Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 9

March 14, 2024

Hello, and welcome to Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 9!

In this issue of Austin Pickleball Update, we’ll be providing an overview of this weekend’s PPA Tour in Austin, diving into how to hit a reset in pickleball strategy, and providing (as you've come to expect) a huge tournament update.

This issue of APU includes:

  • PPA Austin Tour Overview

  • Pickleball Strategy 101

  • Event & Tournament Update

  • Austin Pickleball Update Social Groups

Looking for places to play pickleball in Austin? Check out our Austin Pickleball Courts and Clubs page here. 

Interested in sponsoring APU and reaching our engaged community of 1,000+ pickleball players in Austin? Reply to this email or DM us on Instagram and we’ll be in touch.

Let’s hop on in!

Tournament of the Week

A Joyful Noise Pickleball Tournament is taking place Saturday, March 30th from 4-7pm at the Polo Tennis and Fitness Club. All proceeds from this fundraiser tournament will go towards a NYC trip for the Sycamore Springs Middle School Choir.

Community Event of the Week

“Pickle + Pups” an APA Fundraiser, taking place TOMORROW, Friday March 15 from 1-3pm at Austin Pickle Ranch. Join for an exciting day of smashing serves, friendly competition, and wagging tails, all for a pawsitively great cause! $20 suggested donation includes pickleball clinics for beginners, advanced open play, food and drink vendors, and more.

If you’re a local business, any donations or contributions made for this event can be written off entirely as Austin Pets Alive is a 501c3 non-profit. Thank you for your generosity!

PPA Austin Primer

We covered the PPA Tour coming to Austin in Volume 8 of our newsletter, and since the tournament is taking place this weekend (and in some cases has already started!) we wanted to provide an overview of what you can expect at a PPA event.

The PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) Tour is considered the premier professional pickleball tour in the world. It features the top professional pickleball players from around the globe competing for points, prize money, and national titles. 

The 2024 PPA Tour calendar includes 26 tournaments in 16 different states. Each tournament is categorized as either a Slam (2000), Cup (1500), or Open (1000), with the numbers representing the total number of PPA Points awarded to the 1st-place winners in men’s and women’s pro singles, men’s and women’s pro doubles, and mixed pro doubles. The deeper a player advances at a tournament, the more points they earn. Austin’s PPA Tour stop is the Veolia Austin Open. 

There are three different professional brackets, also known as “draws”, played at each tournament: Qualifier, Main, and Points Draws. Anyone can register to play in the Pro Qualifier Draw. The winners of the Pro Qualifier Draw will be seeded in the Main Draw and the losers will be seeded in the Points Draw.

The PPA Player Rankings are updated after each tournament and reflect points earned during the past 52 weeks of play (Points) and points earned during the current calendar year (Race Points). At the end of each season, the eight professional players and teams who have compiled the most points will qualify to play in the PPA Finals and compete for the most coveted title in pickleball: PPA World No. 1.

But who are some of the world’s top pros worth checking out this weekend?

Anna Leigh Waters

ALW with her typical triple crown tournament finish

Anna Leigh Waters is currently the #1 player in the world for women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, and arguably the biggest star in the pickleball world at age 17. She went pro at the age of 12, becoming the youngest professional pickleball player in history and youngest pickleball champion in history. ALW has won multiple triple crowns (winning a tourney’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles events), and is usually a favorite to win any tourney she enters. That said, she'll be sitting our from the singles event at the PPA Austin stop this weekend due to a minor injury. Anna's current doubles partner is Ben Johns, and she plays with Paddletek Bantam TS-5 Paddle.

Ben Johns

Whenever Ben Johns and ALW play together, they usually win

As the #1 player in all three PPA divisions for most of the last three years, Ben Johns is considered to be the greatest pickleball player of all time. His dominance includes a 108-match winning streak in singles, over 80 PPA Titles, and more Triple Crowns than any other male in professional pickleball history. Ben’s signature JOOLA Hyperion and Perseus paddles are some of the most common paddles you will see on pickleball courts around the country. His current men’s doubles partner is his brother Collin Johns, and his mixed doubles partner is Anna Leigh Waters. Ben Johns currently lives in Austin, Texas, and plays with a JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus CFS 16 Carbon Fiber Paddle.

Catherine Parenteau

Catherine Parenteau also has some big wins

Catherine Parenteau is one of today’s most well-known players in women’s professional pickleball. Previously ranked top 5 for tennis in Canada, Parenteau started playing pickleball in 2015 and went pro soon after. She is now the #2 women’s doubles, #5 women’s mixed doubles, and #2 women’s singles player on the PPA tour. Catherine plays with a Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta Paddle.

Zane Navratil

Zane Navratil, also a champion

Zane Navratil is one of the best singles pickleball players in the world, and has won multiple MLP championships as well as men's singles championships. After going pro in 2020, Zane became known for his quickness and agility on the court. He was also known for his ability to create and master new pickleball shots, with his chainsaw serve becoming so effective that it was banned by USA pickleball. Zane is a local here in Austin, Texas, and plays with the ProXR Zane Navratil Signature 14 Paddle. Per his newsletter, he's also getting married at the end of the month. Congratulations, Zane!

Interested in learning about additional PPA players? Check out the full roster of pro players here. 

