Culture and News

The Dink: Release Date, Cast, Trailer & Why Hollywood’s New Pickleball Movie Feels Personal

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the dink movie poster

Pickleball just got its own movie, The Dink, and Ben Stiller is involved, which means two things are now true: the sport has officially arrived in the mainstream, and I am contractually obligated as a child of the 90s to have an opinion about it.

The Dink premieres July 24 on Apple TV. It stars Jake Johnson as a washed-up former tennis prodigy who gets pushed into pickleball during rehab, Ed Harris (never ages!) as his pickleball-skeptical father, Mary Steenburgen (never ages!) as the partner who pulls him into the sport, and Stiller himself in a supporting role as the doctor who hands him a paddle in the first place. The trailer just dropped, the internet has takes, and I have a personal reason to care about this one beyond the usual “my hobby is famous now” excitement…but we’ll get there.

Here’s everything worth knowing, plus the part of this story I genuinely did not expect to write about myself.

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Pickleball Slam 4 Results: Agassi & Blake Beat Waters & Bouchard 3-1 for $1M Prize

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Tennis Legends Just Schooled the World’s Best Pickleballer—Here’s Exactly How They Did It

Final Score: Agassi/Blake def. Waters/Bouchard 3-1

Andre Agassi just went 4-for-4 at Pickleball Slam.

Last night at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, the 8-time Grand Slam champion and his partner James Blake took down the world’s #1 pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters and former tennis star Genie Bouchard in what was supposed to be the ultimate test: Can tennis legends beat actual professional pickleballers at their own sport?

The answer, apparently, is yes—if you execute a ruthless game plan and exploit the weakest link.

I’m Ace, and I watched this entire match unfold on ESPN. Here’s what actually happened, why Agassi and Blake won, and what it means for the “tennis vs. pickleball” debate that’s been brewing for years.

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Pickleball Paddle Guide Update: Franklin Aurelius, Gen 4 Foam, and Cutting Through the Hype

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ace Rivera column

Hey pickleball fans, Ace here. While everyone’s been obsessing over MLP draft drama and PPA Tour results, the paddle market has been quietly going through one of its most interesting periods in years. We’ve got Anna Leigh Waters’ signature Franklin paddle shipping this week after record-fast approval, JOOLA launching a hybrid shape that nobody asked for but everyone’s curious about, and a technology arms race that’s making Gen 3 vs Gen 4 debates look quaint.

Let’s talk about what’s actually landing in mailboxes and hitting retail shelves over the next few weeks, because this is where the rubber meets the road—or more accurately, where carbon fiber meets polymer cores.

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APP Tour Goes Shopping, Ignatowich Builds a Paddle Empire, and Why You Should Wear Eye Protection

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prison pickleball

Hey pickleball fans, Ace here. While everyone’s been obsessing over the MLP draft drama (and rightfully so—$1.23M for Anna Bright is insane), some other significant developments have been unfolding in the professional pickleball world. The APP Tour is making moves, former pros are pivoting to business, and we’ve got some actual data on injuries that might make you rethink your gear choices.

Let’s dig into what happened this week beyond the MLP circus.

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MLP Keeper Deadline Shock: Why Dallas Flash Dropped MVP Jorja Johnson

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MLP Keeper Deadline Shock: Why Dallas Flash Dropped MVP Jorja Johnson

The February 15th Major League Pickleball (MLP) keeper deadline delivered massive shocks as superstars Jorja Johnson (Dallas Flash) and Anna Bright (St. Louis Shock) were officially dropped to free agency. While these moves appear risky, they are calculated financial gambles to avoid massive keeper fees—which can exceed $300,000—in hopes of re-drafting the players at a lower market price. With 66 roster spots to fill, the February 27th free agency draft is now a high-stakes bidding war that could see prices for top women surpass $500,000, fundamentally shifting the league’s power balance.

If you thought last week was dramatic with Andre Agassi’s World Series announcement, hold onto your paddles—because the MLP keeper deadline just delivered some genuine shockers that have the entire professional pickleball community buzzing.

On Sunday, February 15th at 4pm ET, all 20 Major League Pickleball teams submitted their keeper lists for 2026. The announcements dropped Monday, and let me tell you: some of these decisions are absolutely wild. Let’s break down what happened, why it matters, and what it means for the February 27th free agency draft.

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Anna Leigh Waters Gets Quick Approval of Franklin Aurelius Paddle

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Franklin Aurelius Paddle

Anna Leigh Waters’ signature Franklin Aurelius paddle officially received UPA-A certification on February 6, 2026, fast-tracking its debut for the PPA Cape Coral Open. While Waters will compete with the highly aggressive 12.7mm model, the paddle is available for pre-order in three core thicknesses (12.7mm, 14mm, 16mm) and ships starting March 1, 2026. This certification marks a major shift in the paddle market, as Franklin cements its new flagship partnership following the departure of JW and Jorja Johnson.

In case you missed it while scrolling through your feed yesterday, there was a small but significant announcement in the professional pickleball world: Anna Leigh Waters’ signature Franklin paddle, the Aurelius, received UPA-A certification on Friday, February 6th. For most recreational players, this might seem like inside baseball. But if you care about where professional pickleball is heading—or if you’re one of the thousands already eyeing this paddle for yourself—this approval is a bigger deal than it first appears.

Let’s break down what just happened, why it matters, and what it tells us about the current state of paddle technology and player equipment deals.

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