Team USA Sweeps World Cup, English Nationals Set Record

Good morning, pickleballers!

Yes, it's been nearly a week and there is plenty of news to catch up on.

Where have we been? At the English Nationals!

So, here's some of the recent pickleball news for you.

Team USA Sweeps World Cup as India and Hong Kong Announce Asian Power Shift

Fort Lauderdale, USA – The 2025 Pickleball World Cup concluded recently at The FORT Pickleball complex, drawing over 3,500 players from 68 nations, cementing its status as the largest World Cup in the sport's history. Host nation Team USA achieved a golden sweep, securing titles across the juniors, open, and seniors categories, reaffirming their position as the global benchmark in pickleball. The U.S. capped its dominant performance by defeating the surprise finalists, Team Hong Kong, 4-0 in the championship match. Team Hong Kong earned their spot in the finals after a remarkable "Cinderella run," which included stunning victories over New Zealand 4-2 in the Quarter-finals and outlasting the Dominican Republic 4-2 in the Semi-finals.

The tournament showcased the sport’s massive expansion in Asia. India celebrated its best global performance yet, finishing seventh overall in the medal tally and standing as the only Asian country in the top 10. India secured 24 or 25 medals, including eight gold medals. IPA President Suryaveersingh Bhullar partnered with former Davis Cupper Nitten Kirrtane to clinch gold in the 50+ Men’s Doubles (4.5).

Indian juniors shone brightly, with Veer Shah being named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the Juniors category. Veer won silver in the U14 Boys’ Singles and bronze in the U14 Mixed Doubles with Anushka Chhabria. Anushka secured an impressive five medals in total, including silver in U14 Girls' Doubles. Meanwhile, Bermuda’s Senior Team demonstrated strong competitive progress by finishing group play with a perfect 3-0 record, advancing to the knockout rounds for the second consecutive year. The host city, Fort Lauderdale, benefited economically, with the tournament expected to generate about $8 million in revenue.

Record Nationals Draws 1,300 Players as Champions and Amateurs Write New History in Bolton

Bolton, England – The 2025 Knotty’s English Nationals, hosted at Bolton Arena from October 30 to November 2, achieved a milestone by hosting a record-breaking 1,300 players competing across 57 age and skill categories. The four-day event combined elite championship victories with countless amateur success stories.

Professional player Anna Linton proved her dominance, retaining her Nationals triple crown champion status. Linton secured the mixed doubles senior open gold alongside Richard Love, and later won the women’s doubles senior open title with Brighton native Marcia Audibert. Love’s win was particularly poignant as it occurred alongside partner David Youngs in the Men’s Doubles Senior Pro event, marking Youngs’ final competitive tournament before recreational play due to an impending hip replacement.

In amateur and senior divisions, Derbyshire’s 67-year-old Elena Chiu and partner Kerry Wishart clinched the Women's Doubles 4.0+ 60+ gold, utilizing a key strategic change against the defending champions Suzanne Rouse and Liz Batten. Bournemouth duo Amanda Evans and Jake Lock triumphed in Mixed Doubles 3.5 15+, with Lock earning national honors only eight months after starting the sport. Highlighting the social appeal, divorced couple Nicola and Richard Yorke won bronze in the senior mixed doubles 3.0 competition, their first nationals together. Nicola jokingly attributed their success to Richard listening to her "more now".

The grassroots growth was further exemplified by former badminton Olympian Gail Emms returning to Bolton Arena—the site of her 2002 Commonwealth success—to compete, showcasing her impressive smash shot. In the spirit of Halloween, debut competitor Janette Thripland dressed as a witch to "take the serious edge off" the competition.

PPA World Championships Marks 100th Tour Event; Pro Ranking Battles Rage in Dallas

Farmers Branch, USA – The 2025 Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships kicked off this week (November 3-9) at the Brookhaven Country Club, celebrating a historic milestone as the 100th tournament in PPA Tour history. As the most prestigious event on the circuit, it offers an unprecedented 3,000 PPA Tour ranking points to winners across five pro categories, the most ever for a single PPA event.

Over 3,500 players are expected to compete amid ideal weather conditions. Key professional matchups include:

• Mixed Doubles: The dominant duo of Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters are the heavy favourite, riding a seven-tournament winning streak and aiming for their third consecutive World Championships title.
• Men’s Singles: A tight race for the world’s #1 ranking is underway between Hunter Johnson (No. 1 seed) and Federico Staksrud (No. 2 seed), who are separated by only 350 points heading into this high-value tournament.
• Doubles: Johns and Gabe Tardio are pursuing their seventh straight Men’s Doubles title, while Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters ("The Annas") are the favorites in Women's Doubles, having won five titles since partnering.

A unique highlight of the tournament is the Celebrity Pickleball Showdown, scheduled for Wednesday, November 5, at 7 p.m. CT. The event, which benefits the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, will feature Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, six-time MLB All-Star J.D. Martinez, and popular streamer Tfue, competing against top pros. The grounds also host diverse programming, including the Wheelchair Singles World Championships and dedicated competitions for military members and first responders.

APP Mesa Open Heats Up Arizona Desert; Top Seeds Aim to Extend Dominant Streaks

Mesa, USA – The 2025 APP Mesa Open, the APP Tour's penultimate tournament, is currently underway (November 5-9) at the sprawling Arizona Athletic Grounds, featuring elite professionals and numerous amateur divisions. The competition offers medals and prize money, with national broadcast coverage scheduled on ESPN2.

The desert battle sees several highly-ranked players looking to maintain their impressive streaks:

• Sofia Sewing, the No. 1 ranked women's singles pro, is aiming for her eighth singles title this season, having already accumulated the most gold medals (11) among APP Tour women's pros.
• Ammar Wazir enters Mesa as the No. 1 ranked men's pro singles player after achieving a remarkable three consecutive men's pro singles gold medals.
• Jack Munro is positioned as the quintessential doubles partner, ranking No. 1 in both men's and mixed pro doubles, and sharing the lead for total gold medals (12) with fellow pro Will Howells in 2025.
• Veteran competitor Megan Fudge maintains her status as the APP Tour’s all-time leader in total career medals, boasting 81.
• Simone Jardim, who holds the APP Tour’s all-time women's gold medal record with 33 career golds, is returning to action in all three professional categories.

Adding a moment of prestige to the event, the APP will honor three members of the Pickleball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Friday, November 7. Honorees include players Chris “Mills” Miller and Cammy MacGregor, and contributor Melissa McCurley, current EVP of Competition for the APP.

International Field Descends on Costa del Sol for Mijas Open

Mijas, Spain – The Mijas Open 2025, constituting the fifth stop on the national RFET Pickleball circuit, is prepared for four days of spirited competition on the Costa del Sol from November 6 to 9. The tournament is characterized by a strong international presence, drawing a field of 148 players participating across 276 total registrations.

The international roster includes players representing 11 different nationalities. While Spain accounts for the majority of participants (126 players), international delegations include players from the UK (5), Italy (4), Lithuania (2), the USA (2), and Venezuela (2), among others from Slovakia, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, the Netherlands, and Poland. A total of 20 foreign players will attempt to "raise their flag" in the list of champions.

The international flavor is particularly strong in the doubles category, featuring at least six doubles pairs comprised entirely of foreign players, including Mixed Doubles teams from the USA, Venezuela, and the UK. The competition will be hosted across two venues. The initial phase will take place at the Club de Tenis y Pádel Lew Hoad on Thursday and Friday, while the semifinals and finals will move to the central court located in the Auditorio de El Gran Parque de La Costa del Sol.

Chennai Open Unveils India’s Largest-Ever Pickleball Prize Pool

Chennai, India – The inaugural Chennai Open is set to elevate pickleball in Southern India, scheduled for November 13–16, 2025. Organized by Chennai Super Champs in collaboration with the World Pickleball League (WPBL), the event is distinguished by offering India’s largest-ever pickleball prize pool of ₹25 lakhs.

The tournament will be hosted at Sathyabama University, utilizing six newly inaugurated, state-of-the-art indoor courts. Designed for widespread accessibility, the competition offers 46 categories across five age divisions (Under 14, Under 18, Open, 35+, and 50+) and three skill tiers: Intermediate (DUPR 3.0+), Advanced (DUPR 4.0+), and Pro (DUPR 5.0+). Participants have the flexibility to register for up to two skill levels and two age brackets.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Owner of Chennai Super Champs, highlighted that the tournament is intended for everyone, including newcomers and youngsters. The four-day event is envisioned as a festival, featuring high-energy matches, community celebrations, and special training camps for students, women, and working professionals, aiming to integrate pickleball into Chennai’s daily sporting life. Crucially, the tournament offers a pathway for top performers to showcase their talent for the upcoming WPBL season. The deadline for participant registration is November 6, 2025.

PPA Tour Asia Selects Hangzhou, Former Asian Games Host, for Season Finale

Hangzhou, China – The PPA Tour Asia has announced that the final stop of its successful 2025 calendar will be the Hangzhou Open 2025, scheduled to take place from December 3–6, 2025. The specific venue in the bustling Zhejiang province city is pending announcement.

Hangzhou is familiar with hosting major sporting events, having previously served as the location for the 2022 Asian Games. The Hangzhou Open will be the seventh and final tournament on the PPA Tour Asia circuit for the season.

