Chatting with the #1 Champion of this wildly popular sport
As many in my audience know. I am an extreme athlete. (Wink Wink!) Not to be outdone in this Olympic year, I have won the Red Bull Cliff Diving championships, tow-in surfed Hawaii’s Banzai Pipeline, and heli-skied down from the top of Mt. Everest, even though naysayers proclaimed it was too cloudy “up there.” I’m convinced they were just jealous. (Or I was just dreaming.)
But to be on the safer side, my latest sport’s accomplishment simply requires a net and a racket that looks like a big badminton paddle. You guessed it. I’m a pickleball champ, too. Suffice it to say, I walk around proudly displaying a recent press gift, a Rokne racket. That is, until someone on a New York City street randomly asked, as we waited for the light, “so where do you play?”
Never having played before, I was understandably stumped. “You don’t play, do you?” she finally said, with a laugh. “It’s just a really cool accessory. Right?”
I hesitate to admit that yes, she was right. Really cool. Even cooler is that I had an opportunity to talk to a REAL champ, Tyra Hurricane Black, one of the most exciting players in professional pickleball, arguably the fastest growing sport in America. Tyra comes from a professional tennis background (reaching 300 in the world) and transitioned to professional pickleball in mid-2023.
Just three months after going pro, she defeated the world #1 and sent shock waves throughout the sport. She was recently one of the top ten females in the 2024 Major League Pickleball draft (selected by Dallas Flash). As one of the first Black women to reach the top 10 in professional pickleball, her athleticism and diverse appeal transcend the sport; Tyra is the number one to watch in 2024 and beyond.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to speak with Tyra herself. Below, our conversation:
JWM: Tyra, could you tell us about your transition from tennis to pickleball and what inspired you to make this change?
THB: I have played tennis since I was four years old and even younger when I first stepped on a court, but I never really enjoyed it. I’ve been on the road alone since I was 13 years old, and I became lonely. In February 2022 I was at tennis tournament in Turkey, and I survived a devastating earthquake. At the point, I realized I wasn’t doing what I loved and wanted to change that. I watched a pickleball tournament online for the first time and fell in love. When I came home, I started training in pickleball and met some amazing people. The pickleball community is incredibly welcoming and supportive. And the rest is history!
JWM: Tell us about your role as co-captain of the Advil Pickleball Team alongside Daniel Dae Kim. Why did you get involved with the Advil Pickleball Team and the Advil Targeted Relief campaign?
THB: I’m a longtime champion of pain-relief and fan of Advil products so this partnership was the perfect fit for me. Advil Targeted Relief is the best topical pain reliever I’ve used, and it helps me stay at the top of my game whether it be on or off the court. It’s important to feel good in your daily life especially if you are staying active and I want to share that with others.
JWM: How do you manage pain as part of your wellness and recovery routine? And how has Advil Targeted Relief helped you manage your pain?
THB: When I get off the court it’s often late at night, so I focus on stretching and then nourishing my body with dinner. Rest is a huge part of my recovery process as well as hydration. After a long day of playing pickleball, Advil Targeted Relief is my go-to. It calms any sore muscles, aches and pains I’m having after playing, effectively targeting specific areas and helps me prepare for the next day of practice.
JWM: Needless to say, you have to be in optimal shape to get to your championship level. And health and fitness professionals agree that any one sport should not be your only form of exercise. Can you share your favorite exercises and/or workout routine that keeps you fit for pickleball and everything else?
THB: My workout routine focuses on both movement as well as strengthening and conditioning, alternating each day. Movement is extremely important to pickleball, so I focus on footwork exercises. I also build my strength focusing on my legs, back and core, which is easy to do when I’m on the road.
JWM: What is your typical schedule?
THB: I’m actively working on creating a balanced routine and schedule for myself because it can be hectic with travel. When I’m home I have my fitness trainer and can incorporate exercise into my routine each day. When I’m traveling it’s difficult to schedule because you’re not sure when you are going to play or if you’re going to be on the court all day. It can be difficult to fit in exercise as much as I would like to when I’m on the go, but I aim to work out the day before or even after a tournament by going to the gym or working on movement at the court.
JWM: Could you provide some rest and recovery tips for aspiring athletes everywhere?
THB: My biggest tip for aspiring athletes is to focus on hydration, rest and recovery. If you’re tired or worn out, you’re not going to be performing at your highest level and your body isn’t going to recover properly. Prioritizing these three items has helped me in my career so much.
JWM: How do you manage stress?
THB: I like to walk around to decompress and if it’s in nature that’s a huge plus for me. I also love to shop so even walking around in a shopping mall is great for me. Meditation is an important aspect of my life and at night I like to do my breathing exercises to decompress and think about the day I had and what I have ahead.
JWM: I know athletes generally have go-to mantras that keep them centered on the sport at hand. What are a few of yours?
THB: Off the court I always say to trust yourself and stick with your intuition. On the court I’m often talking to myself, and I like to say: stay focused, stay positive and lock in.
JWM: You mentioned earlier how supportive the pickleball community is. How has being part of this group impacted your life and career?
THB: It has completely changed my life and overall, I am a better person because of it. I’m happier and physically fitter since I’m out on the court all day. I love it so much and never want to stop! I’ve learned being positive will spread to the people around me, so my happiness has also helped my friends and family.
JWM: What advice would you offer to those seeking a supportive community in sports?
THB: You can find a supportive community whether it be at clubs, online or even your local park. Through pickleball, I’ve met a lot of people who share the same passion for the sport as I do. In pickleball it’s easy to meet people and start playing together. Pickleball is also becoming extremely accessible so there’s lots of different ways to explore your options for playing.
JWM: When you started on your career path, who encouraged you along the way? What advice did they give you that you still use today?
THB: My support group going into pickleball was huge. I met a lot of top players who gave me great advice, so it was a group effort. I improved quickly because I was absorbing as much information as I could listening to different advice. Having supportive people around me was amazing. I was playing tennis for so long not enjoying what I was doing, and I think a lot of players can related to that. Leaving tennis behind and transitioning to pickleball was the best thing I ever did!
JWM: Such a treat to speak with you, Tyra. Thanks so much for taking the time. And inspiring us all to get into the game, myself included, on our path to becoming Better Than Before.
Everyone, for more information about the Advil Targeted Relief campaign and to get in on the pickleball action this summer, visit www.Advil.com. As for me, I really am serious about actually playing pickleball. So much so that I have asked a friend to send me a racket from the Edgartown Yacht Club in Martha’s Vineyard. I mean, you can’t have too many cool pickleball rackets, right?
Join the Advil Pickleball Team and get the chance to win an Advil Targeted Relief prize pack, including gear for you and your pickleball partner! To enter, share a photo of you and your pickleball partner on Instagram, tag #AdvilPickleballTeam and #AdvilTargetedReliefSweepstakes and follow @AdvilRelief.
