Hey everyone!

I feel like everything in pickleball is happening so quickly. It's been two weeks since the last newsletter, and there's so much to cover...

First, I got traded from the New Jersey 5s to the Chicago Slice, and I'm really excited about it. I loved my time with the 5s, but I want to play, and I'll have that opportunity with the Slice. More on that below!

I had a ton of clinics all up and down the northeast thanks to Pickleball Pros, and they were so much fun. Nothing beats meeting you guys in person.

If you want me to come to your hometown, I'd love to!

Please email Chris at Pickleball Pros. [email protected]

Finally, we celebrated Valentine's Day and Jenny's 30th birthday with some close friends in Austin! Our 20s were filled with crazy change. Graduating from college, getting real jobs, quitting real jobs, moving to Texas, adopting dogs, getting married, and the wild journey of pro pickleball.

I don't get the sense that our 30s will be any different.

"The only constant in life is change." - Heraclitus

(I had to look up who said that 😆)

Here’s your Lakewood Ranch Recap:

The Mixed Doubles Final Everyone's Talking About

Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin were up 2 games to 1 on Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters. Score: 8-9-2 in game 4. They're THREE POINTS away from their first gold medal as a team.

Championship point happens. Anna throws one into the net. Next point, Hayden gets an awkward attackable ball, hits it with two hands, chunks it into the net. At 10-10-1, they get the ball back but come up with nothing. Ben and Anna Leigh tie it up and cruise 11-5 in the 5th.

So did Anna and Hayden choke, or did Ben and Anna Leigh clutch up? Watch the video above for the full breakdown.

Paddle Drama: Anna Leigh's Signature Disappears

Anna Leigh debuted her new C45 Aurelius paddle on Tuesday (USAPA approved Feb 6th). Then Wednesday when paddle testing began? Back to the hybrid shape for the rest of the tournament.

My theory: The paddles didn't pass on-site testing. We'll see what she's using in Mesa.

The Johnsons also announced their departure from Franklin. Wherever they sign, it's going to be big news.

Genie's Run and the Cheating Problem

Genie Bouchard took out #1 seed Kate Fahey in the quarters despite some brutal missed calls. Genie said it herself – that match could've gone the other way without challenges.

Here's the problem: What about all the matches on side courts without challenges? If you're NOT calling balls out that are on the line, you're not playing on an even playing field.

Line judges aren't the solution (Federico called this out, too – they're not good enough). The PPA posted some progress from Play Replay this week, so let's hope that works.

Genie lost in the finals to Kaitlyn Christian after winning game one 15-13. I think Genie breaks through and wins a title this year, especially if Anna Leigh sits out tournaments.

Chris Haworth Could Be #1 by End of PPA Season

Chris had to withdraw from singles due to illness, which is unfortunate since he's on the fastest rankings climb we've seen. His first tournament was end of August, and he's already #3 in the world behind just Federico and Hunter.

Hot take: Chris takes over the world #1 ranking by the end of the PPA season in April.

Championship Sunday Gold Medals:

Watch the full recap video for all the details, crazy points, and everything else that happened!

Quick Hitters:

Stay Legendary,

– Zane

P.S. I can't believe how quickly this group is SNOWBALLING! We have almost 700 members in Transition Zone as of today! See what all of the hype is about for yourself with a FREE two-week trial here!