The World Pickleball Podcast

Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson
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Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson chat about the world game of pickleball, uncovering the most fascinating pickleball stories from across the globe in their own fun, unique style. This podcast is perfect for all pickleball fans, especially those who want to know more about what is happening outside of the USA (though hey, the US folks will love it too!) Join us weekly for a light-hearted but very serious world pickleball fix.

  1. DEC 17

    UPA Contract Controversy, Nick Kyrgios Debut Rumours & The Best of 2025 Awards

    Join hosts Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson for a blockbuster week in pickleball news. This episode dives deep into the major UPA contract dispute that has seen top stars like James Ignatovich and Ryan Fu terminated for playing in Japan. The duo also breaks down the massive changes coming to the PPA Tour global rankings, the restructuring of the Polish Pickleball Tour, and the exciting rumours surrounding tennis star Nick Kyrgios making his professional pickleball debut in Australia. Plus, we recap the APP Tour Championships in Fort Lauderdale and wrap up the year with our exclusive Best of 2025 Awards, crowning the breakout stars, best teams, and the most viral point of the year. In This Episode: UPA Player Suspensions: Full analysis of the controversy surrounding the UPA terminating contracts for players participating in Pickleball Japan Federation events, including the lesser sanction for Paris Todd.Global Ranking Unification: How the PPA Tour and PPA Asia are aligning their ranking systems to create a unified world tour for 2026.Nick Kyrgios & Jack Sock: The rumours heating up about Kyrgios teaming up with Jack Sock for the PPA Australian Open.Kyle Yates to Vietnam: Hall of Famer Kyle Yates signs on as the head coach for the DJY Academy in Ho Chi Minh City, solidifying Vietnam as a new talent hotbed.Polish Tour Rebrand: A look at the new tiered tournament structure (500, 300, 200 series) launching in Poland for 2026.APP Tour Finals Recap: A rundown of the winners from Fort Lauderdale, including first-time gold medalist Ryler DeHeart and women’s singles champion Sion Mendez. The Best of 2025 Awards: Chris and Gordon hand out their end-of-year accolades: Breakout Stars: Mentions for Sara Denera, Yu Fei Long, and 14-year-old phenom Tama Shimabukuro.Best Team: The Bengaluru Jawans (Warhawks) and the Columbus Sliders.Best League: Why the World Pickleball League set the standard for 2025.Best Point of the Year: The viral rally from the European Championships featuring Pep Canyadell and Marc Maragaria. Links & Resources: Download the magazine: worldpickleballmagazine.com.Follow us on Instagram: @worldpickleballmagazine. Keywords: Pickleball Podcast, UPA Contracts, PPA Tour Rankings, Nick Kyrgios Pickleball, APP Tour Results, Kyle Yates, World Pickleball League, Pickleball Awards 2025.

    49 min

  2. DEC 10

    Mumbai Smashers Win IPBL, Vietnam Dominates PPA Asia & MS Dhoni Playing Pickleball

    The boys are back! After a short hiatus involving moving houses to Anglesey and Rockhampton, hosts Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson return to break down a massive week in global pickleball. In this jam-packed episode, we head to New Delhi for the IPBL 2025 Finale, where the Mumbai Smashers pulled off a stunning Cinderella run—going from the bottom of the table to defeating the Hyderabad Royals 5-1 to take the title. We also cover PPA Asia in Hangzhou, where Vietnamese players like Hoang Nam Ly dominated the field, and Gordon makes a bold prediction about Australian star Sahra Dennehy potentially challenging Anna Leigh Waters in the future. In this episode: Our Weeks: The hosts catch up on their moves and Chris’s Northern League exploits.PPA Asia: A breakdown of the action in China, including Alix Truong’s double gold and Hoang Nam Ly’s upset over Federico Staksrud.IPBL Finale: How the Mumbai Smashers, led by Quang Duong and Pearl Amalsadiwala, secured the inaugural Indian Pickleball League title.Dallas MiLP Finals: Recap of the largest amateur team tournament in history and the viral ATP shot by 11-year-old Carson Ngo.CNPL News: The Southwest Ontario Brewers rebrand as the York Yeti under new ownership by former NHL players Cody Hodgson and T.J. Brodie.PicklePro Tour: Sabrina Méndez and Pep Canyadell are crowned the year-end number ones in Spain.Celeb Watch: Cricket legend MS Dhoni is spotted swapping his bat for a paddle in Dubai.New Doc: A look at The Power of Pickleball, a new documentary coming to streaming platforms in early 2026. Don't forget to download the latest massive issue of World Pickleball Magazine—featuring 150 pages of global news—for free at worldpickleballmagazine.com. Subscribe and leave a review to help us grow the game!

    42 min

  3. NOV 20

    Global Shake-Ups and New Frontiers: From Federation Merger to India’s League Launch

    Join hosts Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson for another steady and thoughtful look at the stories shaping the global pickleball landscape. Each week, they walk through their own lives on and off the court before diving into the developments that matter across every region of the sport. In this episode, they examine the proposed merger between the Global Pickleball Federation and the United World Pickleball Federation, a move that may shape the future of international governance. They also look at the European Pickleball Federation’s decision to shift the European Championships to a two-year cycle and introduce a new European Open next November. Chris and Gordo turn their attention to the World Pickleball Championship event in China, highlight the winners from the Melbourne Cup in Australia, and talk through the early form coming out of the PPA Lakeland stop. They close with a look at India’s new national league, which is set to launch on December 1 and marks another sign of the sport’s rapid expansion.

    50 min

  4. NOV 13

    World Pickleball League Season 2 Preview , World Cup and World Championships chat

    In today's World Pickleball Podcast, Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson review the World Pickleball League Season Two draft where all seven franchises have drafted their squads for January 2026 in India. Gordo goes deep into who he thinks the teams to watch might be. The pair then review (as best they can) the recent pickleball World Cup in Florida and then bring you their thoughts about the PPA World Championships event that took place last week. There's also some chat about pickleball commentary in general and much more. Please do subscribe, like and review today's podcast on whatever platform you get your pickleball podcasts. Stay ahead of the game—listen now and join the conversation shaping the world of pickleball. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. _______ The World Pickleball Magazine: Don't just follow the podcast, get yourself a copy of our monthly digital magazine. The World Pickleball Magazine covers all the news, brings you the most interesting stories and exclusive interviews from pickleball across the world - whether it's a tournament in Canada, some coaching in Africa or something funny in Asia, we bring it to you in a way nobody else does. Head to www.worldpickleballmagazine.com now to get the latest issue! For the latest daily pickleball news, head to https://worldpickleballmagazine.com/blogs/world-pickleball-report-news _______ Instagram @worldpickleballmagazine @thepickleballcommentator @gordonjameswatson Producers: Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson

    1h 1m

  5. OCT 15

    Uspensky’s Ban, World Cup Drama, and the Battle of PB vs Padel

    This week on the World Pickleball Podcast, we cover the biggest stories shaking up the courts. From the latest PPA and APP headlines to the newly revealed World Cup draw, it’s a packed episode of analysis, opinions, and a few surprises. We talk about the suspension of Dennis Uspensky and what it means for the sport, dive into Lee Whitwell’s candid post on sponsorship, and ask the question everyone’s debating: is pickleball now bigger than padel? Plus, a look at celebrity players making headlines, our Performer of the Week, and a full wrap of the moments that defined the week in pickleball. Tune in for: PPA & APP updatesThe World Cup draw breakdownDennis Uspinsky’s ban explainedLee Whitwell’s sponsorship insightThe PB vs padel rivalryCelebrity highlights and standout performances Stay ahead of the game—listen now and join the conversation shaping the world of pickleball. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. _______ The World Pickleball Magazine: Don't just follow the podcast, get yourself a copy of our monthly digital magazine. The World Pickleball Magazine covers all the news, brings you the most interesting stories and exclusive interviews from pickleball across the world - whether it's a tournament in Canada, some coaching in Africa or something funny in Asia, we bring it to you in a way nobody else does. Head to www.worldpickleballmagazine.com now to get the latest issue! For the latest daily pickleball news, head to https://worldpickleballmagazine.com/blogs/world-pickleball-report-news _______ Instagram @worldpickleballmagazine @pkl.beaumont @gordonjameswatson Producers: Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson

    50 min

  6. OCT 8

    Brown Crown at the APC, Vietnam Drama & Armaan Bhatia Exclusive

    In this week’s World Pickleball Podcast, Chris and Gordo return with a packed episode covering the biggest stories in the sport. They unpack a thrilling fortnight of tournaments — from the Asian Pickleball Championships wrap-up to the PPA Tour Vietnam Cup, plus highlights from the APP Tour and CNPL, where the Montreal Lions clinched back-to-back titles. The episode also teases an exclusive interview with Armaan Bhatia, India’s No. 1 pickleball player, following his historic performances on the global stage. In the Good News Stories segment, the hosts celebrate a 95-year-old Seattle legend Joyce Jones, who broke her own pickleball world record, a touching 40-year reunion tradition honouring the sport’s roots, and an inspiring tale from Cincinnati’s PPA featuring amateur star Steve Janssen. Plus, find out why cricket hero Jasprit Bumrah is turning to pickleball for relaxation. Gordo names his Performance of the Week, while Chris and Gordo share their favourite features from the latest issue of World Pickleball Magazine. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. _______ The World Pickleball Magazine: Don't just follow the podcast, get yourself a copy of our monthly digital magazine. The World Pickleball Magazine covers all the news, brings you the most interesting stories and exclusive interviews from pickleball across the world - whether it's a tournament in Canada, some coaching in Africa or something funny in Asia, we bring it to you in a way nobody else does. Head to www.worldpickleballmagazine.com now to get the latest issue! For the latest daily pickleball news, head to https://worldpickleballmagazine.com/blogs/world-pickleball-report-news _______ Instagram @worldpickleballmagazine @pkl.beaumont @gordonjameswatson Producers: Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson

    50 min

  7. OCT 7

    From Triple Crown to Global Star: How Armaan Bhatia Became India's Pickleball Phenom

    In today's World Pickleball Podcast, we are honoured to host an athlete who is not just making waves, but charting entirely new territory for his country in the world of professional pickleball. Our guest is the man widely regarded as India's No. 1 pickleball player, Armaan Bhatia. This 26-year-old from Mumbai has had a truly remarkable and rapid ascent from domestic dominance to the global stage. Armaan is a pioneer, becoming the first Indian athlete to sign with both the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP). His success has included historic feats on American soil, such as winning his maiden APP Tour gold medal at the New York City Open in May 2025, making him the first Indian player to claim a title in the US. He also secured a silver medal in Men's Singles on his APP Tour debut at the Vlasic Classic. On the international circuit, he recently registered the biggest win of his career alongside Zane Navratil by stunning Ben Johns (the "pickleball superstar") and Dekel Bar in the Men’s Doubles semifinal at the PPA Tour Asia Vietnam Cup. This breakthrough follows his Triple Crown performance at the PWR DUPR India Masters in 2024. He brings a deep athletic foundation, transitioning from a professional tennis background to earn a DUPR rating of 6.292 and compete at the highest level of the game. Please enjoy today's podcast and leave us a review! _______ The World Pickleball Magazine: Don't just follow the podcast, get yourself a copy of our monthly digital magazine. The World Pickleball Magazine covers all the news, brings you the most interesting stories and exclusive interviews from pickleball across the world - whether it's a tournament in Canada, some coaching in Africa or something funny in Asia, we bring it to you in a way nobody else does. Head to www.worldpickleballmagazine.com now to get the latest issue! For the latest daily pickleball news, head to https://worldpickleballmagazine.com/blogs/world-pickleball-report-news _______ Instagram @worldpickleballmagazine @pkl.beaumont @gordonjameswatson Producers: Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson

    37 min

  8. OCT 2

    Gordon’s Gold, PPA Asia Updates, and the Road to the Pickleball World Cup

    In this episode of the World Pickleball Podcast, hosts Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson cover the biggest stories in pickleball from Australia and around the globe. Highlights include: Gordon’s medal haul (one gold and two bronze) at the Tennis Australia Pickleball Tournament at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.The latest from Pure Pickleball and their PPL showcase event.A wrap-up of the PPA Asia tournament in Malaysia and early updates from the PPA Asia event in Vietnam.Key news from the Australian Pickleball Nationals in Queensland.A preview of the highly anticipated Pickleball World Cup in the United States.Whether you follow pickleball in Australia, Asia, or the US, this episode brings you tournament results, player highlights, and upcoming event previews. Subscribe to the World Pickleball Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast app to stay up to date with everything happening in the world of pickleball.

    49 min
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About

Chris Beaumont and Gordon Watson chat about the world game of pickleball, uncovering the most fascinating pickleball stories from across the globe in their own fun, unique style. This podcast is perfect for all pickleball fans, especially those who want to know more about what is happening outside of the USA (though hey, the US folks will love it too!) Join us weekly for a light-hearted but very serious world pickleball fix.

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