PPA Austin Tournament Schedule

  • Thursday 3/14 - Singles - 12-8pm 

  • Friday 3/15 - Mixed Doubles - 12-8pm

  • Saturday 3/16 - Men’s/Women’s Doubles - 12-8pm

  • Sunday 3/17 - Championship Matches - 12-6pm

You can still purchase tickets for the tournament this weekend here, and all matches for the tournament will be streamed on Pickleballtv here. Parking for the tournament is available off-site parking at Lake Travis High School (10 mins away), with two shuttles running 6:30ma-10pm 

Going to the tourney on Sunday? APU will be onsite, so please say hello if you see us!

Pickleball Strategy 101 - How to Master The Reset

In this issue of APU, we're going to dive into an important shot in pickleball that you might be neglecting - the reset. The reset is a shot that allows you to slow down fastballs and drop them into the kitchen, helping you regain control of the game. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, mastering the reset is a crucial part of improving your pickleball game. 

The reset shot is commonly used when you're on defense, trying to slow down a hard shot and get back into a neutral situation. It's important to remember that hitting harder when you're on defense won't get you far, as advanced players know that dropping the ball into the kitchen is the smartest move to regain control of the game.

There are a few key situations where you'll need to use the reset shot:

  1. After hitting a third shot drop: Sometimes, you'll need to hit another shot in the transition zone before reaching the kitchen. Using the reset shot here can help you put the ball back into the kitchen and continue moving forward.

  2. When you're already at the kitchen: Instead of accelerating back at your opponents when they hit a hard shot, using a reset shot and getting into a dinking rally can be a better option. This allows you to find the right ball to make your move.

  3. When you get pushed back from the kitchen: If you find yourself pushed back from the kitchen, the goal is to slow down your opponent's harder shot and put it back into their kitchen, so you can move forward again and establish an advantageous position on the court.

Now that we know when to use the reset shot, we can focus on some key components to improve your reset shot:

  1. Court positioning: Being in the right position on the court is crucial. Depending on the quality of your drop shot, you should either move straight to the kitchen, stay back to defend, or move to the transition zone. This will make it easier to get the ball into the kitchen and put pressure on your opponents.

  2. Body positioning: Having a wide base with bent knees allows you to react quickly and stay balanced. The split step is important to stop your momentum and be ready for the shot. Your arms should be loose, and your paddle should have enough give to slow the ball down. Use a compact swing, mainly using your shoulder, and avoid using too much wrist.

  3. Shot selection: Use the reset shot when moving forward off a drop, when your opponents accelerate at you in the red zone, or when making contact with the ball in the yellow zone. The reset shot is versatile and can be used from any part of the court to get back into the point.

To master the reset shot, here are a few drills you can try:

  • Kitchen to transition zone drill: One player at the kitchen hits hard shots at the other player's feet in the transition zone, who then focuses on resetting the ball into their opponents kitchen.

  • Half-court game: One player starts at the kitchen, and the other starts back at the baseline and tries to move forward. The back player needs to win 7 points, while the front player needs to win 11 points. This is also known as the 7-11 drill.

  • Kitchen rally drill: Both players start at the kitchen line, and one player speeds up on every shot while the other player focuses on resetting the ball into the kitchen.

As with most pickleball shots, practice is key to improving your reset. Functional practice using the above drills will help you become more comfortable hitting reset and ingrain the shot into your game.

To summarize:

  • The reset shot is crucial in pickleball to slow down fastballs and regain control of the game.

  • Use the reset shot when on defense, in the transition zone, or when pushed back from the kitchen.

  • Focus on court positioning, body positioning, and shot selection to improve your reset shot.

  • Practice drills like the kitchen to transition zone drill, half-court game, and kitchen rally drill to master the reset shot.

To view these tips in action, check out How to Master The Reset in Pickleball by Enhance Pickleball. 

Keep practicing and improving your reset shot, and you'll see great results on the pickleball court! 

Tired and Sore from Lots of Pickleball?

Get the edge on the pickleball court with Dr. Thomas Kolenda (DC, FASA, FICPA) of Kolenda Chiropractic in Austin, TX. If you're experiencing soreness or pain after a challenging pickleball session, don't let it hold you back. Take advantage of Dr. Kolenda's expertise and schedule an appointment today. 1-512-231-9002, [email protected], kolendachiropractic.com.

Upcoming Events & Tournaments

Austin Community Events

Play pickleball for a great cause!

  • Location - Austin Pickle Ranch

  • Overview - Join for an exciting day of smashing serves, friendly competition, and wagging tails, all for a pawsitively great cause! $20 suggested donation Includes pickleball clinics for beginners, advanced open play, food and drink vendors, and more.

  • Price - Donation-based (recommended $20+), with all proceeds will be donated to Austin Pets Alive. If you’re a local business, any donations or contributions made for this event can be written off entirely as Austin Pets Alive is a 501c3 non-profit. Thank you for your generosity!

Austin Area Pickleball Tournaments

Want the list of all Upcoming Tournaments in Austin and the greater Texas area from this newsletter? To receive ALL tournament information and updates subscribe to Austin Pickleball Update and get the information straight to your inbox!

Austin Pickleball Update Social Groups

Follow Austin Pickleball Update on Instagram for pickleball content and local news, follow our Facebook group to learn about upcoming demo days and events, and join and use our 300+ person WhatsApp group to find Austin players to play pickleball with.

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Previous volumes of Austin Pickleball Update:

If you have any Austin pickleball news, tips, or topics that we should cover or may have missed, please reach out! We're always grateful to hear from our readers.

Look out for Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 10 on Thursday, March 28, 2024!

See you on the courts!✌️

Phillip & Kylee Klugman - Austin Pickleball Update