The 2025 Asian circuit began in July with the Panas Malaysia Open. Subsequent stops included the Hong Kong Open and Sansan Fukuoka Open in August, followed by the MB Vietnam Open, Panas Malaysia Cup, and MB Vietnam Cup between September and October. Registration for the final event, the Hangzhou Open 2025, is set to open this week.

DUPR Defends Algorithm Shift to 'Performance-Based' Ratings Amid Player Backlash

Global – The Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) organization is steadfastly supporting its recently updated algorithm, despite acknowledging rising player confusion and concern, including reports of ratings dropping even after winning matches. DUPR insists the overhaul is critical to achieving higher accuracy and integrity by reflecting a player's true playing ability.

The key transformation shifts the system from being strictly outcome-based to performance-based. The new model rewards or penalizes players based on their score relative to the system's expectation. For example, if a highly-rated player only narrowly beats a lower-rated opponent (e.g., 11-9 instead of the predicted 11-5), their rating may adjust downwards. This mechanism aims to discourage players from artificially inflating their scores by exclusively targeting weaker opponents.

DUPR views the current situation as an adjustment period, arguing that initially inflated ratings are now stabilizing, and players with diverse match histories will gain accurate representation over time. While DUPR believes this approach will lead to better match-ups, stronger events, and long-term growth for the sport, players worry that the perceived penalization of wins might lessen the incentive to compete at higher levels. DUPR's central priority remains the "accuracy and integrity of the rating," above simply satisfying players after every match.

JOOLA HC-40 Ball Designed for 'True Bounce' and Endurance in Asia

Asia – The JOOLA HC-40 ball, which serves as the official ball for PPA Tour Asia tournaments, is earning recognition for its exceptional durability and consistency, specifically engineered for the needs of the Asian market. The renowned pickleball brand states the HC-40 is "built to last and designed to rally".

The ball weighs 26.2 grams and features 40 equally spaced holes. Its construction uses JOOLA’s patent-pending polymer blend, which helps the ball retain its shape and responsiveness longer than standard options, even through extended, intense rallies. Notably, the slightly softer nature of the HC-40 encourages longer rallies, a style preferred by athletes in the APAC region. Given that pickleball in Asia is still developing and often played indoors at a slower pace, the HC-40 is considered the ideal ball.

The defining characteristic is its "true bounce," meaning the ball rebounds consistently when hitting the paddle or court. JOOLA achieved this through advanced design that uses an equidistant hole structure, replicating the pattern of electrons around an atom. This precise optimization, calculated using the Charge Minimisation Method, removes unpredictable wobble and maximizes flight consistency. This robust design makes the HC-40 a suitable choice for casual and professional settings throughout Asia.

PPA Challenger Series Expands National Reach with 2026 Schedule

United States – The PPA Challenger Series has unveiled its expansive 2026 season schedule, confirming its dedication to fostering talent and increasing access to competitive pickleball across the country. The series, targeting amateur and aspiring professional players, plans to feature more than 15 tour stops throughout the season.

The series dramatically expands on its successful 2025 inaugural season, which saw over 4,000 players participate. New locations added to the 2026 calendar include Houston, Newport Beach, and Grand Rapids. Significantly, the tour will visit Seattle, Washington, the recognized birthplace of pickleball in 1965.

The schedule kicks off in December 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and runs through September 2026, with stops planned in diverse locations such as Punta Gorda, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; Boise, Idaho; and Portland, Maine. Tanner Groff, Vice President of the PPA Challenger Series, noted that the series was created specifically to provide more access to grassroots and aspiring pro players across the United States. Spectator tickets for these events are priced at $15.

Vietnam’s Infinity Academy Named Venue Partner for UPA Asia Trailblazers Camp

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – UPA Asia has named Infinity Academy as the Official Venue Partner for the Trailblazers Programme Pre-Selection Training Camp, establishing Vietnam as a key strategic hub for international pickleball development.

The Infinity Academy, located in District 9, boasts world-class facilities on a two-hectare campus, including 11 pickleball courts and 10 tennis courts, all featuring VAR technology. These facilities are designed to offer an optimal environment for training, competition, and organizing tournaments.

Shortlisted candidates for Season 2 of the UPA Asia Trailblazers Programme will attend the Pre-Selection Training Camp in December, where they will train under head coach and professional player Collin Johns. The program aims to elevate Asian talent. The future Class of 2026 Trailblazers will receive a two-year UPA Asia Pro Contract and the major opportunity of an all-expenses-paid, six-week immersion in America’s pickleball heartland to compete on the Carvana PPA Tour. Rising Stars will also secure a two-year contract to compete on the PPA Tour Asia 2026. Minh Anh Pham, CEO of Infinity Academy, called the partnership a major milestone for Vietnam’s rapidly growing pickleball community.

