A Harvard study on the psychology of social connection backs up what we all know: People who share common interests are more likely to match. Dating apps try to factor this in, but the reality is… they haven’t found the golden formula.

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One reason is demographics. Younger users are over the swipe grind; Fortune reports that more than 75% of Gen Z users feel burnt out on apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. Some platforms have even seen a 10% drop in downloads year-over-year.

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Instead, we’re experiencing a revival of IRL (in real life) interactions. So if you’re done with awkward “hey” messages and online scams, why not take it to the court instead? You’re already walking in with a BIG shared interest: pickleball. Worst case? You have a blast playing doubles. Best case? You walk away with your new life partner.

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How to Meet Someone Playing Pickleball 

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Pickleball Speed-Dating

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Let’s start with a huge pro: you already know you’re both active, because you chose to meet playing pickleball. And unlike a regular date where you spend half the time trying to think of the next question, here you’re actually doing something you both enjoy.

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In just one 11-point game, you can learn way more about a person than you would over three coffee dates. You’ll see how they handle pressure, how they make quick decisions, how they communicate, and yes… how they react to winning (or losing) a tight point. Are they cool under pressure? Do they cheer you on after a missed shot?

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Or do they go full championship mode and start poaching every ball?

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The red and green flags are all out in the open without filters or perfectly curated dating profiles. Just two people, a couple of paddles, and the chance to find out if your connection is as good off the court as it is on it.

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During a round robin, the most common open play format,players rotate partners every few minutes, so you get to meet a bunch of people without the pressure of a traditional date. The best part? There’s no awkward silence; pickleball gives you a built-in icebreaker. 

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Need conversation starters? Keep it sweet and simple by asking about their pickleball journey or their proudest DUPR rating. Want to spice it up? Go straight for the hot topic and ask what they think about DUPR’s latest algorithm update. (Pro tip: study it first so you can hold your ground in the debate.)

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Singles & Mingles

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More and more DUPR Clubs are adding Singles & Mingles to their weekly or bi-weekly programming. Think of it as open play with a twist: everyone there is single, ready to mingle, and has at least one passion in common (yep, pickleball).

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You’ll play a few games, rotate partners, and then hang out afterward over snacks or drinks. The atmosphere is way more relaxed than a formal tournament, but still gives you that same rush of competition. And because it’s run at a DUPR Club, you know the matchups will be well-balanced, so you’re not spending the night chasing lobs or watching your partner hit every ball out.

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It’s the perfect setup: you meet new people, get your DUPR logged, and maybe even line up your next date, all before you’ve even left the club.

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How it’s different from Pickleball Speed Dating

While pickleball speed dating is all about quick rotations and getting to meet as many people as possible in a short time, Singles & Mingles is more of a slow-burn social night. You’ll spend longer on court with each partner, have more downtime to actually talk, and the post-play hangout is just as important as the games themselves. It’s less “fast-paced matchmaking” and more “building connections over a night of fun competition.”

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From Rating Curiosity to a Matchmaking Concept

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Sometimes love stories start with a serve and a third-shot drop. For Anneliese Niebauer, co-founder of  the pickleball dating app “PickleMatch",” it started with a little DUPR curiosity.

“One time I was looking at my friends’ DUPRs and I went down a DUPR rabbit hole,” she mentioned at The Kitchen Talk podcast. “I was like, mmm… who is this guy? And I thought, ‘This should be a dating app.’”

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While PickleMatch, a dating app for pickleballers, has grown into its own community (with a waitlist of over 700 people for their pickleball dating events), it’s that initial spark that highlights just how much DUPR is already connecting people. Whether it’s checking out local DUPR leaderboards, joining a DUPR Club, or getting matched up at a DUPR event, your rating isn’t just a number; it’s a conversation starter.

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That’s the beauty of building relationships around the game. DUPR gives you a way to find evenly matched players, track your progress, and discover new events, while also opening doors to friendships (and maybe something more) you didn’t even know were out there.

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Love at First Serve?

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Let’s get a little corny for a second. Picture this: you’re telling your future kids the story of how you met. Would you rather say, “We met playing pickleball,” or “We swiped right”?

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We’ll take the court story any day.

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Check the DUPR App to see if your local club is hosting any pickleball dating events. If they’re not, send them our way! Our DUPR Clubs Team works with facilities to build out fun, high-value programming that keeps members engaged on and off the court.

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