May was probably one of the wildest, busiest, and coolest months in my almost two years as a professional pickleballer. I was on the road for 21/31 days. Luckily I was home for our dog Murray’s 2nd birthday or else he never would’ve forgiven me!
First, I partnered up with DJ Young for the first time and we brought home a nice silver in St. Louis. Andrea Koop and I brought home a bronze , and I took home a gold in singles for a medal rainbow in the 2nd largest APP event of the year!
Next, I won my first ever triple crown in Cincinnati, claiming gold with first time partner Jade Kawamoto. Andrei Daescu and I took gold in the men’s. On Sunday I won the singles event and decided that it would be a good idea to celebrate by eating some Skyline Chili…boy, was that a mistake .
The Franklin New York City Open was nuts, so I think that it warrants its own paragraph.
New York was absolutely surreal. Jenny was able to make a last-minute trip to join me, and we spent the first day touring around the city.
On Wednesday we played pickleball in the boardroom of the NYSE, and we got to visit the trading floor. Steve Kuhn and the Major League Pickleball team rang the opening bell! Believe it or not, it was the first sporting event held in the 200+ years of the NYSE.
Thursday started out rough with a quarterfinal loss, but I was able to fight through 5 backdraw matches to make my way back to gold!
Friday was plagued by rain, but Koopy I and made our way back to the gold medal match under the lights and we didn’t finish until 10:30PM (Wayyyy past my bedtime).
Saturday was easy because JW carried me, which set the stage for a historic first in our sport: JW Johnson and I were both heading into Championship Sunday vying for a triple crown!
Sunday started well, and I was able to beat JW in 3 games as well as a game to 15 to claim the gold. JW and I partnered up to take down the tough team of Andrei Daescu and Eden Lica, but unfortunately Koopy and I fell to JW and Jorja in mixed doubles. I’ll take 2 golds and a silver in the biggest tournament of the year!
I am proud to announce that I have joined the Competitive Social Ventures (CSV) team an as Investor and Brand Ambassador for Pickle & Social.
Pickle & Social will be the ultimate hang out spot combining craft food, signature drinks and live entertainment – along with world-class indoor and outdoor pickleball courts. The first Pickle & Social location is expected to open this Spring 2023 in Buford, GA and in Alpharetta in Summer 2023. There are multiple sites in discussion for expansion nationwide.
With the constant growth of the sport, pickleball facilities are spreading like wildfire across the country. Given my unique position as a player and instructor, I am fortunate to be able to visit hundreds of facilities annually. The current open and operating CSV venues have proven to show the importance CSV places on creating experiences with first-in-class quality and hospitality throughout all venues. I am beyond excited to Join the CSV family and do my part to make Pickle & Social a must stop destination for all.
I was fortunate to be drafted to Team BLQK for Season 2 of Major League Pickleball! My teammates include Irina Tereschenko, Parris Todd, and Rafa Hewett.
The first event is in my future home of Austin, TX from June 3rd – June 5th, followed by Newport Beach, CA August 4th – 6th and Columbus, OH October 14th – 16th.
Major League Pickleball was my favorite event of 2021, and the format is incredibly viewer-friendly.
Make sure to check out Major League Pickleball on all social channels!
“My wife and I attended our first APP Academy Clinic in May, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. We loved every bit of class and learned so very much about playing the sport of pickleball. The attention provided to the students by Zane Navratil and Susannah Barr was simply outstanding. The class was awesome! It was worth every penny and every second that we spent. I cannot recommend a better pickleball experience.” – Rick Daly, APP Academy attendee
Our clinics are divided by distinct skill levels (3.0, 3.5 & 4.0+), we limit our student to teacher ratio at 8:1, and every participant is given personal attention and distinct feedback from the pros.
Registration is now open for these upcoming APP Academy clinics:
I’m teaching clinics in Wisconsin this June – these are perfect for the 3.5 & 4.0 players who want the small group format (8:1 student-teacher ratio). Registration is now open!
- Oconomowoc, WI – Tues, June 7
- Muskego, WI – Tues, June 7
- Door County, WI – Tues, June 14
- Sun Prairie, WI – Wed, June 15
Teach the Teacher Clinic!
I’m partnering up with Lake Geneva Tennis to run a pickleball teach the teacher event on Friday, June 24th. This full day event is limited to 16 participants and is designed to help aspiring teachers and club directors. We will cover different techniques and strategies applicable to different skill levels, methods of delivery, drills to add to your database, program implementation, running leagues, and more. Join us!
To register or ask questions, call: (262) 812-0033
Arielle is the most recent addition to Team ZNP and is taking over for the amazing Sara Kelly as Zane’s Business Manager. Arielle (also known as AB) also works with BoxCar Productions and has started playing in pro pickleball tournaments this year. She currently resides in Wisconsin but is all over the country as a road warrior. Outside of working and playing pickleball, AB loves reading and live music (but not at the same time).
As a token of my appreciation, I’m now offering exclusive YouTube videos for my newsletter subscribers! You guys rock . Check this one out , and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for new videos dropping every Tuesday.
The new Franklin Signature paddles are in and are available for purchase on my website now!
DUPR is on fire What is DUPR? DUPR stands for Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating, and it’s far and away the best way of determining your skill level! Download the DUPR app today!
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