It’s probably been one of the busiest months of my life. During the first two weeks of May, my siblings and I had to travel to Spain (our home country) to attend the funeral of a close relative. It was nice to spend time together with family, although under very sad circumstances. It’s yet another reminder of how precious and short life is, and why we should do everything we can to enjoy our time and contribute positively to others.

Bringing FLIPP to life is one of the ways I hope to provide value back to society, especially to all the players and coaches who want to maximize efficiency during their training sessions.

Visiting the factory

Now onto the trip to China. Just five hours after a 14-hour flight from Spain back to Canada, my wife and I boarded another 14-hour direct flight from Vancouver to Shenzhen, where the FLIPP factory is located.

China has developed tremendously over the last two decades, and Shenzhen is now one of the most modern cities in the world. Not long ago, it was a small fishing village of around 30,000 inhabitants, and today it’s one of the most advanced and busiest manufacturing hubs on the planet.

I could write several pages about everything we experienced during those six days in China, but I know what most of you care about is when you’ll finally get your hands on your brand new FLIPP unit and start collecting balls like there’s no tomorrow.

So to summarize, the main goal of this trip was to meet the factory team in person and evaluate the first pre-production prototypes before committing to tooling and mass production.

Getting to most factories these days takes a bit longer because land prices have risen dramatically over the last few years. As a result, many factories are moving further inland, often one to two hours away from central Shenzhen. In my case, the engineering lead and project manager drove us to the factory, which was indeed about 1.5 hours north of our hotel.

Most medium-sized factories in China operate inside multi-story buildings to save on land costs. My factory actually owns several of these buildings, each specialized in different manufacturing processes such as plastics, metal fabrication, metal stamping, die-casting, and assembly.

The building we visited is where they mainly handle plastic injection molding and where most of the FLIPP parts will be manufactured and assembled. FLIPP also features an aluminum tube handle, which will be produced at their metal fabrication facility that we unfortunately didn’t get a chance to visit this time.

It was difficult for me to make a comparative assessment since I had never visited factories in China before. However, I did get the opportunity to tour two additional factories, and they were quite similar in layout and capabilities, which reassured me that our manufacturing partner is operating at a competitive level.

The factory building itself was only two years old. The company has been in business for roughly 25 years, but due to rising land costs, they’ve gradually relocated operations further inland away from the coast.

They gave me a full tour of all nine floors. The heaviest machinery is located on the lower floors, while the upper floors are reserved for quality assurance, office space, raw material storage, and assembly operations.

Their facilities were fairly clean, the factory was quite busy producing products for several very well-known brands, and the workers generally seemed happy and organized.

As for the team, they were extremely friendly, professional, and attentive. They even invited us to a very nice dinner where one of the factory owners (or “bosses” as they commonly say there) joined us and shared a lot of insight into how the manufacturing landscape has evolved over the past decade. Manufacturing in China has become significantly more expensive, and many factory owners are now opening facilities in Vietnam and India. However, the Chinese manufacturing ecosystem is still far more mature and efficient when it comes to producing high-quality goods at scale and in record time.

Testing the pre-production prototype

Right after the factory tour, we had the opportunity to review and test the first pre-production prototypes. They had built two versions: one made from resin material and another using 3D-printed nylon plastic. The resin sample was mainly intended to test dimensions and the ball-picking mechanism, while the nylon prototype is much closer to what the final production model will look like.

The nylon prototype worked largely as expected. The only drawback is that 3D-printed nylon does not have the same properties as final injection-molded plastic and tends to be considerably more flexible. This was only noticeable when testing the unit fully loaded with approximately 100 tennis balls. Pickleballs, being much lighter, did not generate any meaningful deflection.

To minimize flex on both the box and handle, especially in hopper mode, the engineering team agreed to strengthen the bottom structure of the ball receptacle, use thicker aluminum tubing for the handle/pedestal, and reinforce the handle joints. They explained that some level of deflection is unavoidable due to the cantilevered nature of the load in hopper configuration. As always, the challenge is balancing robustness, weight, and overall manufacturing cost.

At the moment, the cost per unit is already considerably higher than originally estimated, so we need to be very careful where additional costs are introduced. We can increase tubing thickness, for example, but if we go too far, both the total product weight and unit cost increase significantly as well.

The team also mentioned that aluminum prices have risen substantially in recent months. In addition, global geopolitical tensions (i.e.: Iran war) and shipping volatility continue to affect plastic costs, logistics, tariffs, and overall manufacturing expenses. In short, keeping production costs under control has become increasingly challenging in today’s environment.

Next steps

The next step is for the factory team to provide an updated 3D CAD model, revised bill of materials, and updated tooling quotation. They said they expect to have everything ready by June 2nd.

At that point, I would submit the tooling down payment so they can begin manufacturing the injection molds, which are expected to take around two months to complete.

They said the earliest production could begin would be early August, and they estimate manufacturing 1,500 units would take roughly three weeks. Interestingly, while I was there, they were producing around 1,000 units per day of a significantly more complex product, so once the FLIPP assembly line is fully ramped up, producing 1,000 FLIPPs per day should not be an issue.

That said, ramping up production itself takes time. They need to finalize the assembly workflow, train workers, establish quality control procedures, and optimize production efficiency. Even so, three weeks still sounds incredibly fast to me considering it took me close to a full month to build a single working prototype by hand!

So when will you get your FLIPP?

If everything goes according to plan, the first shipment from China would leave by freight ship near the end of August. Transit to the US warehouse would take approximately one month, followed by several additional days for fulfillment to individual US backers. The US warehouse will also handle international shipments, which account for roughly 15% of all pre-orders.

My very naive original estimate was to begin deliveries in late May. The reality is that, given the complexity of this product (approximately 62 unique parts, including several fairly complex plastic components), less than 12 months from early hand-built prototype to full mass production would already be considered extremely fast if everything goes according to plan.

This process certainly gives you a whole new appreciation for the everyday products we often take for granted. Behind every gadget you own are months, and often years, of development, engineering, logistics, setbacks, negotiations, and bureaucracy.

Sometimes I wonder why anyone would voluntarily embark on such a challenging endeavor. Probably some combination of ambition, naivety, obsession, and just a small touch of insanity sprinkled in for good measure!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this update. Thank you supporting FLIPP and for following along on this rollercoaster journey into the manufacturing world.

More to come soon… Vamos!

Miguel @ NKORT

Did you miss our Kickstarter launch?

You can still preoder FLIPP directly from our website.

A few days ago, legendary tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou posted an article on Facebook that lit the internet on fire.

He didn’t predict the apocalypse. He didn’t declare war on pickleball. He simply asked a question that every tennis player has probably argued about at a bar, courtside, or in a group chat at least once:

“Is tennis in deep trouble?”

The post collected nearly a thousand reactions and hundreds of comments within hours. Coaches, club players, former pros, weekend warriors, pickleball converts, and die-hard traditionalists all showed up. Passionately, and sometimes hilariously, they made their case.

We read through all of it. Every single comment. And what we found wasn’t a eulogy. It was something far more interesting: a sport having an honest conversation with itself.

The Two Problems Patrick Put on the Table

Mouratoglou framed the challenge around two threats.

First, the rise of pickleball and padel. These sports deliver fun on day one, without years of grinding through lessons and frustration.

Second, the attention economy. Younger generations are not sitting through five-set matches anymore. They are watching 90-second highlights and moving on.

“Tennis takes time,” he wrote. “It takes many hours before you truly enjoy it, and in today’s world people are looking for immediate pleasure.”

Fair point. Brutal, but fair.

And the comments? They came in waves.

Wave One: The Defenders (aka “Don’t You Dare”)

The largest and loudest group wasn’t worried at all. For them, the question itself was almost offensive.

“If tennis dies because of these bull sheets, it shouldn’t ever exist.” — Mario Luevski

“Tennis is a sport. Pickleball is a game. No real athlete will choose pickleball over tennis, unless they can no longer cut it playing tennis.” — Bina Movaffagh

“Comparing pickleball to tennis is like comparing chess to checkers, golf to putt-putt.” — Nicolas Diaz

The sentiment was visceral, tribal, and deeply felt. Tennis, for these players, is more than a sport. It is an identity. You don’t abandon it. You earn it.

And the data, at least for now, seems to back them up.

One commenter shared a USTA announcement showing tennis participation in the US reached 27.3 million players in 2025, a 54% increase since 2019, adding nearly 10 million players over six consecutive years.

The Australian Open 2025 saw 28,000 people show up on Day 1 of qualifiers, compared to 7,000 the year before.

Not exactly a dying sport.

Wave Two: The Concerned Realists

But beneath the bravado, a quieter and more thoughtful group was nodding along with Patrick’s concern. These were often the coaches, the club presidents, and the people who actually watch participation numbers at the ground level.

“I have been President at 3 different clubs. I have seen membership drop from 300 to 80, 100 to 40, and 120 to 50 over some 10 years at each club.” — Peter Warren

“Tennis will always be the sport for a lifetime, but it is losing popularity in some places.” — Calvin Eighter

The tension here isn’t between tennis and pickleball. It is between tennis at the elite level, which is thriving with global audiences, growing prize money, and packed grand slams, and tennis at the grassroots level, where courts are being converted, beginners are giving up, and clubs are struggling to replace aging memberships.

As one commenter put it bluntly:

“Always picking up balls between points. A lot of dead time with double faults and stuff like that.” — Sylvain Gagné

That comment, throwaway as it seems, points to something real. The friction of learning tennis is everywhere. In the serve. In the scoring. In the ball-picking between every single point.

Wave Three: The Pickleball Converts (and the Haters)

Perhaps the most fascinating group were the self-described converts. These are people who loved tennis, still love tennis, but now find themselves spending more time on a pickleball court.

“I’m transitioning to pickleball, like many tennis players. Tennis associations can’t be too arrogant to think players will automatically come to them.” — Thuan Tran

“I have been a player, coach, and executive of both tennis and pickleball. There is no way that tennis dies, but I am concerned that with so many rules changes in pickleball, it will be the one suffering.” — Marcel Latouche

Meanwhile, the tennis purists were having none of it.

“Paddle is like playing the guitar in Guitar Hero. Tennis is playing the guitar.” — Javi Arévalo

“Exchanging tennis for pickleball is like saying you prefer polyester over silk.” — Monika Duskova

The analogies got increasingly creative, and occasionally unhinged. But the underlying feeling was consistent. Tennis people believe their sport is being underestimated. They feel there is something irreplaceable about it that numbers and trend reports are missing.

Wave Four: The Pragmatists (What Actually Needs to Change)

Away from the tribal noise, a smaller but arguably more useful group focused on something constructive.

What can actually be done?

Their list was remarkably consistent.

Make it easier to start.
Multiple coaches mentioned the success of foam balls, red/orange/green progressions, and “play and stay” formats that get beginners rallying on day one. One San Diego coach described running clinics with waiting lists using exactly this approach.

Shorten the match format.
Several voices, including a former player of 25 years, argued that five-set matches have no place in the modern era. Not because they aren’t dramatic, but because they are inaccessible to new fans.

Make it affordable.
“Taking a family of four to the Miami Open is like taking out a second mortgage,” wrote one coach. Access, both to play and to watch, came up again and again as a fundamental barrier.

Stop ignoring the grassroots.

“If tennis dies, it won’t be because of pickleball. It will be because of the lack of promotion by the leaders in tennis.” — Martin Kleiner

And one observation that landed particularly hard, from a high school coach:

“Tennis is not a cool person’s sport.” — per 99% of the young people Jesse Forrester interacts with daily.

That isn’t a statistic.

It’s a mirror.

What the Noise Is Actually Telling Us

Step back from the passion and the one-liners, and the comment section tells a coherent story.

Tennis is not dying.

At the top level, it is arguably in its best era. Global stars. Record prize money. Surging viewership at the slams. A new generation of compelling rivalries. The sport has never been more watchable at its highest level.

But tennis is in a battle for the middle.

For the recreational player who tried it, found it hard, and drifted to something easier.

For the teenager who sees pickleball courts packed on a Friday night while tennis courts sit locked behind a club membership.

For the beginner who quits after a month because they can barely keep a rally going.

The sports that will win the next decade are not necessarily the most beautiful or technically demanding. They are the ones that are easiest to access, fastest to reward, and most efficiently taught.

And here is where it gets interesting for everyone who loves tennis, padel, or pickleball equally.

All three sports share exactly the same problem.

The One Thing Every Racket Sport Has in Common

Whether you’re learning your first forehand on a tennis court, discovering the kitchen in pickleball, or chasing a lob off the back glass in padel, you spend an extraordinary amount of time picking up balls.

Think about it.

A beginner tennis lesson. Half the time is chasing balls.

A practice session with a ball machine. Between every burst, you are walking the court collecting them.

Even a casual social game. Someone shanks a serve, someone dumps a volley into the net, and there you are bending over, one by one, gathering the scattered evidence of your learning curve.

Every minute spent picking up balls is a minute not spent improving. Not spent rallying. Not spent in the flow state that makes sport addictive.

The debate about whether tennis will survive the next decade ultimately comes down to one question:

How do we reduce the friction between beginners and the joy of the game?

Better coaching formats. Shorter matches. More accessible courts. And yes, less time wasted between points gathering balls.

That’s Exactly Why We Built FLIPP

At NKORT, we thought a lot about that friction. Not just for tennis, but for every court sport that uses a ball.

FLIPP is a ball collector and hopper engineered to eliminate one of the most underrated time-wasters in sport: the between-point, between-drill ritual of picking up balls off the court one by one.

It doesn’t matter what sport you play. If you’re on a court with balls, you’re spending time doing something that shouldn’t take that long.

FLIPP changes that. Seamlessly. Elegantly. In a way that fits into your practice without disrupting it, so you spend more time in the game and less time acting like a human vacuum cleaner.

We started with a Kickstarter campaign that proved the idea resonated. Thousands of players across tennis, pickleball, and padel told us the same thing: this problem is real, and nobody had properly solved it.

Because here is the truth that Patrick Mouratoglou’s post, and all 900+ reactions, confirm.

People care deeply about these sports.

They will argue about them. Defend them. Evangelize them. Play them well into their seventies and eighties.

The passion is absolutely there.

The opportunity, for coaches, clubs, and brands, is to honor that passion by removing every bit of unnecessary friction between a player and the part of the game they love.

More time on the ball.

Less time chasing it.

That isn’t just good for players.

It’s good for the sport.

Whatever sport you happen to love.

You can learn more about FLIPP at → NKORT.com
Engineered for players who take their court time seriously.

What do you think?
Is tennis in trouble, or is this simply the noise of a sport evolving?

Drop your take in the comments below.

This milestone is the result of nearly three years of work, countless prototypes, and endless testing on the courts. From the beginning, our goal was clear: create the best possible ball picker and hopper for tennis, pickleball, and padel. We’ve refined every detail so players and coaches can spend less time chasing balls and more time enjoying the game.

Your backing means that vision is about to become reality. With these funds, we’ll move into production and get FLIPP into the hands of thousands of players and coaches around the world. We can’t wait to see the difference it makes in helping people focus on playing, improving, and loving the sport instead of wasting time collecting balls.

Thank you to everyone who has supported, shared, and believed in this project. You’ve helped us achieve this dream in record time, and this is only the beginning.

If you haven’t joined yet, there’s still time to back the campaign and be among the first to get FLIPP. Visit NKORT.COM/KICKSTARTER and help us bring more play to every court.

This moment has been a long time in the making. From early design concepts, endless refinements, and real-world testing with players and coaches, we’ve poured everything into building a tool that we believe will make a real difference.

The response so far has been incredible. Over 8,000 players and coaches have already joined the waitlist, and we can’t thank you enough for the support and excitement you’ve shown. Every piece of feedback and encouragement has helped us get to this point.

Now, the fun begins.

When FLIPP launches on Kickstarter, early backers will have the chance to grab it at the best deal available—38% off at launch. This is our way of saying thank you for believing in us from the start.

If you haven’t joined the waitlist yet, now’s the time. Don’t miss out on the launch-day deal and the chance to be among the very first to experience FLIPP.

[Join the waitlist today]

We can’t wait to share more with you and officially kick things off. Let’s FLIPP the game together.