Tag: pickleball

Pickleball paddles can be difficult to choose from, but that doesn’t mean you have to shop for one alone.

The sports’s rapid growth in the United States has been astounding over recent years.

With that growth, more and more players are working their way onto the professional circuits.

Big names like Ben Johns and Ana Leigh Waters have consistently found success on the men’s and women’s sides of the sport, respectively.

So today, we’re taking a look at which paddles players should look into if they want to take the next step in their careers.

ONE37pm examines the best pickleball paddles for professionals.

Paddletek Bantam

Kyle Yates/IG

The Paddletek Bantam is known of being a bit more lightweight than other paddles, which is ideal for quick-reacting players. That extra split second can make all the difference during a point.

Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS

Ben Johns/IG

Johns made the switch to upstart pickleball brand Joola in recent months after being the face of Franklin. Joola paddles are commonly known for having plenty of control and utilizing a carbon fiber frame capable of lasting for long periods.

Electrum

Ana Leigh Waters/IG

Many professional players use Electrum paddles and Waters is probably the most known player for doing so. These paddles have long reaches which allows players to retrieve balls near The Kitchen easier than some others.

Selkirk Amped Invikta Signature

Tyson McGuffin/IG

Tyson McGuffin is an extremely recognized talent on the men’s pickleball tour. Selkirk and its designs offer more power than many competing products. The paddle’s handle is also a bit longer and mimics that of a tennis racquet for players with bigger hands.

GAMMA

Riley Newman/IG

Gamma is becoming more of a common paddle in pickleball because of its long paddle face. It allows players to have extended reach both near The Kitchen and baseline.

Head Gravity

Steve Deakin/IG

Head is a traditional name in the tennis space and their involvement in pickleball continues to grow. These paddles have a smaller grip but they’re very compact and have a solid sweet spot in the center.

Playing a new sport is extremely exciting and with pickleball’s growth in the United States many players are picking it up.

Pickleball is one of the most accessible sports.

One question that can be difficult to answer though is where a new player would fall in the pickleball rankings.

[ MORE: Guide to Pickleball Terms ]

For that reason, there are various skill ratings systems in place to help new players establish where they stand.

Additionally, established professionals and other serious players can track their progress.

ONE37pm looks at some of the ways to track pickleball rankings and the differences between some of the levels.

In pickleball, the vast majority of players fall under a pickleball ratings scale of 1.0 through 5.0.

Players can achieve higher than a 5.0 by competing and succeeding in high-level competitions.

1.0 players are considering beginners and often don’t have the necessary background to compete against top players.

YinYang

Players that rise to a 3.0 or higher are expected to be proficient serving and returning the ball.

Players should also know all the rules of pickleball, including important ones pertaining to The Kitchen.

5.0 players are advanced and can hold long rallies and control pickleball points with ease.

Players can win points with their forehand and backhand strokes, while also having strong net play.

Establishing a rating can be difficult early on as a player, especially when you don’t feel comfortable playing in tournaments.

There are simple solutions though.

Players can self rate themselves based on how they play against fellow players in a more relaxed environments.

It’s important to be accurate and honest when self rating because it only benefits the player.

Professional players have their rankings updated regularly when competing in tournaments.

That is something that many new pickleball players want to aspire towards in their careers.

DUPR stands for Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating. It is the leading system used for player rankings.

This scale differs from traditional pickleball rankings. It ranges from 2.000 and 8.000.

The formula doesn’t change based on a player’s age, gender or skill.

DUPR uses a player’s last 30 singles matches and previous 60 doubles matches to establish a rating.

The system takes points won, winning and losing and match quality into account.

For example, sanctioned tournaments will earn players more clout than a recreational match.

Players can enter any result into DUPR to help progress their rankings.

DUPR traditionally updates its ratings on a weekly basis.

Pickleball is sweeping the nation as one of the United States’ next big sports.

The sport is played by athletes of all ages and pickleball has recently received a huge boost from major celebrities.

NFL stars like Russell Wilson, Drew Brees and Rob Gronkowski have all hit the pickleball courts and enjoyed the sport.

Although there are many similarities to tennis and other racquet sports, some pickleball terms differ.

[ MORE: What Is The Professional Pickleball Association? ]

ONE37pm offers up some of the most important pickleball terms to you’ll need to know before hitting the courts.

The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) is one of the bodies that hosts both professional and amateur events.

The APP Tour is one of the leading tours in pickleball.

An Around-the-Post shot is one of the most exciting shots. Players wait for the right opportunity to hit the ball onto the other side around the post.

A Dead Ball occurs when a fault has happened and the ball isn’t in play any longer.

The Kitchen is the phrase used for the No Volley Zone. Players can only enter the area if the ball has bounced in it.

Volleys and overhead smashes aren’t permitted in The Kitchen.

Similar to tennis, pickleball has a variation of a drop shot known as a Dink.

Dinking occurs in or around The Kitchen and is designed for players to keep the ball as close to the net as possible.

The Double Bounce rule is similar to tennis. Players must return the ball over the net in one bounce or less.

An Erne is a shot in pickleball where a player strategically jumps from behind The Kitchen and lands out of bounds.

This shot is used to generate a surprise attack on an opponent and often finish a point off.

Faults can happen in when a ball isn’t returned over the net and if a serve isn’t put in play.

Faults are enforced if players volley inside The Kitchen as well.

A Game in pickleball is played to 11 points. A player must win by at least two points to secure a game.

Lets are different in pickleball than tennis and ping pong. A serve can hit the net and enter the court while being played.

However, when a ball hits the net cord and doesn’t go over it’s a fault.

No Man’s Land is when a player is stuck between the serving line and The Kitchen during a point.

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) is another organization that hosts high-level tournaments across the U.S.

Passing shots occur when a player hits the ball down the line past their opponent.

Unlike tennis, Server Number is important in pickleball because in doubles each player serves when the ball is on their side of the court.

A Side Out occurs when a player or team loses a point. The serve goes over to the other side of the court.