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🔥 Hustle for every point
Plus, Nick Kyrgios looks sharp on court ahead of the PPA, why stop at DUPR Reset? And much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
March 10, 2026
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
🔥 Hustle for every point
🎾 Nick Kyrgios looks sharp on court ahead of the PPA
😂 Why stop at DUPR Reset?
👮 Man fatally wounded at pickleball courts
🔥 Hustle for every point
This week’s epic point is all about scrambles, saves, and pure determination from start to finish.
A perfect reminder that sometimes the best skill on the court is simply refusing to give up.
Have a filthy point caught on cam? 📸
Reply to this email or submit yours to [email protected]. The most epic one will feature in next week’s newsletter!
And if we pick your submission, we’ll send you a free Pickleheads t-shirt 🙌
3.4
The average American pickleball player carries a DUPR of 3.4.
Not a beginner, just a solid rec player who shows up, competes, and probably thinks about their backhand more than they'd like to admit.
Where do you land? |
🏆 Paddle Battle crowns its winners
Wow! What a finish…
After nine episodes and plenty of drama along the way, Paddle Battle wrapped its first season with nearly 4 million views across YouTube and social media. That’s incredible for pickleball’s first swing at a competition series.
Two Paddle Battle pro contracts were ultimately awarded to Nicola Slater and Brandon Fritze, whose performances stood out for consistency, resilience, and competitive intensity throughout the competition.
Slater and Fritze will now represent Pickleball Kingdom on the APP Tour, keep an eye out for these names on the tour, that starts later this month.
Fan voting also crowned Keven Wong the Men’s Franchise Winner, with plans to bring a Pickleball Kingdom club to Honolulu, Hawaii. Nicola Slater also secured the Women’s Franchise Winner title, becoming the one and only competitor to claim two of the touted prizes in the first season.
If Season 1 showed us anything, it’s that the next generation of pickleball competitors is ready for the spotlight.
🎾 Nick Kyrgios looks sharp on court ahead of the PPA
Nick Kyrgios, the Australian tennis star known for his explosive talent, huge serve, and big personality, recently hit the court as he prepares for this year’s PPA Tour. And judging by the footage, he looks seriously good out there.
😂 Why stop at DUPR Reset?
Love or loathe the upcoming opportunity to Reset your DUPR, Particular-Night-435 on Reddit has some interesting and amusing thoughts on how to take it a few steps further.
🫶 DUPR announces dedicated wheelchair rating system
Last week, DUPR announced plans to develop a new wheelchair pickleball rating system, a groundbreaking initiative designed to expand inclusion and competitive fairness in pickleball.
👮 Man fatally wounded at pickleball courts
A serious situation unfolded at a pickleball court in Denton, Texas over the weekend.
According to the Denton Police Department, officers were called to courts at Riney Road after reports of a man who appeared to be intoxicated. When police arrived, they say the man was on top of a fence holding a metal rod and threatening officers.
Police say they attempted to de-escalate the situation, but the man climbed down and charged toward them while holding the rod. Officers first deployed a Taser, which officials say was ineffective, before another officer discharged a firearm.
The man was taken to hospital, where he later died.
No officers were injured. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation takes place, with the Texas Rangers now leading the investigation.
Situations like this are thankfully very rare around pickleball courts, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by the incident.
Got a burning pickleball question? About rules, our app, the sport, a news story, anything goes.
If so, click Yes! Drop it in the comments and we'll pick our favorite to answer in next week's newsletter.
Got a question for us? |
🤔 In doubles, if one player hits the ball and their partner's paddle accidentally collides with theirs at the exact moment of contact, and the ball lands in, is it a fault?
It depends on what the paddles actually made contact with…
If both paddles touched the ball simultaneously, it's a fault! That's a double hit under official USA Pickleball rules, regardless of whether it was accidental.
However, if the paddles only collided with each other, and the ball made contact with just one paddle, it's not a fault. The ball was struck once, cleanly, by one player. The key distinction a referee would look for is whether the ball touched one paddle or two.
During a rally, a player hits a shot that travels outside the net post and then curves back into the opponent’s court and lands in. What's the ruling? |
During a live rally, a player volleys the ball successfully but their paddle flies out of their hand and lands in the non-volley zone as a result of the momentum from the volley. What is the ruling? |
In doubles, the server hits a serve that accidentally strikes their own partner before the ball crosses the net. What's the ruling? |
Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear: catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:
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