“The Most Insane Pickleball Experience of My Life” w/ Eric Oncins

Zane is back from Asia with wild stories, record-breaking crowds, and gold medals galore. This week on the PicklePod, he sits down with Eric Oncins, who just took back-to-back golds in Malaysia and Vietnam with Tyson McGuffin. They relive the 8,000-fan crowd, the chaos of Southeast Asia, and Eric’s unbelievable journey from Brazilian tennis player to pro pickleball star. The guys break down international play, the rise of Asian talent, and that controversial call that rocked the finals. T-Dog rejoins Zane later to unpack what Asia means for pickleball’s future — from China’s booming scene to Vietnam’s meteoric rise — and how international play might reshape the sport. 📍 Watch the full episode for: - Wild paddle throws and hot pot adventures 🍲 - The story behind Eric’s MLP breakout - Why 8,000 fans were screaming mid-point - How Asia is changing pickleball forever 🌏 👉 Subscribe for more pro insights, chaos, and comedy every week. Head to GoodChop.com today and use code DINK130 for $130 off your first box 👉 https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-101298884-17151417 Momentous is the gold standard in creatine, save 35% on your order with code THEDINK at http://livemomentous.com #Pickleball #vietnam #malaysia Leave your voicemail for the PicklePod at (512) 200 - 4299 ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedink.beehiiv.com https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Follow us on IG -Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi... -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball #pickleball #pickleballcourts ------------------ 0:00 – Intro 3:15 – How Eric ended up in Asia (and landed business class seats) 6:10 – Pickleball’s rockstar status overseas – “Ben Johns is Justin Bieber” 7:45 – Surviving Asian street food (and avoiding food poisoning) 9:00 – The rise of international players and cat-and-mouse pickleball 10:45 – Playing in front of 8,000 fans – pure chaos and adrenaline 13:00 – Eric’s backstory: From Brazil tennis to pickleball in Florida 18:20 – Simone Jardim’s mentorship and living at her training house 24:45 – Money ball meltdown: how Eric met Johnny Goldberg 27:30 – Getting drafted, grinding APPs, and his 28-tournament season 30:10 – Behind-the-scenes of Malaysia and Vietnam victories 33:00 – Zane & T-Dog talk Asia’s talent boom and China’s growth 42:30 – The Ben Johns upset, “the hook,” and paddle controversies 55:00 – Why Asia might be pickleball’s next big frontier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices