Women’s 2026 Dinking in the Desert
Gary Pelphrey
Court Resurfacing—Major Success! Special thank you to Bill McGinn and the SaddleBrooke TWO Operations Team. They completed a major upgrade of SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association’s (SPA) original six courts—on time. New surface, new nets, newly painted fencing. The courts have never looked better!
Your Chance To Try Pickleball As the weather cools down, SPA will again offer fun introductory lessons. Contact our friendly instructor Shawne Cryderman at sfcrydo@yahoo.com now to get your name on the list.
Pickleball Goes Hollywood
We may finally have made it. The Dink, a new Apple TV comedy starring Jake Johnson, Ed Harris, and Mary Steenburgen, debuted July 24. The plot? A washed-up tennis pro reluctantly takes up pickleball to help save his father’s country club. Even better, the cast includes tennis legends Andy Roddick and John McEnroe, plus Ben Stiller. Hollywood has officially discovered what we already knew: pickleball makes a pretty good story.
Rules, Rules And More Rules
Think you know all the pickleball rules? Think again. USA Pickleball received 112 proposed rule changes for 2027. Among the suggestions: simplifying service rules, changing how the third number in the score is called, creating a “continuous centerline,” and clarifying what happens when the wrong server or receiver is discovered. Don’t panic—these are only proposals; not changes to the rules you play by today. But apparently, somebody in pickleball headquarters has discovered there are still rules that can be changed.
Arizona: The Pickleball State?
Arizona legislators actually considered making pickleball the official state sport. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1021 was introduced earlier this year, arguing that pickleball has become a defining recreational activity throughout Arizona. The resolution was tabled until next year. So, for now, golf remains safe—but we at SPA may want to keep our paddles handy when the legislature reconvenes.
The Pros Are Coming to Mesa
Want to see what really good pickleball looks like? The PPA Tour’s Veolia Arizona Open comes to the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa Sept. 14 to 20. And this isn’t just for spectators: amateur players can actually compete at the same venue while the world’s top professionals battle on championship court. For SPA members, that’s a pretty easy road trip to see pickleball played at a level that may make our 3.5 games look … slightly different.
The Olympics? Not Yet
Pickleball fans dreaming of Olympic gold will have to wait. The official LA28 Olympic program includes 36 sports, including newcomers such as flag football, lacrosse and squash—but not pickleball. Still, the sport’s explosive international growth makes the question less ridiculous every year: Paris? Brisbane? Maybe someday?
One More Date For Your Calendar
The 2026 USA Pickleball National Championships return to Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego Oct. 31 to Nov. 8. So, if you want to see the best pro and amateur players in the country—or simply watch enough pickleball to convince yourself you should have started practicing your third shot drop years ago—you have a destination.
That’s the roundup. Now back to the courts…