My Pickleball Journey

Pickleball and Tennis Can Coexist: What the US Open Reminds Me Every Year

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pickleball vs tennis US Open

Every year when the US Open rolls around, I get a little nostalgic for tennis.

I can play pickleball several times a week and spend far too much time thinking about paddles, strategy and whatever part of my game happens to be failing me that month. Pickleball has become my sport.

Then I watch the US Open.

And I remember.

Tennis is a beautiful game.

Something about the movement of a great tennis player that pickleball simply cannot replicate. The court is bigger. Points can develop slowly and then explode. Covering that much ground for hours at a time takes a physical commitment.

Tennis still has a little elegance.

I don’t mean that as an insult to pickleball. I love pickleball.

But nobody has ever called Tuesday night pickleball open play elegant.

And that’s OK.

In fact, I think one of the biggest mistakes we can make as pickleball grows is believing tennis somehow needs to lose for pickleball to win.

It doesn’t.

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Rediscovering Tennis After Years Of Pickleball

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For four decades, tennis was my jam. I’d pick up a racquet a handful of times each year, and enjoy the muscle memory established as a kid.  

It wasn’t a serious commitment, but it was a constant in my life—until it wasn’t.

Two years ago, I discovered pickleball.

Like many others, I was seduced by the game’s rapid-fire game-play, social atmosphere, total inclusion, and ease on my body when compared to tennis.

Before I knew it, tennis faded into the background, and pickleball became The Choice.

For over two years, I didn’t touch a tennis racquet. Not once.

I reveled in the quick reflexes and strategic positioning that pickleball demanded. And I figured I was still maintaining my “racquet sports skills,” albeit on a smaller scale.

Boy, was I wrong.

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How to Move From a 3.5 to 4.0 Pickleball Rating

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It’s a common refrain throughout pickleball, advancing from a 3. 5 to a 4.0 pickleball rating.

While many folks, including yours truly, can consistently win games at local open play sessions against other 3.5 players, we struggle to take that next step up. But there are a few paths you can follow to get your game over the hump. Here’s a look at some of the keys that helped propel my progression.

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When Pickleball Frustration Turns Into a Paddle Smash

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I threw my pickleball paddle.

Like an impetuous little cry baby, I tossed it into an empty bench.

It soared like a Frisbee, garnering several audible gasps from surrounding players.

I tell you this not because I am proud but because days later, I’m still embarrassed.

The catalyst? I went one and six in games against lateral competition and I couldn’t point to a single reason why. I reverted back to that 14-year-old boy who once smashed a tennis racket against the tree. But that was a hormonal rage brought on by girl trouble.

Decades later, and a much more mellow dude, there is no excuse for my pickleball frustration to be left on the court.

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When Your Pickleball Tournament Does Not Go As Expected

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Approaching Nassau Coliseum to play the Rip It Winter Invitational Pickleball Tournament felt like something special.

And then I entered the building, and reality set in.

I walked through a metal detector.

Was shown the makeshift concrete courts in the basement.

Endured start-time delays.

Not to mention the crazy distracting fire alarm that went off mid-match.

Let’s just say it was a learning experience. 🙂

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Why Pickleball is the Ultimate “Third Place” for Mental Health & Community

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A “Third Place” is a social environment separate from home (“First Place”) and work (“Second Place”) where people gather to connect. Sociologists argue that Pickleball has become the most effective modern Third Place because of its “Open Play” culture, which forces interaction between strangers, and its ability to act as a “Great Leveler”—where CEOs and retirees compete as equals. Recent studies show regular players are 60% less likely to report depression than non-players.

Pickleball players tend to fall hard for the sport. 

The path to addiction is so quick that friends and families are often caught off guard.

There’s a reason many of us often hear, “Pickleball, again?!”

And it’s not said in the nicest of tones. 

Well, I’m not sure about you, but it occurred to me recently that pickleball is my “third place.”

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Pickleball Journey: Lessons From My Latest Tournament

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I played in a Thanksgiving pickleball tournament last night. It was my first tournament in months, and I had a nervous energy pulsing through me as I approached the facility.

My teammate and I were ready to give it our all. 

And we came out hot.

We won our first six games with confidence and steady gameplay, advancing to the finals. 

Then everything changed in an instant. 

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How Long Does it Take to Get Good at Pickleball?

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For most players, it takes 3–6 months of consistent play (3x/week) to reach an intermediate (3.5) level. However, two things will speed this up significantly: Solo Drilling (practicing shots alone) and upgrading from a “starter set” paddle to a Raw Carbon Fiber paddle that allows you to learn proper spin mechanics without bad habits.

One year ago, I stepped onto the pickleball court for an APP class taught by Zane Navratil. 

While I can confidently say I’m a better player today, my growth curve hasn’t been as steep as I’d hoped.

I’m pretty awful with official self-assessment, but if I had to guess, I’ve shifted from 3.6 territory to maybe 3.9-ish? And that got me wondering, what’s missing from the equation? Why did I see such a dramatic improvement in my game when I first started playing but then the results tapered off? 

So how long does it take to get good at pickleball? The answer is longer than I expected. Here are a few reasons why I might have hit a pickleball plateau.

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Pickleball Wrapped 2022: The Year of the Dink

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While Merriam-Webster foolishly chose “gaslighting” as the word of the year, I like my choice better: pickleball.

The three-syllable noun defined my 2022. I started with the sport in March, yet it feels much longer, and that’s a good thing!

I set a goal to play the sport with minimal expectations. But I fell in love; all-consuming love!

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My Pickleball Journey Continues: Am I Now a Marked Man?

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I finally figured out why I’ve run into a bit of a wall on my pickleball journey during one of my casual weekly leagues: I’ve become a marked man.

At first, it was my age. Despite being in my mid-forties, I was one of the younger players. This would often lead to players making excuses about their lack of mobility or agility when losing, but it did not stop them from attempting to slam the ball in my face. I was a target.

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