New paddle company coming in signing top PPA pros? Ben John’s has potential suspension allegations for his actions at MLP Columbus, the St. Louis Shock living up to their name shocking the other teams at MLP Columbus and a great exercise to help make your hands lightning fast at the kitchen. This week, we’ll be going over:

• New international paddle company signs top pickleball player

• Ben John’s getting fined or suspended? MLP Columbus Recap

• Exercise of the week

• Serving up Stress Relief: The Power of Pickleball for Mental Health

• Slippery Southpaw? 7 Adjustments to flip the script against a lefty opponent

Let’s get right into it

New international paddle company signs top pickleball player

The new pickleball paddle company on the block has signed the #1 Asian pickleball player Quang Duong. Having a early controversy earlier this year at the Masters in January, switching from his sponsored paddle Selkirk to Proton. This lead to Quang Duong receiving a cease and desist letter from Selkirk, but he has found a new home with a Vietnamese pickleball paddle company Sypik Team. Sypik Team is a new pickleball company that had its eyes set on the #2 singles player Quang Dong, and quickly rising doubles star. In many ways it’s a perfect match because he’s Vietnamese and so is his new sponsorship. Sypik was founded in January 2023 by Dzung Chu (CEO), Linh (CTO) and Trang (CMO), starting with a small 30m2 factory and a rudimentary sales website, with basic racket and accessory products for Pickleball.

Will we be seeing other top pro players like Quang Duong switching paddle companies? With the rise and growth of pickleball paddle sales domestically and internationally, we’ll be seeing a rise in new pickleball paddle companies overseas looking to get a piece of the paddle market share.

Ben John’s getting fined or suspended? MLP Columbus Recap

Major League Pickleball’s second event finished this past weekend at MLP Columbus. The top 3 teams in MLP leading the pack are the the Orlando Squeeze (25 points), St. Louis Shock (23 points), and the hometown favorites from the weekend the Columbus Sliders (20 points). The Carolina Hog’s team had their star players Ben and Collin Johns withdrawing from the event entirely, yes you read that right. Coming as a shock to all of us, they felt the court was unsafe to play on because of inadequate lighting levels. Ben John’s thew one of his matches and many pro players were not happy about it on social media. Zane Navartil wrote on Instagram about potentially suspending Ben John’s on the PPA tour because of his lack of commitment to his team.

The St. Louis Shock played exceptionally, winning 24 games and losing just one going 6-0 for the weekend. The question mark of two players known for playing the right side, Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio, is aging well for their men’s and mixed teams with Anna Bright and Kate Fahey. Kate Fahey also had some words for Federico Staksrud during their match calling him a “fucking b!$tch?” What’s with the pro players calling each other a b in back-to-back events? MLP is getting vulgar early this season, and the next stop is MLP Austin on May 23rd.

Exercise of the week: Sledgehammer Supination & Pronation Drill

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a lightning-fast dink rally or trying to dig out a screaming low volley on the pickleball court, you know that brute force alone won’t cut it — it’s all about finesse, control, and yes, forearm strength. The unsung hero of your paddle game, your forearm powers the snap and stability needed to redirect tricky shots with precision. Especially when those low volleys come zipping toward your toes, a strong forearm allows you to quickly whip the wrist, flick the paddle, and turn defense into offense without losing touch. Think of it as having a built-in shock absorber that keeps your paddle steady and your opponent guessing.

Mastering that wrist whip isn’t just about muscling through the shot — it’s a blend of quick-twitch strength and fluid motion. A well-timed, confident wrist snap off a low volley can reset the point, deliver a sharp angle, or even generate a surprise punch that catches your opponent flat-footed. That’s why our Exercise of the Week is the Sledgehammer Supination & Pronation Drill.

Grab a sledgehammer (or even a long-handled hammer) and, gripping it near the base, slowly rotate your wrist back and forth — palm up (supination) to palm down (pronation). This mimics the wrist action you’ll need on those low volleys and builds rock-solid control from all angles. Start light and focus on smooth, controlled motion — stronger forearms don’t just make your handshake firmer — they make your pickleball volleys snappier, sharper, and downright more fun.

Serving up Stress Relief: The Power of Pickleball for Mental Health

It is no surprise that pickleball is one of the top, most popular sports in the US. Aside from having major physical health benefits to those interested in losing weight, decreasing body inflammation, lowering bad cholesterol, and gaining strength among other fantastic physical health benefits, it has revealed itself to be a major mental health booster. The sport has come in clutch for those struggling with anxiety and depression or those battling work or personal stressors on the daily.

Studies conducted on adult pickleball players have shown a positive correlation between pickleball playing frequency and mental health benefits. The more individuals play pickleball, the better psychological outcomes pickleballers tend to have, from lower self-reported depression, a higher quality of life, stronger life satisfaction, and improved socialization. Studies on youth players are in the works with most seeings trends on players looking for competition and fun.

Aside from the sport’s obvious mental health benefits, it also challenges players to be more mindful, strategically timing their third shot drops or drives, their run to the net, and ball placement throughout points. The sport can be a huge help to those needing a distraction as strategy and timing keeps players in focus and on the ball. So what’s stopping you? Head on out to your local park or pickleball club for fun, especially if you’re needing an escape.

Slippery Southpaw? 7 Adjustments to flip the script against a lefty opponent

When you’re used to playing against two right-handers, everything feels predictable: forehands are on the same side, backhands cover the same angles, and the middle is cleanly defined.

But throw a lefty into the mix? Suddenly, your muscle memory betrays you. Angles flip, middle shots change, and your go-to strategies might not cut it anymore.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to adapt — comparing directly to a standard two-righty team so you can adjust like a pro.

1. Middle Dominance Flips

• Avoid casually dropping balls in the middle like you would against two righties — you’ll feed their strongest shots.

• Instead, shift your targets wide to force backhands and reduce their poaching chances.

2. Poaching Patterns Change

• Use sharper crosscourt angles and disguise shots to avoid feeding forehand poaches.

• Communicate with your partner to defend against poaches aggressively — especially in the transition zone.

3. Serve and Return Placement Needs Tweaking

• Flip your targeting — serve and return deep to the lefty’s left side to attack their backhand.

• This flips your usual patterns — remember or you’ll keep feeding forehands by mistake.

4. Dink Patterns Reverse

• Adjust by dinking straight ahead or slightly middle to keep pressure on their backhand.

• Be mindful of not drifting into their forehand zone crosscourt, or you’ll get punished.

5. Middle Communication Becomes Tricky (For Them)

• Exploit miscommunication — hit fast, low balls at their midline to trigger hesitation or collisions.

• Unlike two righties, lefty-righty pairs don’t always practice who takes which middle ball.

6. Lob Targeting Flips

• Lob intelligently over non-paddle shoulders to disrupt their overhead smashes.

• Be strategic — don’t just lob like you would vs. two righties.

7. Your Stacking Strategy Matters More

• Plan your returns and positioning to pin the lefty on their backhand, which you’d rarely think about vs. two righties.

• It’s a rare opportunity to tilt the court in your favor early.

The Bottom Line:

Against a team with a lefty, everything flips — middle, dinks, lobs, even your instincts. Stay sharp, think about hand dominance every point, and you’ll turn their unusual advantage into your strategic edge.