Is Pickleball's Reign OVER? Major League in CHAOS as Top Player Alleges Financial Meltdown!

The future of professional pickleball is in question as Jillian Braverman, a pro player, has publicly raised concerns about the financial stability of the United Pickleball Association (UPA). Braverman claims the UPA needed a $10 million emergency bridge loan, suggesting the league is in financial distress. This claim was met with pushback from UPA executives Samin Odhwani and Connor Pardoe who refuted her use of the word "emergency" and stated that the loan was already funded by existing investors and was part of a strategic move to buy back teams and player contracts. The conflict between Braverman and UPA officials has played out on social media, exposing a power struggle within the organization. The UPA maintains that it is financially stable, with $50 million in revenue last year and a projected $65 million in 2025. 

Ben Johns SHOCKS Fans With Secret 2025 Doubles Partners! You Won't BELIEVE Who He Picked! 

Pickleball superstar Ben Johns has announced a shake-up in his doubles partnerships for 2025, ending his long-standing collaboration with Colin Johns. Citing a lack of enjoyment on the court, Ben said that he and Colin needed a change of pace. Gabe Tardio was his first call for a new partner. In addition to Tardio, Johns will also partner with Hayden Patriquin and lefty Max Freeman for some tournaments. Johns has stated his belief that left-handed players are an advantage in pickleball, which motivated the partnership with Freeman. Johns and Colin had won 33 titles and ended 2024 as the number one team in the world, making the change a shock for many fans. 

Apple Fitness+ Launches Pickleball Conditioning Program

Apple Fitness+ has launched a pickleball conditioning program featuring workouts led by a professional pickleball athlete. The program was announced as part of a series of new features and programs for Apple Fitness+ in 2025, and the changes became available on Monday, January 6.

The addition of a pickleball program is timely, given that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., with over 13 million players in 2023.

The pickleball conditioning program includes:

• Two HIIT workouts. One HIIT workout focuses on agility, footwork, and coordination, and the other focuses on improving speed, reaction time, and cardio endurance. These HIIT workouts have longer intervals to improve cardio.
• Two strength workouts. One strength workout is designed to build lower body muscular endurance, and the other is designed to build stronger arms and shoulders for powerful serves and drives.

According to Kim Ngo, an Apple Fitness+ Trainer, the program is designed to help people move confidently, prevent injury, and play their best, regardless of skill level. The workouts can be paired or mixed into an existing fitness routine.

In addition to the pickleball program, the Fitness+ update includes a collaboration with the Strava app. This integration allows Fitness+ members to share their workouts to Strava, which will then display details such as episode image and number, music genre, trainer name, and metrics. New and existing Strava subscribers can also get up to three months of Fitness+ at no cost.

There is also a new three-week strength program with a dozen workouts that athletes can repeat, increasing their weights to build foundational strength. 

Teenage Pickleball Prodigy DREAMS of Olympic Gold! Will This School Club Change Everything? 

We turn our attention to Bablake School in Coventry, where 16-year-old Aaron Naik has established one of the UK's first school pickleball clubs. This initiative follows Aaron's success at the national level, where he won a silver medal and became the youngest semi-finalist in the 18s men’s doubles category at the England Nationals event.

Aaron, who also is a qualified trainer, has set up the lunchtime club with the support of his teachers. The school is among the first in the UK to offer pickleball. Due to the popularity of the club, plans are underway to organize inter-school pickleball tournaments with Bablake’s sister school, King Henry XIII.

Aaron has also been named a youth ambassador for both Pickleball England and David Lloyd Solihull Cranmore, where he will continue to promote the sport in schools and through tournaments. This is a growing sport and Aaron says pickleball has taught him valuable lessons in mental resilience. He hopes to see the sport grow even more and dreams of representing Team GB if pickleball ever makes it to the Olympics. 

Pickleball's Hottest Rivalry EXPLODES! This is the Match You CAN'T Miss!

A fierce rivalry is developing in the world of professional pickleball, specifically in women's doubles, between Annalie Waters and Katherine Prento, and Rachel Roarbacher and Anna Bright. Their matches have become must-see events, marked by intense competition and exceptional play.

Waters and Prento had a dominant run at the start of 2024, but the emergence of Roarbacher and Bright has created an exciting dynamic in the division. The two teams have battled in epic matches throughout the latter half of 2024, and this rivalry is set to continue in 2025.

The upcoming tournament at Mission Hills Country Club will be a key event for this rivalry. Waters and Prento, the top seeds, will be challenged by Roarbacher and Bright. It is not yet clear if a third team will emerge to compete with these two. As the 2025 season gets underway, all eyes will be on these two teams to see how this rivalry develops. The women's doubles matches are expected to be highly competitive.

From Hollywood to Hyderabad! Film Stars Dive Into Pickleball's Hottest League!

Indian filmmaker Atlee and his wife Priya have invested in the World Pickleball League, acquiring the Bengaluru franchise, named Bengaluru Jawans. The couple expressed their love for pickleball and the sport's ability to evoke emotions, build communities, and inspire change, similar to the impact of cinema. They chose Bengaluru due to their spiritual connection with the city. This investment marks their entry into the world of sports and highlights the growing global interest in pickleball. The World Pickleball League is set to begin on January 24th and will feature teams from several Indian cities.