We had such a blast co-hosting the first annual 1010 WINS Pickleball Tournament on October 7th, 2023. It was an event nearly 9 months in the making, from inception to completion, and with several ups and downs along the way. But when all was said and done, we couldn’t have been happier with the turnout and the production of the entire event. Here are some stats: Total unique players: 241 Youngest age: 11, Oldest age: 68 Total games played: 356 Total prize money awarded: $1,010 X 3 = $3,030 Number of courts: 12 Estimated spectators: 150 Check out this sizzle reel of the event: We ..read more

Ray and I first met David about two years ago at the Pier 2 Handball courts - back when every court in NYC was a DIY job of tape, chalk, or spray paint, and dedicated courts were merely a pipe dream. It was our first time at the pier. We had seen the activity on the team reach for several months and watched that community grow, but we mostly played in Manhattan or drilled in Queens. Knowing that it was going to be drizzling, we decided to make the trek to Brooklyn Heights to seek refuge beneath the covered pier. When David and the Brooklyn crew arrived to see us drilling, it felt a little like ..read more

  3 more weeks of recovery to go (fingers crossed!)   Guest blog post written by Brian Ross “This makes no sense,” I thought, as I fell backward through the air in what felt like slow motion. I remember the confusion far more vividly than the pain. Feeling as though an external force had knocked me clear off my feet, theories flashed in my head on my way down. Did my partner just clobber me with his paddle? Did someone wander onto our court and crash into me? What did I just get slammed so hard by? Even after I hit the ground, I couldn’t initially allow myself to consider the most o ..read more

Pickleball: Helping adults make new friends, one game at a time Happy new year everyone! 2022 was a huge year for pickleball, as we saw the rise of the the pro tours, the non-stop media coverage, and an explosion of new players. Steve Kuhn, founder of Major League Pickleball as well as the DUPR rating system, optimistically hoped for 40 million players by 2030. The latest participation report by the APP tour in collaboration, with YouGov, showed that 36.5 million adults played pickleball in the past 12 months, and almost half of those plan to continue to play in the next 6 months. Looks like ..read more

    We were fortunate enough to sit down with Salome Davidze, to chat about her history on the tennis pro circuit, and her journey to where she is today - the #2 women's singles player in the world.  We met last Tuesday, when Salome passed by Seravalli Playground with her pickleball paddles in tow, and decided to casually hop onto the court with us. We played three games of doubles with her, during which she showed off her devastating two handed backhand drive and power serve. It was a surreal moment to accidentally share the court with a pro, but it won’t be the last time! She ..read more

What a weekend. We knew it was going to be a big moment for pickleball in NYC, but it surpassed our expectations in every way. It all kicked off Wednesday, when Megan Charity and her women’s doubles partner Rosie Johanson dropped by some local courts for a warm up session. If you don’t know who Megan is, she’s doing some big things in the city of Charlotte, NC, and Rosie made a huge splash this weekend on the singles circuit, upsetting Jorja Johnson in her first round. Check out this fun point between Megan, Rosie, Nico, and Matt   Eric, Megan and Rosie   Thursday morning, I had a l ..read more

Smiles and paddle taps all around @rileynewmanpb While self ratings based on individual skills are important, one aspect that is often overlooked is partner strategy. Since pickleball is mostly played in doubles, you want the sum of you and your partner to be greater than the parts. Here are some ways you can become a better partner, even if it's your first time meeting them during rec play. Make sure your partner knows to take the middle when they are forehand, and offer to get out of the way to give them space. Hopefully this will encourage them to do the same for you. Why? There are two ..read more

Portable nets are a must have piece of equipment in New York City. There is only one location with dedicated pickleball nets, with a second location at pier 2 coming, but if you don’t live in Brooklyn, you’re going to need a net to play. There are dozens of models to choose from at varying price points, so how do you pick what’s right for you? Let’s talk about the important factors of a well designed net.  Regulation height and size Source: https://www.dimensions.com/element/pickleball-net A pickleball net is meant to be 22 feet across (1 foot past each side line), with a height of 36 in ..read more

Central Park is iconic for many reasons - the live concerts, the architecture, the beautiful bodies of water - the list goes on. But one feature we can’t get enough of is the massive pickleball community that has formed at the North Meadow Handball Courts on W97th street. Players of all levels congregate almost every day around 3-5 nets, from sunup to sundown. They have even had volunteer teams shovel the courts during snowstorms so they can play the next day. That is both hardcore dedication, and pickleball addiction. Nina, Bob, and Listra, all instrumental for making sure sessio ..read more

After a month down in Florida playing in several big tournaments, we spoke with Alex again on some specifics about singles play and his match against Tyson McGuffin in the semi-finals. We discuss general strategy, shot selection with and against the wind, time out management, different playstyles, and what is next for him as he prepares for the APP St Louis Open the first weekend of May. Before the interview, I sent Alex some initial questions I’ve received from our followers. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, post them in the comments section! Did you come into this game with ..read more