The Dink Newsletter: Setting Some Ground Erne Rules, Jack Sock is the Real Deal, and APP Sacramento Open Results
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The paddle juicer.
Rumor has it there is a mysterious figure “fixing” paddles for those that know where to find him.
According to one unnamed pro, there are 6+ pro players sending their paddles to this person for extra ‘juice.’ But what is ‘juice,’ exactly? Our guess is deliberate and strategic delamination, which would increase power, among other things.
But that’s just speculation. More to come on this one.
Everyone: Jack Sock is the Real Deal
Everyone is talking about Jack Sock’s pro pickleball debut this weekend at the PPA Tour North Carolina Open. He’ll play alongside Anna Leigh Waters and Tyson McGuffin for mixed and men’s, respectively.
He’s not exactly slumming it, partner wise.
In December, he played in an exhibition at the PPA Tour Bubly Team Championships in which a few tennis pros paired with pickleball pros for some competitive play.
The reviews were positive, Sock impressed the pros, and many noted his potential.
But why do people care so much?
First, who is Jack Sock??His pro tennis resume:
Sock is a Charlotte native and this weekend’s PPA Tour is in his backyard. But that’s not the only reason he’s making his debut.
According to Sock himself, his interest in pickleball has evolved. It’s graduated from a fun hobby to something more serious. In fact, he recently told Pro Rob Nunnery that?he plans to play a full slate of PPA Tour stops in 2024.
But we’ve already seen that success on the pb circuit is dependent on more than just a pro tennis resume. According to some, his resume isn’t the only thing that has many pros believing that Sock could do some serious damage on tour.
Rob Nunnery and Adam Stone, co-hosts of the It feels Right podcast, discussed Sock’s upside in?a recent episode. The gist:
And finally, Rob Nunnery made a bet: Sock will be the #1 men’s doubles player on tour inside of two years. Stone’s response:?he bets it’s less.?
A Lesson In What Not To Do
If your partner whiffs an erne attempt, don't speed the ball up.
When they decide to go erne hunting, your options change. Most notably, the option to speedup goes bye-bye.
As? Stefan Auvergne ?and?Brendon Long?found out Saturday, there's just too much court to cover. Let’s break it down:
—> Point over
Failed erne attempts are not a bad thing. They put pressure on the opponent and help calibrate for the next successful erne attempt. The?rules just change when one fails.
Your responsibility becomes?buying time?for your partner to get back into play. That usually means a?safe, angled dink?in the kitchen.
The more time you create, the better. The other team will likely target your partner with their next shot because there's a good chance they're on the move and not fully ready to return.
This rule doesn't apply if the other team leaves the ball high. If they leave a floater or you have a chance to hit down at the ball, swing away. Just don't go trying to create while your partner is lost in the woods trying to track down their next highlight.
Don't forget to share this with your partner so they can return the favor when your erne attempt goes awry.
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Consistency, Game After Game
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Designed for competitive and tournament play, these high-speed pickleballs are USA Pickleball approved, have a firmer feel off the paddle, and are exceptionally durable, game after game.
Buy them?here.
Daescu Doubles in Northern California
Andrei Daescu, the Romanian Tower, and newly appointed Director of the Association of Pickleball Players Academy celebrated his new title with two golds in Sacramento.
Daescu is one of the biggest (literally biggest) doubles threats in the game. He partnered up with?Susannah Barr?and?Pesa Teoni?and started a hot streak. Daescu won double gold in back-to-back Association of Pickleball Players events and shows no sign of slowing down.
Yates Johnson?finally, finally got the better of twin brother?Hunter Johnson. Reminds me of Danny O'Shea racing Kevin O'Shea down Cherry Hill.
No matter what happens after this, Yates will always have this 'one time.' (The full motivational speech from Little Giants can be found?here).
A withdrawal from?Megan Fudge?gave?Judit Castillo?her first APP gold. A silver medal at the Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships last week and gold in Sacramento this week, it appears Castillo will be a podium staple on the Association of Pickleball Players Tour in 2023.
Fudge did participate in the women's doubles final. She and Bobbi Oshiro forced the reigning champs to three games but couldn't deliver on gold.?Simone Jardim?and?Parris Todd?won another crown and are on fire together in 2023.
The next stop for the Association of Pickleball Players Tour is in Cincinnati. The Vlasic Classic (bravo) starts May 10th.
Challenger Champs Lose a Key Piece
It's shuffle draft week in the Major League Pickleball Challenger Level. The list of draft-eligible players is out, and teams must now decide if they want to drop a player to enter the draft or move forward with their current squad.
Teams entering the shuffle draft select their new players on Thursday, May 4. They’ll have just over a month to build some chemistry before the season championships in June.
One team has already announced a roster move. The reigning back-to-back champs, Bay Area Breakers, will lose?Rachel Summers?for a military training program.
Possible replacements include Association of Pickleball Players Sacramento medalists?Judit Castillo?and?Rianna Valdes. The list also includes former American Ninja Warrior contestant? Jennifer Tavernier , along with a host of others.
Click?here?to see a current list of draft-eligible players as well as the team draft order.
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