Pro Collin Johns Warns 5.0 Players: Rushing to the PPA is 'The Real Wall'

Global – Pro pickleball veteran Collin Johns has identified the transition from a 5.0 amateur player to a professional athlete as the single toughest hurdle in the sport, referring to the difficulty as hitting "the real wall". Johns explains that the professional level operates within a "different ecosystem," demanding more than just continuous improvement, but facing competitors who have mastered every subtle tactical aspect of the game.

In a strategic video, Johns advises patience and a measured approach to avoid discouragement and burnout. He cautions aspiring professionals against immediately targeting major events like the PPA Tour. Since top pairings and fields are already established, jumping directly into the big leagues can be demoralizing, leading to early losses and developmental setbacks.

Johns recommends a more deliberate progression: first, dominate 5.0 tournaments to build essential confidence and momentum. Next, players should test their skills at smaller professional events to identify weaknesses in their mental toughness or specific shot patterns against pro-level competition. This approach allows players time to build a track record and experience. Johns stresses that this patience is particularly necessary for former tennis players whose existing skills translate only "to a point" before they encounter the unique professional learning curve of pickleball.

Pro Zane Navratil Shares 'Little Known Secret' to Generating Pickleball Power: The Wrist Lag

Global – Professional pickleball player Zane Navratil has revealed the "little known secret" utilized by pros to generate enhanced power, spin, and control on shots like drives, serves, and speedups: wrist lag. Navratil insists that generating massive power is not limited to players with large muscles, but is fundamentally a technique achieved through proper preparation.

Wrist lag is defined as a passive activity that occurs naturally when the preparation phase is executed correctly. This preparation requires a "unit turn," coiling the entire body while keeping the non-dominant hand close to the paddle head. Players must maintain a loose grip and rely on gravity to drop the paddle slightly below the level of the incoming ball.

Navratil emphasizes that players should avoid manually snapping the wrist; the lag and snap should happen naturally during the rapid acceleration toward the ball. He offers two critical tips for execution: avoiding an open elbow to ensure topspin, and making contact with the ball in front of the body, approximately a forearm’s length out. Making contact too late prevents the wrist from achieving the natural lag and snap necessary for power.

Waters and Bright Partner with Pilla, Bringing Olympic Shooting Tech to Pickleball Eyewear

Global – Pickleball stars Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright have officially partnered with Pilla, a company that integrates high-tech visual filtration science—the same technology used for Olympic marksmen—into specialized pickleball performance eyewear. Pilla aims to position eyewear as an essential piece of equipment for sustaining peak hand-eye sharpness during extensive match play.

Pilla's lenses reject traditional dark gray tints, which often flatten colors and dull depth perception. Instead, Pilla employs a ZEISS-engineered filtration system designed to fine-tune the color spectrum, making the perforated ball "pop" vividly against various court backgrounds. This light management technology helps the eyes stay relaxed, counteracting the "visual fatigue" that causes reactions to slow and depth perception to fade during long matches.

Anna Leigh Waters, who uses a custom prescription insert system, was reportedly astonished during testing, noting she could see the holes in the ball as it moved through the air for the first time. Both athletes utilize the Razor Series frame and rotate through a three-filter kit (full sun, medium, and low-light) to ensure optimal vision regardless of court lighting. Pilla also markets the product to everyday players, highlighting its benefits beyond performance, including protection against long-term eye strain and macular degeneration through true UV and infrared-blocking coatings.

St. Louis Shock Captures Inaugural MLP Cup Title with Mixed Doubles Domination

Dallas, USA – The St. Louis Shock secured the first-ever Edward Jones MLP Cup trophy after navigating a grueling Sunday that demanded three victories in seven hours. The Shock, featuring Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Hayden Patriquin, and Gabe Tardio, swept the Brooklyn Pickleball Team in the semifinals, setting up a clash with the hometown favorites, the Dallas Flash.

The final match against the Flash, the third meeting in their 2025 rivalry, saw Dallas take the early lead in Women’s Doubles. However, the Shock quickly reversed the momentum by dominating the critical mixed doubles matchups. Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio evened the contest, and the combined mixed doubles pairings of Bright/Patriquin and Fahey/Tardio proceeded to outscore the Flash 22-7 across the final two games to clinch the championship title.

This victory marks the franchise's first championship with the current starting lineup, all drafted in 2024. Shock owner Richard Chaifetz lauded the team's determination and "tremendous chemistry" in securing the victory after narrowly missing season-long titles in previous years. The victory provides a significant confidence boost for the players heading into the Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships.