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How Real Is the Pickleball in ‘The Dink’? A Pickleball Pro Takes on the Cast
Apple TV+'s pickleball comedy "The Dink" arrives on 24 July, and The Hollywood Reporter enlisted a PPR-certified pickleball instructor to judge how authentically the film portrays the sport. The film, produced by Ben Stiller and directed by Josh Greenbaum, stars Jake Johnson as a former tennis prodigy who takes up pickleball, with Mary Steenburgen and Aaron Chen in supporting roles. The review matters because the sport has surged in popularity in recent years, and the film taps into a genuine cultural rivalry between tennis purists and pickleball newcomers.
Writer Sean Clements based the story partly on his own experience of switching from tennis to pickleball after age-related injuries, drawn to its gentler entry point. The article notes pickleball's participation has grown by over 300 percent in recent years, thanks to cheap equipment, smaller courts and a welcoming community, though this has bred friction with tennis players who view it as a lesser game. The reviewer confirms that a scene showing Johnson's character being thrashed and trash-talked by older women on court is realistic, corroborated by similar real-life experiences recounted by Johnson, Clements and Greenbaum.
In short
- Apple TV+'s pickleball comedy "The Dink" releases 24 July 2026
- A certified pickleball pro assessed the film's on-court authenticity
- Pickleball participation has grown over 300% amid tennis-versus-pickleball tension
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Pickleball has grown explosively because it serves people—the injury-prone, the ageing, and newcomers—who cannot or do not wish to play tennis. The sport expands athletic opportunity and community without threatening tennis, which the film rightly celebrates. Rather than gatekeeping, welcoming pickleball represents an inclusive approach to ensuring everyone can enjoy racquet sports.
The case against
Tennis carries centuries of sporting tradition and requires substantially greater athleticism and skill than pickleball, giving communities valid reasons to prioritise its established facilities and culture. Pickleball's explosive growth, whilst welcoming for newcomers, has real consequences—court conversions, noise complaints, and declining tennis infrastructure—and one can defend tennis's institutional standing without denigrating the newer sport.
Explained simply
Pickleball is a racquet sport played on smaller courts than tennis with lower nets and a gentler pace, making it accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The sport has become one of the fastest-growing pastimes in recent years, but its rapid rise has created cultural tension, with established tennis players often dismissing it as less serious compared to their sport.
"The Dink" is an Apple TV+ comedy about a former professional tennis player who switches to pickleball, reflecting a real trend as people transition between the two sports. The film was partly inspired by the writer's own move from tennis to pickleball after injury, and stars Jake Johnson in the lead role. It explores genuine friction between tennis traditionalists and the growing community embracing the newer sport.
The Hollywood Reporter enlisted a professional pickleball instructor to assess how authentically the film portrays the sport and its culture. This examination matters because pickleball has become a cultural phenomenon, and a major entertainment release exploring the sport's rise reflects broader conversations about how the game is reshaping recreational athletics.
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