Going for Gold: Pro Pickleball Player Andrei Daescu on Winning Big, Growing the Sport, and Loving the Journey Romanian-born professional discusses record wins, training tips, and global growth of America's fastest growing sport Pickleball, a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong, has exploded in popularity in recent years, with nearly 5 million players in the U.S. alone. And leading the professional charge is Andrei Daescu, a former professional tennis player from Romania now dominating the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) pro pickleball circuit. Aaron Reznik spoke with Daescu on The Pickleball Clinic Podcast about his undefeated tournament wins, training regimen, thoughts on the sport's future, and more. While soft-spoken and humble, his competitive drive and strategic mindset shine through. Here are highlights from their conversation. 1. Winning a pro final 11-0, 11-0 (0:35) At a the Atlanta Metro Open, Daescu and his partner Rob Nunnery won a finals match 11-0, 11-0 - a rare accomplishment at the game's top levels. Daescu attributes the shutout to both teams' play that day: "We came out firing, were very hot from the start. Greg Dow and Anderson Scarpa weren't anywhere near their best. We made good runs, had a quick first game, jumped out to a big lead in the second." He adds, "I don't think there's any major secrets to it - some days you're hot, some days you're not." 2. Playing well vs. not making mistakes (1:55) Reznik asked Daescu how much of playing great pickleball is about playing very well versus simply not making mistakes. He says consistency is crucial, but not the whole story: "You've got to be able to counter punch and have offensive tools too." He focuses on "a combination of being very consistent on the soft game and also being very hot on the fast game." 3. The importance of consistency (2:35) Daescu is known for his steadiness and avoidance of unforced errors. He says consistency stems from "repetition - putting in the work and the reps." He adds, "If you're not consistent enough you really can't play at higher levels, because better players are hard to attack unless you have the right soft game." 4. Keeping his level of play so high (4:00) With dominant wins week after week, how does Daescu keep his game so steadily strong? "I try to listen to my body, do the right recovery, keep myself as healthy and fit as possible," he explains. He's strategic about training time between tournaments, and makes sure to get enough rest and recovery like massage, stretching, nutrition and IV therapy. "You've got to be spot on with what you do on those days off," he emphasizes. 5. Advantages and disadvantages of being a tall player (6:55) As a taller than average player, what are the pros and cons Daescu sees? Positively, he says, "You've got the reach, you can take balls out of the air, pressure people in the kitchen." Also, more leverage for punching back counters. Negatively, he notes, "You'll struggle with lower balls, anything bouncing too high. And agility - twisting and turning like someone shorter." But he focuses on honing his skills to be a well-rounded player. 6. Winning matches against opponents worse than you (8:20) Reznik asked Daescu how he maintains intensity even when heavily favored against lesser opponents - a scenario that causes many players to tighten up. "There's no such thing as a favorite - you still have to play the game," he replies. His mindset is to "focus on what you can control - yourself and your team" and "just play the best you can." He adds that getting nervous is human, but you have to try to block that out. 7. Ways people can improve their game (11:30) For training tips, Daescu reviews video of his matches to ID strengths, weaknesses and patterns. Then he works on whatever he needs improvement in - speed, transition, drives, dinks. "It's situational, player to player," he notes, emphasizing being "a jack of all trades." He tailors his practicing to what the last tournament exposed, being ready to adjust tactics as needed. 8. Drilling vs. Rec Play (13:00) Given his heavy tournament schedule, Daescu limits recreational play to about once a week, focusing mostly on drilling - "3 days drilling, 1 day rec play." The many matches give him sufficient game experience, so he prioritizes focused skills training between events. 9. Top men's doubles players in the world (13:40) While declining to name his personal top 5, Daescu notes the incredible depth on tour now, with the margins between players so slim. He mentions Ben Johns, Riley Newman and Dekel Bar as very consistent at the top currently, but says results vary week to week between the deep roster of contenders. "The top 5 is constantly changing". 10. The future of pickleball (15:20) Though unsure precisely where the sport is headed, Daescu says the future is extremely bright based on pickleball's soaring popularity. He notes steady growth over the last 3-5 years, high participant retention rates, the fun factor and more events on ESPN. "Who knows where it will end up, but I'm pretty optimistic," he said summing it up. 11. Being an international pro player in America (17:10) Originally from Romania, Daescu discusses being a foreign athlete in a U.S.-dominated sport. He's happy to help grow pickleball globally and expects the game to expand internationally like tennis and other sports have. For now, American location is key for high-level training and competition, though he predicts that changing in 5-10 years as other countries develop talent and host more events. 12. What needs to happen for pickleball to grow internationally? (19:07) Daescu believes global growth is underway with Pickleball being introduced to more and more people worldwide. He mentions emerging hotspots like the UK, Sweden, Spain, Germany and Australia. As for his own role, his packed tournament schedule leaves little time currently for extensive grassroots promotion abroad, but he helps grow the game locally in Florida and looks forward to contributing more globally later in his career. 13. Why Andrei loves pickleball (21:26) To wrap up, Reznik asked Daescu what he loves about pickleball. "It gave me the chance to compete again. It's a very fun game, a lot of my friends play, my family is into it," he shares. He also enjoys the travel, meeting people through the sport, and "every second of play." It's clear this world-class player has passion to match his skills. With strategic training tailored to his needs, consistent play avoiding unforced errors, and love for growing the game worldwide, Andrei Daescu exemplifies professional pickleball at its finest. As the sport expands globally, he and other top pros will continue driving excitement through their athletic achievements on court and ambassadorship off court. Pickleball's upward growth trajectory shows no signs of slowing with dedicated champions like Daescu at the helm.
Andre is about 6'6. He was the assistant men's tennis coach here at Cornell University. He and the director, Anda Perianu, a former tennis, pro, US number one in college women's tennis, and also a native Romanian, won a nation wide USTA tournament that allowed them to play in the US Open mixed doubles qualifying round. they won that event, but lost in the first round of the Open, after leading 4-2 in the first set. Andre's visa was about to run out, so he moved to florida to try and become a prop pickleballer. Within a year he was number five in singles, and his visa was extended. why the host never talked about these interesting facts is kind of confusing. Just asked him obvious questions. Do your homework next time!
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
I love this guy
Going for Gold: Pro Pickleball Player Andrei Daescu on Winning Big, Growing the Sport, and Loving the Journey
Romanian-born professional discusses record wins, training tips, and global growth of America's fastest growing sport
Pickleball, a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong, has exploded in popularity in recent years, with nearly 5 million players in the U.S. alone. And leading the professional charge is Andrei Daescu, a former professional tennis player from Romania now dominating the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) pro pickleball circuit.
Aaron Reznik spoke with Daescu on The Pickleball Clinic Podcast about his undefeated tournament wins, training regimen, thoughts on the sport's future, and more. While soft-spoken and humble, his competitive drive and strategic mindset shine through. Here are highlights from their conversation.
1. Winning a pro final 11-0, 11-0 (0:35)
At a the Atlanta Metro Open, Daescu and his partner Rob Nunnery won a finals match 11-0, 11-0 - a rare accomplishment at the game's top levels. Daescu attributes the shutout to both teams' play that day: "We came out firing, were very hot from the start. Greg Dow and Anderson Scarpa weren't anywhere near their best. We made good runs, had a quick first game, jumped out to a big lead in the second." He adds, "I don't think there's any major secrets to it - some days you're hot, some days you're not."
2. Playing well vs. not making mistakes (1:55)
Reznik asked Daescu how much of playing great pickleball is about playing very well versus simply not making mistakes. He says consistency is crucial, but not the whole story: "You've got to be able to counter punch and have offensive tools too." He focuses on "a combination of being very consistent on the soft game and also being very hot on the fast game."
3. The importance of consistency (2:35)
Daescu is known for his steadiness and avoidance of unforced errors. He says consistency stems from "repetition - putting in the work and the reps." He adds, "If you're not consistent enough you really can't play at higher levels, because better players are hard to attack unless you have the right soft game."
4. Keeping his level of play so high (4:00)
With dominant wins week after week, how does Daescu keep his game so steadily strong? "I try to listen to my body, do the right recovery, keep myself as healthy and fit as possible," he explains. He's strategic about training time between tournaments, and makes sure to get enough rest and recovery like massage, stretching, nutrition and IV therapy. "You've got to be spot on with what you do on those days off," he emphasizes.
5. Advantages and disadvantages of being a tall player (6:55)
As a taller than average player, what are the pros and cons Daescu sees? Positively, he says, "You've got the reach, you can take balls out of the air, pressure people in the kitchen." Also, more leverage for punching back counters. Negatively, he notes, "You'll struggle with lower balls, anything bouncing too high. And agility - twisting and turning like someone shorter." But he focuses on honing his skills to be a well-rounded player.
6. Winning matches against opponents worse than you (8:20)
Reznik asked Daescu how he maintains intensity even when heavily favored against lesser opponents - a scenario that causes many players to tighten up. "There's no such thing as a favorite - you still have to play the game," he replies. His mindset is to "focus on what you can control - yourself and your team" and "just play the best you can." He adds that getting nervous is human, but you have to try to block that out.
7. Ways people can improve their game (11:30)
For training tips, Daescu reviews video of his matches to ID strengths, weaknesses and patterns. Then he works on whatever he needs improvement in - speed, transition, drives, dinks. "It's situational, player to player," he notes, emphasizing being "a jack of all trades." He tailors his practicing to what the last tournament exposed, being ready to adjust tactics as needed.
8. Drilling vs. Rec Play (13:00)
Given his heavy tournament schedule, Daescu limits recreational play to about once a week, focusing mostly on drilling - "3 days drilling, 1 day rec play." The many matches give him sufficient game experience, so he prioritizes focused skills training between events.
9. Top men's doubles players in the world (13:40)
While declining to name his personal top 5, Daescu notes the incredible depth on tour now, with the margins between players so slim. He mentions Ben Johns, Riley Newman and Dekel Bar as very consistent at the top currently, but says results vary week to week between the deep roster of contenders. "The top 5 is constantly changing".
10. The future of pickleball (15:20)
Though unsure precisely where the sport is headed, Daescu says the future is extremely bright based on pickleball's soaring popularity. He notes steady growth over the last 3-5 years, high participant retention rates, the fun factor and more events on ESPN. "Who knows where it will end up, but I'm pretty optimistic," he said summing it up.
11. Being an international pro player in America (17:10)
Originally from Romania, Daescu discusses being a foreign athlete in a U.S.-dominated sport. He's happy to help grow pickleball globally and expects the game to expand internationally like tennis and other sports have. For now, American location is key for high-level training and competition, though he predicts that changing in 5-10 years as other countries develop talent and host more events.
12. What needs to happen for pickleball to grow internationally? (19:07)
Daescu believes global growth is underway with Pickleball being introduced to more and more people worldwide. He mentions emerging hotspots like the UK, Sweden, Spain, Germany and Australia. As for his own role, his packed tournament schedule leaves little time currently for extensive grassroots promotion abroad, but he helps grow the game locally in Florida and looks forward to contributing more globally later in his career.
13. Why Andrei loves pickleball (21:26)
To wrap up, Reznik asked Daescu what he loves about pickleball. "It gave me the chance to compete again. It's a very fun game, a lot of my friends play, my family is into it," he shares. He also enjoys the travel, meeting people through the sport, and "every second of play." It's clear this world-class player has passion to match his skills.
With strategic training tailored to his needs, consistent play avoiding unforced errors, and love for growing the game worldwide, Andrei Daescu exemplifies professional pickleball at its finest. As the sport expands globally, he and other top pros will continue driving excitement through their athletic achievements on court and ambassadorship off court. Pickleball's upward growth trajectory shows no signs of slowing with dedicated champions like Daescu at the helm.
Andre is about 6'6. He was the assistant men's tennis coach here at Cornell University. He and the director, Anda Perianu, a former tennis, pro, US number one in college women's tennis, and also a native Romanian, won a nation wide USTA tournament that allowed them to play in the US Open mixed doubles qualifying round. they won that event, but lost in the first round of the Open, after leading 4-2 in the first set. Andre's visa was about to run out, so he moved to florida to try and become a prop pickleballer. Within a year he was number five in singles, and his visa was extended. why the host never talked about these interesting facts is kind of confusing. Just asked him obvious questions. Do your homework next time!