Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson return for another World Pickleball Podcast roundup, covering the stories shaping the sport across the globe.

This week’s episode starts in Trinidad and Tobago, where the Caribbean’s first Minor League Pickleball event is set to launch on May 29, before heading to Australia for a look at the newly announced MLP Australia captains and what a reduced eight-team league could mean for the standard of competition.

Chris and Gordo also break down the PPA Finals, the continuing dominance of Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters, the rise of players such as Kiora Kunimoto, Sahra Dennehy, Danni-Elle Townsend, Rachel Rohrabacher and Tama Shimabukuro, plus the latest debate around line calling and whether professional pickleball can continue to rely on player self-officiating.

The episode also looks at the PPA’s new documentary series, the importance of preserving pickleball’s early history, and WPM’s upcoming Road to the English Open project.

A wide-ranging episode on where pickleball is heading, who is rising, and what the sport still needs to fix.

In this episode of the World Pickleball Podcast, Chris speaks to Théo Platel, France’s leading men’s player and the current number one men’s doubles player on the RTA Pickleball Tour rankings.

Théo talks about his route from junior tennis in the south of France into pickleball, the early humbling that made him take the sport seriously, and the role his brother Julien played as doubles partner, coach and manager.

The conversation also goes deep on his partnership with Ben Cawston, why tactical trust matters in doubles, how Théo studies matches to improve, and why his biggest step forward has been mental rather than technical.

They also discuss the cost of chasing a professional pickleball career, the pull of the US and APP/PPA tours, the rise of Louis Laville after Australia, and what European players need if they are serious about closing the gap on the best players in the world.

Théo finishes with a simple but valuable tip for ambitious players: stop trying to win every point too early, build consistency, and make your opponent miss first.

Follow Théo on Instagram: @theoplatel_pb

Louis Laville joins the World Pickleball Podcast to discuss his journey from skeptical first-time player to one of Europe’s most accomplished pickleball professionals.

The eight-time national champion and seven-time European champion opens up on:

• moving to Australia to pursue pickleball full-time
• winning MLP Australia with Bondi Pickleball Club
• competing in the World Pickleball League in India
• how Australia changed his style of play
• why European pickleball is improving rapidly
• the financial realities of professional pickleball outside the USA
• the future of the sport in the UK and Europe

Laville also explains the tactical evolution happening at the top level of the game, including the aggressive speed-up patterns he learned in Australia and how the global game is becoming increasingly connected.

A fascinating conversation with one of the most influential figures in European pickleball.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major platforms.

Chris is joined by Theo Young, the organiser of the DUPR UK University Pickleball Championships, powered by JOOLA and sanctioned by Pickleball England.

Taking place at Courtzside in Stourbridge on 30 May, the event brings together university teams from across the UK for the first competition of its kind in the country.

Theo talks about building the event from scratch, what UK pickleball can learn from the US college scene, why university sport matters, and how younger players could help reshape the image of pickleball in Britain.

The conversation also covers Oxford, Cambridge, DUPR, JOOLA, purpose-built courts, livestreaming, team formats, dreambreakers, New Wave Pickleball Club, and why pickleball needs to look younger, sharper and more fun.

In this episode of the World Pickleball Podcast, Chris speaks to Calvin Innes, an award-winning creative director, fandom strategist and co-founder of The Forge, about one of pickleball’s biggest unanswered questions: how does the sport turn millions of players into genuine fans?

Calvin explains why participation alone is not enough, what pickleball can learn from Formula 1, UFC, cricket and other sports, and why storytelling, personalities, rivalries, behind-the-scenes access and fan-led content may matter as much as tournaments and results.

The discussion also explores the English Open, Olympic ambitions, the difference between players and fans, and why pickleball’s quirks may be some of its biggest assets.

Atlanta is already doing what it always does at this stage of the season — putting pressure on players who are not quite safe.

This week, we break down why the PPA Finals cut line matters more than the title itself, and how early-round matches are starting to shape entire seasons.

From there, we get into the new UPA rulebook and the confusion around rally scoring. There isn’t one version of pickleball anymore, and players are starting to feel that gap between the pro game and what they play locally.

We then look at Vanshik Kapadia’s run of results on the WPC circuit and what it says about India. This is not just a player story. It is what happens when a system starts to form.

That links directly to Lee Whitwell’s point — if the sport keeps tightening at the top, what happens to the players underneath it?

We also touch on the APP’s 12-minute format experiment in Sacramento, Ly Hoang Nam’s withdrawal from the PPA Asia event, and what we are watching next across Atlanta, Tweed Heads and Northern California.

No big claims. Just what is actually happening.

Lee Whitwell joins the World Pickleball Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that goes far beyond results.

The reigning senior pro star and Game ChangeHER co-founder breaks down the US Open, the growth of the English Open, and why pickleball still struggles as a spectator sport. More importantly, she explains why the future of the game will not be decided by the pro tour, but by the millions of players who show up to courts every week.

We also get into paddle sponsorships, grassroots coaching, the psychology of competition, and how pickleball creates something most sports don’t — a genuine sense of belonging.

If you care about where the sport is heading, this is one to listen to.

What makes pickleball so addictive?

In this episode, Chris sits down with Clare Frank — former California fire chief, author, and lifelong athlete — to unpack a question most players feel but rarely explain.

After a health scare, Clare realised she feared losing pickleball more than the diagnosis itself. That moment sent her on a one-year journey across the US to understand why the sport has such a powerful hold on people.

From playing in a maximum security prison to chasing games in the rain like an addict, to competing in a Down Syndrome tournament in memory of her sister, this is not a typical pickleball story.

It’s about:

• why pickleball hooks people faster than any other sport
• how it blends competition, community and dopamine in a way nothing else does
• and why the game feels the same whether you’re in a prison yard or your local club

If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t stop playing… this one explains it.