Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This might have been the WILDEST week in pickleball… and we’re breaking it all down.
From Nico’s pro debut at APP Sacramento to nonstop line calling controversy, a controversial body bag on Jack Sock, and a massive $225 MILLION investment shaking up the sport… this episode has EVERYTHING.
We dive into:
- Nico’s first pro tournament (and what went wrong 😅)
- The ongoing line calling drama… and when “mistakes” become cheating
- Zane vs Jack Sock 👀 (and the body bag heard around pickleball)
- The rise of Tama Shimabukuro and what makes him so dangerous
- Why championship Sunday felt… kinda boring
- And what the $225M investment means for the future of pickleball
Is pickleball growing too fast?
Do we need AI line calls ASAP?
And is dominance at the top making the sport less exciting?
Let us know what YOU think in the comments 👇
Be the first to try Zane's new course here: tzpickleball.com
Check out Zane's Pro Pickleball Talk channel on Discord: discord.gg/wzNVADmZb
#Pickleball #PPATour #PickleballPodcast
Leave your voicemail for the PicklePod at (512) 200 - 4299
------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at thedink.beehiiv.com
instagram.com/thedinkpickleball -Follow us on IG
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam
-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at zanenavratilpickleball.com
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
#pickleball #pickleballcourts
------------------
0:00 Intro
3:06 Nico's first pro pickleball attempt
8:25 More from APP - Duong Bros in Sacramento
14:02 Bad line calls are becoming a reputation
21:13 Pickleball Inc’s $225 Million investment
28:24 Waiting on the right TV Deal
32:59 Zane gives Jack a 'Welcome to Pickleball' moment
41:18 Nico floored by Danni Townsend's erne
45:54 Number 1 seeds are 162-1 in 2026
52:35 Tama's breakout weekend in Atlanta
1:00:23 Partners show earns a B+ from Zane
1:03:18 Guess my DUPR
This might have been the WILDEST week in pickleball… and we’re breaking it all down.
From Nico’s pro debut at APP Sacramento to nonstop line calling controversy, a controversial body bag on Jack Sock, and a massive $225 MILLION investment shaking up the sport… this episode has EVERYTHING.
We dive into:
- Nico’s first pro tournament (and what went wrong 😅)
- The ongoing line calling drama… and when “mistakes” become cheating
- Zane vs Jack Sock 👀 (and the body bag heard around pickleball)
- The rise of Tama Shimabukuro and what makes him so dangerous
- Why championship Sunday felt… kinda boring
- And what the $225M investment means for the future of pickleball
Is pickleball growing too fast?
Do we need AI line calls ASAP?
And is dominance at the top making the sport less exciting?
Let us know what YOU think in the comments 👇
Be the first to try Zane's new course here: tzpickleball.com
Check out Zane's Pro Pickleball Talk channel on Discord: discord.gg/wzNVADmZb
#Pickleball #PPATour #PickleballPodcast
Leave your voicemail for the PicklePod at (512) 200 - 4299
------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at thedink.beehiiv.com
instagram.com/thedinkpickleball -Follow us on IG
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam
-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at zanenavratilpickleball.com
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
#pickleball #pickleballcourts
------------------
0:00 Intro
3:06 Nico's first pro pickleball attempt
8:25 More from APP - Duong Bros in Sacramento
14:02 Bad line calls are becoming a reputation
21:13 Pickleball Inc’s $225 Million investment
28:24 Waiting on the right TV Deal
32:59 Zane gives Jack a 'Welcome to Pickleball' moment
41:18 Nico floored by Danni Townsend's erne
45:54 Number 1 seeds are 162-1 in 2026
52:35 Tama's breakout weekend in Atlanta
1:00:23 Partners show earns a B+ from Zane
1:03:18 Guess my DUPR
