Fix Your Backhand Without Changing Your Whole Game

One point. $20K on the line. Plus: why your mental game needs more than insight.

Author

Empower Pickleball
July 14, 2026

Picture it: one point, rally scoring, no side-outs, no do-overs. Win it, you walk away $20,000 richer; lose it, you walk away with nothing. That's exactly the spot an amateur player found himself in this weekend, staring down his own pro teammate for the win.

How would you handle the pressure? Is it better to unleash your best serve and try to end things early, or play it safe and wait for an opportunity to strike? Keep reading to see how this one ended.

Inside:

  • The small fix that could finally solve your backhand, no rebuild required

  • Why "insight" alone won't fix your mental game (and what actually will)

  • The best qualities to look for in a pickleball partner

🏆 St. Louis Shock Take the MLP Mid-Season Crown

Photo credit: Major League Pickleball

Grand Rapids just crowned a champion, and an amateur just walked away $20K richer.

  • The field: All 20 MLP teams plus four bonus squads (Team Australia, Team Canada, Team Europe, and a College All-Star team) battled for standings points and playoff positions

  • Champs: The St. Louis Shock ran the table at the Edward Jones MLP Mid-Season Tournament, dropping just one game in the entire bracket

But the real headline came from the amateurs. The first-ever Paddletek One Point Challenge threw 128 amateur doubles teams into a one-point, single-elimination bracket chasing a $20,000 prize. Past the Round of 16, MLP pros jumped in and drafted amateur partners to finish the draw.

  • Amateur Nathan Furness survived his four matches to reach the pro pairing stages

  • He and Zane Navaratil eliminated all of the remaining teams, leaving a 1-on-1 showdown

  • The finale: a single winner-take-all point, amateur vs. pro teammate

  • Furness won the point and the $20,000 grand prize

👉 Watch the championship match to see how the Shock iced out The 5s’ best player.

🌎 Around the Picklesphere

🎧 Building pickleball’s next dominant player
4️⃣ How to counter with an offensive fourth shot
🎥 Hollywood’s pickleball movie drops next week: watch the trailer 
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Be a part of the Empower Pickleball Fam and save 30% with code EMPOWER30

 🧑‍🔧 Fix Your Backhand Without Overhauling It

Photo credit: Major League Pickleball

Your backhand doesn't need a full rebuild, just a few small corrections.

  • Arm distance: give the ball room so your arms stay relaxed, not cramped or overstretched

  • Body rotation: turn your shoulders and core into the shot instead of arming it

  • Non-dominant hand: let it drive a two-handed backhand while your dominant hand adds touch

  • Kitchen volleys: shorten the swing to a compact punch for better control

Small fixes, same stroke, way more consistency.

👉 Read the full breakdown here.

Your Feet Might Be Taking More Damage Than You Realize

Hard courts, constant movement, and playing multiple days a week can add up fast on your feet, knees, and joints.

Designed to help reduce impact and fatigue, Zelus Insoles use patented SmartCells cushioning technology to absorb force and support better alignment during play.

A few standout benefits:

  • Reduced foot and joint fatigue

  • Better cushioning during long sessions

  • Added support without bulky stiffness

  • Built for both performance and recovery

Less soreness. More support. More time on court.

👉 Use code EMPOWER15 for 15% off.

 🧠 The Leap Nobody Talks About

Players will dive for a ball with no hesitation, then freeze before a big serve because the physical game feels controllable and the mental game doesn't.

  • You can't control your game, you can only manage it

  • Insight is only 20% of the equation, daily training is the other 80%

  • Intention + Infrastructure = Impact™, and it shows up off the court first

The real leap is letting go of the comfortable version of yourself, and it only takes trust.

👉 Read more about the mental game here.

🤜🤛 What Makes a Good Pickleball Partner?

Great shots win points, but great teammates are why you keep coming back for more.

  • Chemistry: the best duos aren't always the ones with the highest DUPR; they're built on complementary strengths and rely on trust

  • Communication: the strongest teams talk during points, not just after them

  • Energy: great partners reset fast, a paddle tap beats a sigh every time

  • Court awareness: they move together instead of independently, so nothing ever feels like a surprise

The partners people remember aren't always the strongest players, they're the ones who make you want to queue up again.

👉 Know someone you'd partner with every time? Find out what makes them a keeper.

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