PicklePod

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ The PicklePod is back on The Dink Pickleball YouTube channel with one of our most wide-ranging episodes yet. This week we cover: MLP Trade Deadline Fallout Ana Bright. Georgia Johnson. Jack Sock. Major names dropped ahead of the deadline. We break down which teams wo...

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ In this episode of the Picklepod, we’re joined by Tanner Tomasi, calling in from India at 4:30 PM while Zane grinds at 6 a.m. and Nico barely keeps his eyes open at 3 a.m. 🌍☕ Tanner breaks down his experience competing in the World Pickleball League, including the...

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ On this episode of the PicklePod, Nico and Zane are joined by Anna Bright for a wide-ranging (and slightly chaotic) conversation that dives into hot takes, hot debates, and the latest from the pro pickleball world. Anna explains why she believes there’s a legitimate...

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ Chaos in Minnesota, a brand-new singles court experiment, a potential “pickleball competitor” sport, and one of the wildest medical timeout moments we’ve seen on tour… this episode has it all. Zane and Nico break down everything that went down at the PPA Minnesota Ch...

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ This week on The PicklePod, we’re joined by pro pickleball player Blaine Hovenier for a wide-ranging episode packed with tour stories, hot takes, and behind-the-scenes chaos from the Masters. Zane and Nico break down everything that went down at the Masters—from heat...

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ On this episode of The PicklePod, we break down the biggest story in the sport right now: Anna Leigh Waters signing with Nike—why it’s bigger than any paddle deal, what it means for the PPA, and how it could completely reshape pickleball’s place in pop culture. Is sh...

Welcome to the first PicklePod episode of 2026 — and we’re kicking off the new year with a full reboot presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ This episode marks the debut of PicklePod 2.0, featuring a refreshed format, new segments, and a new voice behind the mic as Nico the Lefty officially joins the show. Thomas Shields...

The PicklePod closes out the year with a wide-ranging look at the stories that will shape pro pickleball in 2026. This episode breaks down what actually mattered at PPA Daytona, why the Jorja Johnson–Anna Lee Waters discourse has gone off the rails, and how recency bias continues to distort conversations around Anna Bright. We also look at emerging singles talent, including former tennis players m...

This episode of the Picklepod is absolute chaos—in the best way possible. We break down the UPA contract terminations involving James Ignatowich, Vivian Glozman, Ryan Fu, and Paris Todd, and debate whether the league is enforcing rules fairly or simply protecting exclusivity at all costs. Is this about contracts… or relationships? From there, we hit a packed slate of pickleball news: The Tesla pic...

This week, Zane is joined by The Dink’s own Alex Weaver for a deep-dive into one of the wildest and fastest-growing problems in pickleball: counterfeit paddles flooding the market. You’ve seen them on T-Mu, Facebook Marketplace, maybe even at your local rec courts… but the scale of the problem is WAY bigger than most players realize. Alex breaks down: - How knockoff brands are copying top paddles...

This week on the PicklePod, Zane and Tice dive into one of the wildest slates of global pickleball we’ve had in a while — even if half of it was nearly impossible to find online. We break down tournaments in Vietnam, Australia, and China, plus look ahead to the biggest December events in the pickleball world. From the mystery surrounding DJOY Vietnam, to Bondi’s underdog run at MLP Australia, to n...

This week on the PicklePod, Zane and Tice break down one of the wildest weekends of pickleball we’ve seen all year. The Lakeland Open delivered everything—controversial calls, insane comebacks, breakout stars, near meltdowns, and another dominant run from the tour’s heavy hitters. We kick things off with Part 2 of last week’s viral Create-a-Player Draft, where Zane and Tice build the ultimate wome...

This week on the PicklePod, we switch things up — no PPA or MLP action to recap, but a massive week of storylines, debates, and one of our favorite interviews of the year. Zane and Tice debut a brand-new segment: Build-A-Player — where each builds the “perfect” pro pickleball player using only 11 unique skills… but they can’t use the same player twice. The results? Chaos, controversy, and an absol...

The 2025 World Pickleball Championships had everything — drama, emotion, controversy, and the best pickleball of the year. 🏆 In this episode, Zane and Tice break down the wildest moments from Worlds in Dallas — from insane out calls and rule drama to Anna Leigh Waters’ untouchable dominance. Then, Federico Staksrud joins the pod fresh off his emotional semifinal win to talk about: 🔥 The story be...

Zane and Tice break down everything that went down at the MLP Cup in Dallas — from player absences and team drama to the rise of the Junior All-Stars. The guys debate what went wrong with the event format, the Nashville Chefs controversy, and how MLP can fix it moving forward. Then, they preview the biggest pickleball tournament of the year — Worlds. Who’s hot, who’s slipping, and who’s about to m...

The distraction rule strikes again 😤 Zane and T-Dog (Eric Tice) break down another chaotic call from Vegas, analyze the newest mixed partnerships before Worlds, and debate the worst rule in pickleball. They cover everything from Genie Bouchard’s breakout run and Jack Sock’s resurgence to the young guns taking over — including 16-year-old Andre Mercado, who joins the show after his breakout perfor...

Zane and Tice break down the most talked-about event in pro pickleball — the Lifetime Open, the first-ever singles-only tournament with a $250,000 prize pool. So why didn’t top pros like Ben and Anna Leigh show up? The guys dive deep into what went wrong, what Lifetime nailed, and how the event could bounce back next year. They also cover: 💰 The prize money dilemma and why pros skipped the bigges...

After just a month on the PPA Tour, Chris Haworth has already made a massive statement — winning gold in Virginia Beach and climbing past Ben Johns in the singles rankings 👀 Chris joins Zane Navratil to talk about: 🏆 His switch from the APP to the PPA 📉 What caused his APP slump and how he bounced back 🔥 Why men’s singles is more exciting than ever 🎾 Hitting with Carlos Alcaraz at a Babolat s...

Zane is back from Asia with wild stories, record-breaking crowds, and gold medals galore. This week on the PicklePod, he sits down with Eric Oncins, who just took back-to-back golds in Malaysia and Vietnam with Tyson McGuffin. They relive the 8,000-fan crowd, the chaos of Southeast Asia, and Eric’s unbelievable journey from Brazilian tennis player to pro pickleball star. The guys break down intern...

This week on the PicklePod, we’re joined by rising star Kate Fahey, fresh off her singles win over Jeannie Bouchard at the Sacramento Wood Paddle Open. Kate opens up about competing with vintage paddles, teaming with Dylan Frazier for silver in mixed, and what it’s really like balancing pro pickleball with planning her wedding (happening THIS week!). We also dive into: - Iconic celebrations (Kate’...

The PicklePod is back, and this week we’ve got a jam-packed episode. James Ignatowich (aka Iggy) stops by to reveal how he went from pro pickleball player to paddle engineer with the launch of his new company, RPM. He breaks down the grind of designing paddles, the wild stories behind his prototypes, and what sets RPM apart from the competition. Meanwhile, Zane and T-Dog dive into one of the crazi...

Alex Geesbreght is part of the investment group that purchased the majority stake in MLP's LA Mad Drops. Alex opens up about how pickleball became a family passion, what inspired him to buy into MLP, and how his ownership group plans to grow the game. We dive into: 🏓 The story behind Alex’s investment in pickleball and the Mad Drops 💰 Team valuations, ownership responsibilities, and the future o...

Fresh off the MLP Finals in New York City, this special Picklepod episode comes straight from a Starbucks parking lot. We break down everything you missed—from the chaos at Wrigley Field to the messy pickleball showcase with Carlos Alcaraz, and of course, the Cinderella run of the Columbus Sliders. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, player smack talk, and a candid look at how the Finals unfolded, inc...

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17-year-old phenom John Lucian “Johnny G” Goins just shocked the pickleball world, winning his first PPA Tour singles title in Bristol. We dive deep into his rapid rise — from upsetting Ben Johns earlier this year to joining the elite list of teenagers to win on tour. Johnny shares: - How online school fuels his training schedule - The chess strategies that make him deadly on court - Why he plays...