The Major League Pickleball season continues Sunday at MLP Dallas, where 11 teams are in action across four days in the Lone Star State.

The first three days feature Group Play before the top 4 teams from each group advance to the Standing Point matches on Monday. See updated group standings after Saturday’s matches here.

Here are the groups for this week’s event:

• Group A: Columbus Sliders, Dallas Flash, New Jersey 5s, Orlando Squeeze, and Phoenix Flames
•  
• Group B: Bay Area Breakers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, Los Angeles Mad Drops, Texas Ranchers, and Utah Black Diamonds
•  

Here is the order of play:

Now, let’s get into what to watch for.

• The Dallas Flash are switching up their mixed doubles pairings for their final Group Play match against the Columbus Sliders. This move will reunite Tyra Black and Augie Ge after they posted a 44-24 record together through the 2024 and 2025 MLP seasons. It also sets up Brooke Buckner and JW Johnson to play together for the very first time. Both pairings will need to be sharp heading into a massive clash with the defending champions that will be the opening match on Championship Court.

• In Group B, the St. Louis Shock and Los Angeles Mad Drops will face off in a match that will likely decide who finishes in the top spot in this group. Both teams enter Sunday with a 3-0 record, with all three victories coming in regulation. The X-factor here will be Max Freeman, who is playing men’s doubles with Ben Johns for the very first time at this event. This will be the day’s final contest on Championship Court and could serve as a preview of what fans could be in store for when the playoffs begin in August.

• Another noteworthy matchup in Group B will feature the Texas Ranchers taking on the Utah Black Diamonds. Both teams are 1-2, with their only losses coming against the aforementioned St. Louis and Los Angeles squads. Connor Garnett/Tama Shimabukuro have yet to lose in men’s doubles, so they figure to be the collective X-factor heading into a match that will likely decide who finishes in third and fourth place in this group. This will be the day’s second contest on Grandstand Court.

Live broadcast coverage from Pickler Universe begins at 10:30am CT on Pickleballtv.

The second day of MLP Dallas is in the books, so let’s take a look at the group standings after Saturday’s matches.

As a reminder, the top 4 teams in each group will have a chance to compete in the Standings Point Matches beginning on Monday.

Here is a breakdown of how those matches will work and how many standings points will be up for grabs:

• Group A #1 v. Group B #1: Winner receives 25 standings points; loser gets 18
• Group A #2 v. Group B #2: Winner receives 15 standings points; loser gets 12
• Group A #3 v. Group B #3: Winner receives 10 standings points; loser gets 8
• Group A #4 v. Group B #4: Winner receives 6 standings points; loser gets 4
• 5^th place teams receive 1 standings point each; 6^th place team receives 0.
•  

Here are the current standings in each group:

Group A

1. 1. Dallas Flash (2-1)
2. 2. Orlando Squeeze (2-1)
3. 3. Columbus Sliders (1-1)
4. 4. New Jersey 5s (1-1)
5. 5. Phoenix Flames (0-2)
6.  

Group B

1. 1. St. Louis Shock (3-0)
2. 2. Los Angeles Mad Drops (3-0)
3. 3. Utah Black Diamonds (1-2)
4. 4. Texas Ranchers (1-2)
5. 5. Carolina Hogs (1-2)
6. 6. Bay Area Breakers (0-3)
7.  

Group play from the first regular season event continues Sunday at 10:30am CT, with live coverage available on Pickleballtv.

The Major League Pickleball season continues Saturday at MLP Dallas, where 11 teams are in action across four days in the Lone Star State.

The first three days will feature Group Play before the top 4 teams from each group advance to the Standing Point matches on Monday. See updated group standings after Friday’s matches here.

Here are the groups for this week’s event:

• Group A: Columbus Sliders, Dallas Flash, New Jersey 5s, Orlando Squeeze, and Phoenix Flames
• 
  Group B: Bay Area Breakers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, Los Angeles Mad Drops, Texas Ranchers, and Utah Black Diamonds
•  

Here is the order of play:

Now, let’s get into what to watch for.

