The Dink is one of the leading media outlets dedicated entirely to the sport of pickleball. Known for its up-to-date news, in-depth analysis, player features, and opinion pieces, The Dink has become a trusted source for players, fans, and industry insiders alike. Whether covering the pro tour, grassroots developments, or hot-button issues like DUPR, The Dink delivers insightful content that helps shape the conversation around the fastest-growing sport in the world.

Taken from their recent 9th July 2025 edition:

DUPR's Daring Algorithm Update

DUPR dropped a buzzy algorithm update yesterday, one CEO Tita Machado championed as daring and disruptive.

The update is an effort to rate players based on how they perform relative to expectations, according to a DUPR blog post: “If you score more than expected, your DUPR rating will go up — even if you lose. If you score less, it will go down — even if you win."

Here’s a doubles example:

Machado said on LinkedIn he’s proud of his team for taking the risk to build something “this freakishly meaningful.”

The response, he said, has been insane:

“Yesterday, we did something most companies wouldn’t dare: we risked the status quo. We disrupted the peace, shook the market, and I’ll be honest—this wasn’t an easy call.”

The internet, as you might expect, has strong feelings about the change.

 Proponents contend that this should level the playing field over time — if you’re consistently playing close games with lower DUPR ratings, maybe your score is overly inflated and should be knocked down a peg or two.

 Critics refute punitive action for a win, regardless of the final score. They also think this will make it more challenging to find competitive games with better players, since even a win for them could result in a hit to their DUPR score.

[Written by: The Dink]

HOT OFF THE PRESS WITH A DUPR UPDATE FROM THE LEAD SCIENTIST AT DUPR - AUGUST 2025:

It's all about the algorithm...and it is changing all the time, constantly evolving with more matches, different types of matches, scoring systems, etc....aaargh! The system incorporates over 1 million of players and 8 million match results, with 50% of new users being international players (not USA).

Watch this and understand more about DUPR and how it is calculated...hopefully...???

[Created by: Irene Krajewska]