In the latest PicklePod episode, hosts Thomas Shields and Zane Navratil get candid with world No. 1 Federico Staksrud, addressing the "biggest problem" that threatens the sport’s integrity: cheating.

There's a lot going on in the world of professional pickleball right now. And Staksrud finds himself in the middle of much of it.

The hour-long podcast conversation covers a range of topics, like Staksrud's controversial singles match against Hunter Johnson, whether Staksrud feels he gets the respect he deserves as the top male in the sport, and what happened with the year's first official paddle challenge at the pro level.

But that wasn't it.

There's a problem in pro pickleball, Staksrud and Navratil contend. An issue so dire, it's eclipsed "hot" paddles as the number one hurdle impeding the success and growth of the sport.

Cheating.

Controversial Calls, Targeting Rule Suspension, and Disrespect w/ World’s No.1 Federico Staksrud

Podcast Episode · PicklePod · 03/04/2025 · 1h 7m

Apple Podcasts

'The Biggest Problem That We Have'

Cheating, more specifically, refers to pros making suspect – or downright egregious – line calls when a game is tight. It comes up every tournament, often during some of the most consequential matches when a game, or pivotal momentum swing, is on the line.

"I think line-calling is the number one priority for pro pickleball," Staksrud said. "We cannot keep going up as a sport if we are calling our own lines."

Navratil agreed: "I think it's the biggest problem that we have right now."

Navratil is quick to stress that this isn't about singling out any specific players.

What Measures Can Be Taken

In a series of Tweets posting to X (plus a video on his YouTube channel), he explores various ways the league can get on top of this issue.

He goes on to list a few other possible solutions, stressing that currently "there is no on-court repercussion for cheating. None."

• "Point Penalty System - Tennis faced a similar problem and implemented a point penalty system. The first bad call results in a warning, the second in a point penalty, the third in a game penalty, and the fourth in a match penalty. This can be easily applied to pickleball."
• "Post-Match Review - I’d guess that calls are overturned less than 10% of the time. Players should be able to submit calls for video review after a match. While it won’t change the outcome, it can led lead to penalties for the offender."
• "Escalating Penalties - Bad calls should roll over from match to match, event to event, and tournament to tournament. If I am given a warning and a point penalty in my first match, if I make a bad call in my second match, I should be given a game penalty immediately."

Is Replay Coming Back?

Close-call replay systems were utilized at some events in 2024, including the MLP Finals, largely to high praise and few issues or errors.

For those wondering if or when close-call replay will be returning to pro events (read: seemingly everyone), the UPA said in a Tweet that it has "built a new system" that "will be ready soon."

You can watch the full PicklePod episode with Staksrud below: