Today, we’re taking a slight detour from tennis to dive into the world of pickleball with Jasper, co-founder of ASTES—a standout equipment brand making waves in this booming sport.

ASTES caught my eye while I was exploring pickleball. I wasn’t sure where they were based, but their clean aesthetic and high-quality products stood out immediately. Lucky for me, the team sent over one of their paddles, and I can confirm—it’s superbly made. If you’re in the market for pickle gear, I highly recommend checking them out.

Now, I’m a tennis player at heart, and while pickleball and padel are more “fun on the side” for me, they’re the main event for so many others—and I fully get it. What makes pickleball and padel so exciting is their accessibility and lower barrier to entry, especially compared to tennis, which often comes with layers of tradition and perception. That’s a big reason why pickleball and padel are booming—courts are popping up everywhere, taking over underused tennis courts, while tennis clubs seem to be scratching their heads, wondering why participation is dropping.

In this episode, I sit down with Jasper to talk all things pickleball—why it’s exploding in popularity, how far it can grow, and the fascinating differences in how racquet sports are played around the world, from the USA to China. One thing is clear: whether it’s pickleball, padel, or tennis, these sports bring joy to players everywhere—especially to the recreational crowd, which makes up the massive majority of us.

ASTES makes fantastic pickleball gear, and Jasper is a great guy. I’ve really enjoyed this conversation and the insights he shared.

As always, I encourage you to hit a racquet sports court, whatever flavor works for you! It’s a great way to test your fitness, agility, coordination—and let’s not forget patience.

From Chris and me—peace.