• The New Jersey 5s will take the court for the first time in 2026 on Saturday, a moment in which they will debut their newest member, Jorja Johnson. The 5s spent $800K to select Johnson second overall in February’s draft, effectively stealing her from the Dallas Flash, who she played for in 2024 and 2025. Johnson will team up with Anna Leigh Waters in women’s doubles and Will Howells in mixed doubles. That mixed doubles pairing is notable, considering that Waters and Howells played together in 2024 and 2025, but Waters will now partner with Noe Khlif. The 5s will open their season with a championship rematch against the Columbus Sliders before taking on the Dallas Flash Saturday evening.

• Elsewhere, Ella Yeh and Luc Pham will make their MLP debuts for the Bay Area Breakers against the Los Angeles Mad Drops. They are replacing Mya Bui and Len Yang, respectively, who got the starting nod in the Breakers’ season-opening loss to the Texas Ranchers. Yeh will play women’s doubles with Genie Erokhina, while Pham will team up with Pablo Tellez in men’s doubles.

• After a winning start to their season on Friday, the Texas Ranchers have a brutal Saturday schedule that features matchups against the St. Louis Shock and Los Angeles Mad Drops. These matchups project to be tough early tests for a new-look Texas team with a starting lineup consisting of Lea Jansen, Layne Sleeth, Eric Oncins, and Dylan Frazier. Both of the Ranchers’ Saturday contests will be on Championship Court.

Live broadcast coverage from Pickler Universe begins at 11am CT on Pickleballtv.

The first day of the 2026 Major League Pickleball season is in the books, so let’s take a look at the group standings after Friday’s matches.

As a reminder, the top 4 teams in each group will have a chance to compete in the Standings Point Matches beginning on Monday.

Here is a breakdown of how those matches will work and how many standings points will be up for grabs:

• Group A #1 v. Group B #1: Winner receives 25 standings points; loser gets 18
• Group A #2 v. Group B #2: Winner receives 15 standings points; loser gets 12
• Group A #3 v. Group B #3: Winner receives 10 standings points; loser gets 8
• Group A #4 v. Group B #4: Winner receives 6 standings points; loser gets 4
• 5^th place teams receive 1 standings point each; 6^th place team receives 0.

Here are the current standings in each group:

Group A

1. 1. Dallas Flash (1-0)
2. 2. Orlando Squeeze (1-0)
3. 3. New Jersey 5s (0-0)
4. 4. Columbus Sliders (0-1)
5. 5. Phoenix Flames (0-1)
6.  

Group B

1. 1. St. Louis Shock (1-0)
2. 2. Texas Ranchers (1-0)
3. 3. Los Angeles Mad Drops (1-0)
4. 4. Utah Black Diamonds (0-1)
5. 5. Bay Area Breakers (0-1)
6. 6. Carolina Hogs (0-1)
7.  

Group play from the first regular season event continues Saturday at 11am CT, with live coverage available on Pickleballtv.

If tennis enthusiasts think the PPA Tour gets loud and rowdy, they clearly haven’t experienced a Major League Pickleball (MLP) event. Take the high-energy atmosphere of the PPA and turn it up another level. That’s MLP.

Fans are encouraged to passionately support their favorite teams, players often spark crowd chants, and some teams, like the Phoenix Flames, even bring whistles courtside to amplify the noise.

MLP thrives on energy and fan interaction, and few people embody that better than Rachel Rohrabacher’s fiancé, Bobby Edwards.

Edwards said that while he tends to stay quiet and reserved when cheering Rohrabacher on at PPA tournaments, he becomes far more vocal and animated during MLP events.

“In MLP, I’m known for being louder and more vocal, which is the MLP format. For PPA, I just clap and I’m a bit quieter. MLP has that team format, so I just enjoy the atmosphere that it’s created,” said Edwards. “It’s all in good fun. I had a career that lets me know where that line is.”

Edwards, a former goalkeeper for the Indy Eleven, says his energetic chants of “Here we go Rachel!” and “Let’s go Brooklyn!” stem from his soccer background and the passionate atmosphere that comes with the sport.

“Goalkeepers tend to get the trash talking and yelling the worst because you’re standing on the goal and the crowd is right behind you,” he explained. “When I was a goalkeeper, I always thought, ‘Man, it’d be fun to do that. I’d love to be back there and be one of the guys who can be in the crowd and get loud.’ MLP is the perfect place to do that.”

In fact, Rohrabacher’s team, the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, considers Edwards their secret weapon.

His unwavering energy and vocal support not only motivate the players, but also add to the excitement for fans in attendance.

“I think sometimes when he’s in the crowd, the fans are a little jarred at first,” mentioned Rohrabacher. “He’s started to warn the people around him and say, ‘That’s my fiancé! Sorry if I’m being a little too loud.’ Usually, people respond really well when he also braces them.”

Edwards even found himself in a spirited back-and-forth with Jack Sock during last year’s MLP playoffs.

Widely regarded as one of pro pickleball’s top trash talkers, Sock embraced the lighthearted exchange and played right along.

“I like the team atmosphere, and I love when it’s loud,” said Sock. “He’s a very passionate guy.”

“I don’t help Rachel on the court for strategy, but I can yell out and express my love for this woman,” insisted Edwards. “I’m taking full advantage of this opportunity to cheer on her and her entire team. It’s just fun to do.”

Surprisingly, Rohrabacher says she rarely notices Edwards’ cheers while she’s in the middle of competition.

“When I’m on the court, I don’t hear much. When he’s cheering for the other people who are playing, then I’ll laugh at some of the things he says,” shared Rohrabacher. “I think he’s really funny, but I’m biased.”

At the end of the day, Rohrabacher appreciates and embraces the incredible encouragement she receives from him.

“I’m so lucky and grateful to have a partner who is all into what I’m doing and supports me in everything,” she concluded. “It makes my job easier.”

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The 2026 Major League Pickleball season kicks off on Friday at MLP Dallas, where 11 teams will take the court across four days in the Lone Star State.

The first three days will feature Group Play before the top 4 teams from each group advance to the Standing Point matches on Monday.

Here are the groups for this week’s event:

• Group A: Columbus Sliders, Dallas Flash, New Jersey 5s, Orlando Squeeze, and Phoenix Flames
• 
  Group B: Bay Area Breakers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, Los Angeles Mad Drops, Texas Ranchers, and Utah Black Diamonds
•  

Here is the order of play:

Now, let’s get into what to watch for.

• Several players—many of them teenagers—will make their MLP debuts on Friday. This includes players like 15-year-old Tama Shimabukuro (Utah), Len Yang (Bay Area),18-year-old Alexa Schull (Phoenix), and 15-year-old Cam Chaffin (Phoenix). Shimabukuro will play alongside Connor Garnett and Etta Tuionetoa for Utah, and Yang will partner with Pablo Tellez and Mya Bui for Bay Area; both Schull and Chaffin will partner with Judit Castillo for Phoenix in women’s doubles and mixed doubles, respectively, while Schull will also partner with Jonathan Truong in mixed.
  
  
• The Columbus Sliders, the defending champions from 2025, will take the court against the Orlando Squeeze, but their roster will look a little different to start off 2026. Parris Todd is unavailable for this event as she finishes serving out a prior suspension, so Columbus will send out No. 3 overall draft pick Danni-Elle Townsend and trade acquisition Alix Truong in women’s doubles. Townsend, considered to be the top doubles player out of Australia, will partner with CJ Klinger in mixed doubles, while Truong will team up with Andrei Daescu.
  
  
• Two traditionally strong teams—the Dallas Flash and Orlando Squeeze—have made major roster moves coming into 2026. The Flash have a new-look women’s doubles team with Tyra Black set to team up with recent trade acquisition Brooke Buckner. Buckner was acquired from the Las Vegas Night Owls in exchange for Callie Smith and cash considerations. She will also play mixed doubles with Augie Ge, while Black will move into the top mixed doubles position with JW Johnson. Moving to Orlando, the Squeeze made noise by dropping Dylan Frazier at the keeper deadline and then selecting Jack Sock 8^th overall in the draft. Sock’s doubles game has improved considerably in 2026, so the Squeeze should be one of the most intriguing teams to watch this season.

Live broadcast coverage from Pickler Universe begins at 11am CT on Pickleballtv.

Anna Leigh Waters – Two-handed backhand poach

“You should probably work on the movement before you actually get on the court,” she explained. “When you’re trying to hit it, you watch the ball, and you’ve got to make sure you’re hitting a pretty hard shot or place the shot well because you’re putting yourself and your partner out of position. So when you’re hitting it, think about where you want to hit it and then just go for it.” 

“It’s all about repetition. You can have somebody feed you the ball and then you just hit it over and over again. It’s a very different shot from a traditional dink or third shot. You’ve just got to fail a lot,” she mentioned. “Everyone has a different technique, so you really have to play with it and figure out how you can hit the ball hard.”

Mari Humberg – Backhand flick 

Humberg was one of the first women on tour to use a backhand flick, so it’s no surprise that this impressive shot has become her signature move.

“The way I hit a backhand flick is actually not what I recommend for an amateur because I turn my wrist a ton and I have a lot of wrist pain because of that,” she noted. “It’s not something that I would recommend for people to do. I think the way that Ben Johns hits it is very clean.”

To develop a stronger backhand flick, Humberg has a few key suggestions.

“Strength in your wrist is super important, so I do a lot of band exercises for my wrist to make sure it’s super healthy,” she said. “I wear a wristband around it at all times to make sure it stays stable. I started with a ball machine and I set it up for a little bit below the net. I work on getting the ball up and down and adding a ton of topspin to it. It’ll come with time.”

Callie Smith – Forehand

“You have to practice a lot, so go hit lots of forehands. I also recommend doing a little weightlifting in the gym to get yourself stronger,” she recommended. “If you’re up at the kitchen line, you can have someone feed you just slightly elevated balls that are level with the net. Then practice getting right on top of it and pushing through as fast as you can. Get good acceleration, swing through it, and see how fast you can hit it without hitting it out, which is hard. But with time and a lot of reps, you’ll get there.” 

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Practice makes perfect, but it has to be right kind of practice.

For longtime pro pickleball player and coach John Cincola, the “right” type of practice comes down to intentionality.

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Cincola breaks down an hour-long practice sequence that is designed to move players from controlled warm-up work into realistic point play while constantly reinforcing intentional repetition.

Here’s a full breakdown of Cincola’s training method.

1. Dink Warm Up (First 10 Minutes)

Cincola recommends starting every session with dinks, usually straight ahead with a partner before moving crosscourt in one direction and then the other.

Depending on your skill level, you may want to rotate through different dink variations in this part of the warmup:

• Topspin roll dinks
• Reset dinks
• Short-hop dinks
• Crosscourt backhand dinks
• Any variation you’re not as comfortable with
•  

Also consider adding cooperative challenges such as trying to hit 50 consecutive dinks without an error. Cincola believes introducing stakes can force players to concentrate more fully on each shot.

2. Fast Hands and Volley Work

For this step, you’re still at the kitchen line but are hitting almost exclusively volleys.

Cincola recommends splitting this section into two parts: pattern volley drills and live hands exchanges.

• Pattern Volley Drills

  • In pattern volley drills, players hit in predictable patterns so they can focus strictly on mechanics and clean contact. These patterns include forehand-to-forehand exchanges and backhand-to-backhand exchanges.
  •  

• Live Hands Exchanges

  • The ball can go anywhere in these drills, which demands that players be able to read pace, spin, and direction in real time. Cincola recommends moving to these drills second because players have ideally already sharpened their technique in the earlier drills.
  •  

3. Skinny-Court Dink Games

After roughly twenty minutes on court, the time has come to start transitioning to more competitive situations at the kitchen line.

The idea here is to use only one half of the court, but players can still be creative with how they construct points:

•             Playing straight ahead
•             Playing crosscourt
•             Rotating sides and patterns
•  

For more variety, Cincola suggests adding other stipulations based on the skills you want to practice more:

•             Dinks only with no attacks
•             Only attacking balls out of the air, not off the bounce
•  

4. Transition Zone Drills: The Roll and the Reset

Now, players can work on skills outside of the kitchen.

For the roll and reset drill, one player stands in the transition zone while the other remains at the kitchen line.

The kitchen player feeds an attackable ball and continues applying pressure with aggressive shits to keep the transition player back. The transition player works on resetting balls softly back into the kitchen.

For the transition player, the focus is:

• Resetting under pressure
• Softening difficult balls
• Controlling touch from midcourt
•  

For the attacking player, the focus is:

• Applying offensive pressure
• Taking balls out of the air
• Maintaining aggressive positioning
•  

5. Drops and Drives from the Baseline

Next comes baseline work focused on drops and dives.

Cincola recommends players choose one variation to work on at a time:

• Crosscourt drops
• Down-the-line drives
• Roll drops
• Push drops
•  

The main idea is that players should not simply hit balls mindlessly. Every shot should have a defined purpose, target, and trajectory.

Cincola also stresses the importance of situational awareness during this phase. Players should evaluate which shot choices work best under different circumstances.

For example, consider:

• If falling backward after a difficult ball, does a drive or drop feel more effective?
• If stepping into the ball aggressively, which option creates better offense?
•  

This portion of practice is designed to help players understand their own tendencies and preferences in real situations.

6. Point Play and Skill Integration

The final phase combines everything together through point play.

Cincola often uses skinny singles so players can work on every aspect of rally construction:

• Serves
• Returns
• Transition play
• Kitchen positioning
• Dinking
• Attacking
• Countering
•  

The goal is to stack every previously practiced skill into realistic points.

Players may play:

• Straight ahead
• Down the line
• Full skinny singles with side switching
•  

This final stage is essential because it connects isolated drills to actual gameplay decisions and movement patterns.

By following this practice sequence or something similar, players will train every major area of the game with structure, focus, and intentionality.

Try this practice routine the next time you hit the courts and see how it works for you!

Major League Pickleball (MLP) is built on high-energy competition, electric atmospheres, and unforgettable moments for both players and fans. Some of the wildest scenes in pickleball history have happened on an MLP court — especially when the trash talk starts flying.

Who could forget MLP Orlando last year, when Anna Leigh Waters brought the fire after her matchup against Hayden Patriquin?

Patriquin has never been shy about talking trash on the court, but as he’s matured, he’s toned it down a bit.

“I used to trash talk a lot. I think it’s good for the sport. I think it’s good to have a little banter back and forth,” he explained. “But I’m actually very quiet now because I think it makes me play better. And now I’ve gotten a little better, so I don’t have to talk as much.”

Even so, Patriquin is still widely considered the biggest trash-talker in MLP.

“I still think trash talking is good,” noted Patriquin. “Matt Wright was the craziest trash-talker I’ve ever played against, but it doesn’t get under my skin. It just fires me up to play better.”

Wright is undoubtedly one of the boldest trash talkers on tour. But amazingly enough, talking trash actually helps him play better. 

“If they’re getting loud or obnoxious, I’m going to zero in on that immediately,” insisted Wright. “I will never curse at you, but I will say enough that’s going to aggravate you, create tension, and light that fire in me.”

Some of Patriquin’s most memorable trash-talking moments have come during his long-running rivalry with Julian Arnold.

Whenever those two faced off, it was guaranteed entertainment and a must-watch matchup.

For Jack Sock, getting into trash talk on the pickleball court was something he actually embraced after coming from the tennis world, where that kind of on-court banter is generally more discouraged.

“I love trash talking. Honestly, one of the most exciting things for me getting into pickleball from tennis is that you can actually talk some trash on the court,” said Sock. “With tennis, you’re obviously a lot further away and it’s a bit more quiet. Pickleball is loud, and I like getting to add to the noise.” 

“I love it when my opponent trash talks back,” mentioned Sock. “I love telling someone like Hayden to ‘Respect your elders!’”

At the very least, the trash talk seems to be part of the fun for Sock.

But it still raises the question: How far is too far? Should pickleball follow tennis and crack down on excessive trash talking? Caden Nemoff doesn’t think so.

“I think trash talking should totally be allowed. I would rather have trash talk than a completely quiet match,” said Nemoff. “I would never start it, but when someone does it, I have to match their energy. I think it’s fun.”

What do you think about trash talking on the court? Fair game or should it be penalized? Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Here is the order of play (Friday through Monday):

Top 3 overall storylines (plus a BONUS)

• How will Jorja Johnson fare as a member of the Fives, playing in front of her previously adoring Flash Mob, and against her brother?

• How will the new look defending champion Columbus Sliders perform? The Aussie Danni-Elle Townsend is the key offseason acquisition (plus Parris Todd is suspended from this event)

• Will the singles specialists make a huge impact since all 6 players on the roster can now be used in each match? 

• BONUS: What will be the fan, team, and player reaction to the new MLP group play format - and who will it favor on the 20 by 44?

Storylines per team competing in Dallas

Group A

Columbus Sliders: The Sliders go from the chip on their shoulder “Chosen Ones” to the hunted as the defending Champions - what will the 2026 rallying cry be? And how will Danni-Elle Townsend and Alix Truong play under that pressure with Parris Todd out in Dallas?

Dallas Flash: The Jorja storyline will be omnipresent but the trade to add Brooke Buckner (for Callie Smith to Las Vegas) could pay huge dividends (especially in a Dream Breaker). Who will provide the needed energy from the mostly stoic returning starters (JW Johnson, Augie Ge, and Tyra Black)?

New Jersey Fives: A significant investment was made to acquire Jorja Johnson and the expectation is that she and Anna Leigh Waters will dominate on the women’s side. The question for the Fives is the fellas - will they meet the moment and who is playing the left, Noe Khilf or Will Howells?

Orlando Squeeze: Will the Jack Sock acquisition deliver big wins beyond just making the playoffs? Sock plus Staksrud equals must see pickleball in men’s doubles. Can Lacy Schneemann and Millie Rane consistently find the height of their powers to push and potentially beat the top teams (we will find out quickly with the Sliders, Flash, and Fives in their Group)?

Phoenix Flames: Completely revamped squad in 2026, with 4 players under the age of 21 (Jonathan Truong, Cam Chaffin, Wyatt Stone, and Alexa Schull). Will they gel, who will be the pairings, and can the veteran presence of Judit Castillo help the rookies remain confident despite a brutal pool in their first event?

Group B

Bay Area Breakers: This team is a blend of youth and experience. Will Len Yang or Luc Pham play the left with the veteran Pablo Tellez? How will Genie Erokhina and Mya Bui fare? And will the teenager, Ella Yeh, from the Dallas area get a chance to play in her backyard?

Carolina Hogs: Another completely revamped roster, including 3 moves made post the draft. Two Dallas-area ladies (Samantha Parker and Abbi Hatton) will get to play at the courts where they practice. Dallas-area lawyer Brandon French will also have a huge contingent cheering him on. Will the home cooking lead to any wins?

LA Mad Drops: The team with the goat (Ben Johns) will go as far as his male partner goes (lefty Max Freeman joins the Mad Drops). Their women’s team is one of the best in all of MLP (Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto). Making the playoffs is not the question - can they win it all? A huge performance in Dallas will be an early indicator. 

St. Louis Shock: Running it back with Million Dollar AB (Anna Bright) makes them the favorites as their men continue to ascend to the top of the pro game (Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio). Add in Kate Fahey and anything short of a Championship will be a disappointment. Can they exorcise their playoff demons of the last 2 years? An undefeated weekend in Dallas would start that process. 

Texas Ranchers: Will the trade of Christian Alshon to Brooklyn for Dylan Frazier deliver the desired on court results for the Ranchers? Will the addition of 2025 Champion Lea Jansen provide the veteran experience needed with Layne Sleeth returning from injury? 

Utah Black Diamonds: One huge weekend in Atlanta for Tama Shimabukuro and the Black Diamonds became one of the must watch teams overnight - not to mention the resurgent Connor Garnett plus fan favorite Allyce Jones. Question: which fella is playing the right? And can they find team chemistry quickly to grab 3 or more wins in Dallas?

Marquee Matchups

Group A: Dallas Flash vs. New Jersey Fives (6PM Central 5/23): Watching the Flash Mob reconcile the sight of Jorja Johnson in Clown Town gear will be must see TV. And potentially seeing Jorja vs. her brother JW in mixed adds another intriguing factor within the match to watch. And let’s not forget a highly motivated Anna Leigh Waters arrives in Dallas seeking a run to a full season team title. And finally, where does coach and mom Julie Johnson sit? In the middle?

Group B: LA Mad Drops vs. St. Louis Shock (6PM Central 5/24): Star power galore: Ben Johns and Catherine Parenteau for LA vs. Bright, Patriquin, Tardio, and Fahey for the Shock. A true early season measuring stick match for both teams. Are the Shock as dominant as expected or will Max Freeman be the difference for LA?

“I really wanted a coach because if I’m going to go play, I don’t want to just cruise,” insisted Bond. “If I’m going to be here and take my time, I need to at least do it properly. Otherwise, there’s no point.”

After missing a flight to compete at PPA Asia, she decided it was time to make a change.

Bond turned to Beth Bellamy — a former WTA player, champion senior pickleball pro, and mother of fellow pro Roscoe Bellamy — to help elevate her game as her new coach.

“Cleo was looking for connections in LA and seeing if that could be a real home base for her to train and give pickleball a real shot,” explained Bellamy. “We started talking, and I agreed to help her.”

“When Roscoe introduced me to his mom, we instantly hit it off,” praised Bond. “She gets me, I get her, and we have that mutual respect. I’ll listen to anything she tells me. I trust her so much.”

“She’s a great athlete, really fast, and a very good tennis player, but I feel like she hasn’t had any guidance,” shared Bellamy. “There’s a lot of pressure out there on the court, and sometimes people just need somebody in their corner.”

With elite experience in both tennis and pickleball, Bellamy brings the ideal mix of knowledge, strategy, and courtside guidance to help Bond develop her game. 

“There are technical things we’re working on,” mentioned Bellamy. “But the first step is giving her support, building her confidence, and helping her get a game plan before each match.”

Having made the transition from tennis to pickleball herself, Bellamy is helping Bond break old tennis habits and refine the nuances of her pickleball skills.

“We’ve been working on a lot of pattern play. I still have so much tennis in me that I’m playing as if I was on the tennis court,” said Bond. “We’ve been looking at when the opponent is at this spot, this is where I should hit it, as opposed to what I’m programmed from tennis to do.”

“I really want to prioritize singles. I personally like singles because that’s where I find that I push myself mentally the most,” she explained. “I want to grow as an individual, and I want to push through my own boundaries, For me, that happens when I’m alone on the court. I have no one else there to support me. I’m all by myself.”

In addition, Bond specifically wanted a female coach.

“I’ve always preferred having a female coach, and I’m so grateful for her,” she shared. “Beth brings a new mindset that I haven’t had, so I’m excited to push myself, learn more, and continue to grow.”

“She supported me for the whole event, helping me with my warmups, organizing practice, and giving me advice during the matches,” concluded Bond. “She got me through the first match I won. I beat Lingwei Kong, who’s an amazing top 20 player. If Beth wasn’t there, there’s no way I would’ve won. I was going to Beth during the timeouts saying, 'What do I do? I’m so nervous!' There’s seriously no way I could have gone through without her.”

If her breakthrough in Atlanta is any sign of what’s ahead, Bond’s decision to seek high-level coaching may just prove to be the turning point of her pro career.

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