UPA-A Certified Paddle Rules Impact: Several top players, including Hurricane Tyra Black, Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, Meghan Dizon, and Gabe Tardio, were forced to use unfamiliar paddles on Tuesday at the Veolia Cincinnati Showcase presented by Six Zero in Mason, Ohio. Their regular paddles lacked full UPA-A certification, now required for pro play.
New Certification Rules
Since September 1, all paddles must be on the UPA-A Certified Paddles List to be used in Professional Pickleball Association Tour and Major League Pickleball events. Earlier this year, players could still compete with paddles under Interim or Provisional Approval. That grace period ended this month.
UPA-A president Jason Aspes explained that certification takes eight weeks. He added that this requirement and timeline were “thoroughly communicated to manufacturers worldwide” ahead of the September 1 deadline.
Missing From the List
As of now, 86 paddles are fully certified. Still, several popular models did not make the list. These include the Proton Series 3 – Project Flamingo, used by Andrei Daescu, Meghan Dizon, and CJ Klinger, the PIKKL Vantage Pro, used by Gabe Tardio, and the PIKKL Hurricane Pro, used by Hurricane Tyra Black.
Black, who won women’s doubles gold with Jorja Johnson just nine days ago in Las Vegas using her PIKKL Hurricane Pro paddle, expressed frustration in a social media post Monday evening. She noted the timing created a difficult situation for players affected by the rule change.
Found out just days before a slam that my paddle isn’t approved. It’s been tested hundreds of times and only failed once, then passed the next day, so I was definitely shocked. Now I’m at a pro tourney in Cincinnati and don’t know what paddle to use. Can’t make this up 😩😂
— Hurricane Tyra Black (@Hurricanetblack) September 8, 2025
Impact on Competition
This week’s event is one of four Slams on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour schedule, which means 2,000 ranking points are available instead of the usual 1,000. Despite switching equipment, all five affected players won their opening mixed doubles matches. However, Gabe Tardio was eliminated earlier in men’s singles.
What It Means Going Forward
The stricter paddle rules highlight a push for standardization in professional pickleball. While the change has caused short-term challenges for players, it also signals a clearer framework for future competition. The coming weeks may determine how quickly manufacturers adapt to meet certification standards.
News in Brief: UPA-A Certified Paddle Rules Impact
At the Veolia Cincinnati Showcase presented by Six Zero, Hurricane Tyra Black and other top players were forced to switch paddles after their regular gear failed to meet UPA-A certification rules. Despite the setback, they advanced in mixed doubles. The new paddle rule took effect September 1 for all pro-level events.
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