Here is an article based on the latest episode of the Pickle Pod hosted by The Dink Pickleball:

Pressure, Nightlife, and the “Sweat”: Inside the Minds of Pickleball’s Gabe Tardio and Hayden Patriquin

Filmed at a premier sports facility—complete with a multi-million dollar recording studio, full gym, and even an adjacent trampoline park—the latest episode of the Pickle Pod delivered a raw, unfiltered look into the lives of professional pickleball’s rising stars.

Hosts Nico “The Lefty” and Zayn Navratil sat down with guests Gabe Tardio and Hayden Patriquin

during the Atlanta Slam to talk team culture, handling professional pressure, and the highly contrasting lifestyles of elite athletes [00:55].

Major League Pickleball (MLP) Team Culture and High-Stakes Pressure

As Major League Pickleball gears up for a new season, the group discussed the unique team environments emerging across the league. Focus quickly shifted to the Chicago Shock, a team known for a strong internal bond but also intense expectations [02:15].

According to Patriquin, team ownership—driven by a highly competitive father-son duo—applies immense pressure to win [02:58]. “They want us to win 11-0, 11-0, 11-0 every single match,” he shared [07:11]. However, both players view this as a net positive rather than a burden. Tardio explained that a high-intensity environment prevents them from getting complacent. “We have so many different shots that we could hit,” Tardio noted, explaining that without pressure to ground them, they risk overcomplicating their gameplay and throwing away games [08:14].

The Off-Court “Sweat”: Slots, Blackjack, and Baccarat

When asked about what they do in their free time outside of training, the conversation took a surprising turn away from traditional sports. Neither Patriquin nor Tardio watch much pro sports, aside from major tennis finals [13:00]. Instead, Tardio confessed to a unique fascination with gambling content, particularly watching digital slots, blackjack, and baccarat videos online [13:11].

Tardio admitted that when he plays live, he routinely bets around $100 a hand to get his “heartbeat going” [16:46]. When the hosts asked how he would fair if a No-Limit Hold’em poker tournament were hosted on the pickleball tour, Tardio laughed it off, claiming he would go all-in on the first hand and lose immediately [14:38]. He noted that established tour veterans like Adam Stone—who played poker professionally prior to baseball and pickleball—are the real card sharks to watch out for [14:50].

The Unconventional Warm-Up: Socializing Before Sunday Finals

Perhaps the most shocking revelation of the episode came down to pre-match routines. While many professional athletes enforce strict curfews and meditative lock-in periods before a championship Sunday, Patrick and Tardio have found success taking the exact opposite approach.

Patriquin admitted—humorously hoping his mother wouldn’t catch the episode—that some of his absolute best performances followed a night out on the town [13:51]. “I’ve never played better. I beat Ben [Johns] and Anna Leigh [Waters] every time we went out,” Patriquin revealed [01:35:18]. He cited specific major tournament wins at the World Championships and Mesa where they stayed out until 3:00 a.m. with virtually no sleep, only to dominate the court the next morning [01:35:36]. For Patriquin, clearing his head, talking to girls, and hanging out with friends relaxes him enough to play completely uninhibited.

A Study in Contrasts

The episode wrapped up by highlighting just how differently various pros manage their energy on tour. While Patriquin and Tardio thrive on a looser, late-night social schedule, host Zayn Navratil represents the opposite end of the spectrum. The hosts joked about Navratil’s notoriously disciplined “clockwork” routine, which involves going to sleep by 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. and waking up at 5:00 a.m. every single morning without fail [01:36:24].

Whether a player prefers strict discipline or an unbothered night out, the Pickle Pod makes it clear: there is no single formula for winning at the highest level of pickleball.

*** You can watch the full episode and check out more highlights on the The Dink Pickleball YouTube Channel.