickleball Activities," outlines the necessary steps for transformation.
A strict timeline has been established, with the RfQ calling for the pickleball facilities to be delivered by November 30, 2025. The terminal’s location, right next to the Little India MRT Station, makes it a highly convenient spot for the new facilities.
Móstoles Celebrates City of Sport Title with Action-Packed Weekend of Pickleball, Boxing, and Racing
Móstoles, Spain – Móstoles, celebrating its designation as the European City of Sport 2026, hosted a highly successful, multi-discipline sports weekend featuring top-tier competitions. The packed schedule included the Pickle Pro Tour, the III Diana Martín Urban Mile, and the III Spanish Championship of Adapted Boxing.
The Pickle Pro Tour brought many of Europe's best pickleball players to the city. The preliminary rounds were played across twenty-one courts at the Polideportivo de Villafontana on September 25 and 26, while the final phases moved to the Plaza del Sol on the 27th and 28th. In a surprise Absolute Men's Singles final, Mauro García defeated Pep Canyadell (who shares the circuit’s number 1 spot) in a thrilling match, 22-20 and 21-16. Sabrina Méndez, the favorite, claimed the Women's Singles title (21-16, 21-18 against María Pintor) and also secured the Women’s Doubles victory with Glauka Carvajal. David Illescas and Jesús García won the Men's Doubles, and the Mixed Doubles title went to Jayden Broderick and María Fernández.
Móstoles also recognized athletes with functional diversity at the III Spanish Championship of Adapted Boxing at Parque Finca Liana. Champions were crowned across various categories, including Francisco García (Intellectual Disability, cadete masculino absolute champion), Kilian Vázquez (Élite Masculino absolute champion), and Rocío Alcañiz (Élite Femenino absolute champion).
Additionally, the III Diana Martín Urban Mile drew over 200 athletes to the Avenida del Dos de Mayo. The Absolute male victory went to Samuel Martín (4:12), while Katherine Ruth Tisalema won the Absolute female category (4:55). The weekend concluded with JugaMóstoles 2025 at Parque Finca Liana, a large family games marathon promoting the right to play, which occupied over 1,000 square meters and featured more than 70 different board games.
PPA Rate Vegas Cup: Worlds Momentum on the Line in Star-Studded Las Vegas Showdown
Las Vegas, USA – The PPA Tour descends upon the iconic Darling Tennis Center this week for the PPA Rate Vegas Cup, marking the final PPA Tour event before the World Championships. As a Cup level event, 1,500 PPA Points are on the line, making success here crucial for building momentum ahead of Worlds, which offers 3,000 points. The weather outlook is optimal for high-level competition, with sunny skies, highs in the low 80s, and no rain forecast.
In Women’s Singles, the overwhelming favorite is #1 seed Anna Leigh Waters, who maintains an astonishing streak, having not lost a singles match in over 500 days. The competition will be watching #2 seed Kate Fahey, who returns to the court after a three-week hiatus following her recent marriage.
The Men’s Singles bracket is highly competitive, especially the bottom left, which features four previous PPA Tour winners: Christian Alshon, Zane Bellamy, Ben Johns, and Gabe Joseph. #1 seed Hunter Johnson is looking to reclaim the top spot, searching for his first PPA Tour event win in over four months. Chris Haworth, who recently won a Cup event, has risen to the #12 seed and is expected to be a top 10 seed for Worlds.
The doubles fields are dominated by familiar faces. In Mixed Doubles, Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns are the heavy favorites, having been undefeated for over five months. They are predicted to face Hurricane Tyra Black and Christian Alshon in the finals. In Women’s Doubles, ‘The Annas’—Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters—are back to their winning form after a recent victory in Virginia Beach. Meanwhile, the Men’s Doubles event sees the formidable partnership of #1 Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio defending a five-straight win streak, while #2 Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu have overtaken other duos for the second seed. Johns and Tardio are predicted to beat Dylan Frazier and JW Johnson in the Men's Doubles final.
Coast Entrepreneur Norbert Zielinski Wins Top Innovation Prize for Pickleball Paddle Technology
Mooloolaba, Australia – Tapping into Australia’s rapidly expanding pickleball craze, local entrepreneur Norbert Zielinski of PACT Paddles won the prestigious 2025 Generation Innovation (GI) Challenge. Zielinski's innovative pickleball paddle design secured him the top honor and a prize package valued at over $10,000 at the GI Challenge Pitch night on October 8.
Zielinski’s success highlights the phenomenal popularity of pickleball, which saw over 92,000 Australians play the sport last year.
The PACT Paddles innovation was selected as the winner from a cohort of eleven young entrepreneurs representing ten ventures. Zielinski was one of three finalists who presented their ventures, competing alongside Silk District (silk-lined hoodies) and Dignity Wash (body wash).
Shane Cunningham, GI Challenge chair, praised the cohort’s "passion, focus and determination". The GI Challenge, which has run annually since 2015, is an independently operated entrepreneurship program designed to empower 15- to 21-year-olds from the Sunshine Coast and Noosa to translate ideas into viable businesses through skills development and mentoring. Runners-up in the competition each received $2000 towards building their ventures. Additionally, the Spirit of GI Award, recognizing commitment to the program and determination, was given to Tallulah Marsh, founder of Fable Bears.