ORLANDO, FL — A spokesman for Nike has just confirmed that the athletic apparel giant has just finished signing a $12 million pickleball endorsement deal with Ethel Jenkens, an 82-year-old New York and Florida snowbird.

Jenkins, who first started playing pickleball when her tennis elbow and bum knee got the better of her fifteen years back, is one of the most popular and well-recognized players in the game. Her first appearance with Nike shoes, Nike athleticwear, and a Nike pickleball paddle will be in the Shady Oaks Invitational, which is hosted by a local retiree community.

"Yeah, we're really trying to connect with the broader pickleball market," commented Peter Gallagher, a Nike spokesman. "Ethel's just the woman to do it, too. She's got it all — the age, the looks, the great-grandki

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