Pickleball has well and truly entered the mainstream, with an increasing number of players competing professionally. But with the sport still so new, which are the top pickleball players right now? Today we will introduce the top 10 players influencing the direction of pickleball and creating waves in the professional scene.
The PPA Tour uses a strict rating system—the PPA Rankings Presented by Southwest Rapid Rewards—to decide entrance and seeding in every event. This merit-based approach guarantees that the most gifted players have chances to compete for the most prestigious honors.
Join us as we shed light on the top five male and top five female pickleball players, as per the most recent PPA Tour rankings.
Top 10 Pickleball Players in 2024
Starting with a look at the top five male players on the tour, we will then focus on the five gifted ladies making waves in the sport.
Top 5 Men’s Pickleball Players
- Federico Staksrud (Argentina)
Staksrud, coming from Argentina, has rapidly ascended the ranks of professional pickleball. Recently, he dethroned Ben Johns to claim the coveted No 1 spot in men’s singles. Staksrud’s dominance has been undeniable, with a remarkable streak of reaching the singles final in the first nine events of 2024.
His constant performance has resulted in an amazing nine career singles gold medals, confirming his rank among the best pickleball players in the world. Staksrud’s abilities, however, transcend singles since he also holds a top 10 position in doubles, proving his adaptability and all-around ability.
The Buenos Aires native honed his skills on the tennis courts, competing at multiple colleges including the University of New Orleans and Tennessee Wesleyan. Inspired by training alongside pickleball luminaries like Simone Jardim, CJ Klinger, Kyle Yates, Pablo Tellez, Brendon Long, and Ryan Sherry, Staksrud decided to trade his tennis racquet for a pickleball paddle.
- Ben Johns (USA)
Although Ben Johns dropped his top position on the most recent PPA Tour rankings, many agree that the American is the best pickleball player available worldwide. Captaining the 2023 PPA Tournament Finals championships in men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles, the Texanhas dominated the pickleball scene.
Johns has had an amazing record since the PPA’s founding in March 2020, capturing over 125 professional titles and establishing his reputation as one of the most powerful forces in the sport.
Johns’ love of racquet sports started early in life. As an eight-year-old, he had a passion for tennis. Johns began a professional tennis career, but fate had other ideas. His tennis ambition started to fade once he came across pickleball in his teenage years.
Johns entered his first pickleball event not long later; the rest, as they say, is history. He has evolved into a pickleball master in a few short years, amassing over 50 gold medals including 11 triple crown titles.
- Connor Garnett
Connor Garnett followed the tried and tested tennis to pickleball path like the first two names in our top 10 pickleball players list. His athletic journey started at a young age when he developed an interest in tennis.
During his high school years at Interlake High School, when he maintained an undefeated record and demonstrated extraordinary talent and relentless determination, his love of the sport grew. Pursuing perfection brought Garnett to the college level, where he competed at Santa Clara University in Division I.
Garnett’s tennis chapter did not stop there. He seemed set to make it big in the sport after training with the great Novak Djokovic. But, he’s unlikely to be regretting his decision to switch to pickleball as he is currently one of the most in-form players in the world.
- Tyson McGuffin
Tyson McGuffin is a grizzled veteran of the pickleball court. With 13 gold medals to his name, McGuffin is ingrained in the annals of the sport. In the early years of pickleball becoming professional, McGuffin was the man to beat in the division.
Before becoming the undisputed king of pickleball, McGuffin was a wrestling fan. He started playing the game in 2015 and his interest grew stronger as the days went by. He also had a tennis stint during his college years, but pickleball proved to be his permanent pursuit.
As the sport continues to evolve, McGuffin’s legacy remains intact. With a cabinet overflowing with Grand Slam and National Championship silverware, the 34-year-old retains his status as one of the elite players in the game.
- Christian Alshon
Christian Alshon has somewhat missed the limelight, in comparison to the names we have already talked about. Regardless, he has amassed an impressive 13 PPA medal haul throughout his career. His recent first-round MLP draft pick further cements his position as a shining star in the world of pickleball.
Jeffery’s pickleball chapter began in June 2021, just two weeks after clinching the Division III NCAA championship in singles for the University of Chicago. He won all 18 matches he had played that season, but he later chose to focus on tennis. Jeffrey’s exceptional tennis skills, however, did play a pivotal role in his rapid rise in pickleball.
Jeffery is a master of the tweeners and trick shots. He broke into the top 10 in May 2023 and has consistently maintained a top-five ranking in recent months, thanks to wins against some of the most high-profile players.
Top 5 Women’s Pickleball Players
- Anna Leigh Waters
From Delray Beach, Florida, Anna Leigh Waters has produced remarkably consistent performances across her pickleball career. It’s hard to think Waters is still to celebrate her 18th birthday given her remarkable record of over 100 gold medals and 26 PPA Triple Crowns.
Waters picked up pickleball in 2017 after her family had to move for safety shortly before the terrible Hurricane Irma passed. She has not given up the paddle since she now fiercely competes with an insatiable drive for success.
Her remarkable 20-3 record in 2024 alone speaks volumes about her exceptional talent. And as she continues to mature, many believe that Waters’ reign will only grow stronger, writing her name in bold letters in the history of the game.
- Catherine Parenteau
Catherine Parenteau, the second-ranked women’s pickleball player in the world, trails Waters by a significant margin of 8,000 points. Despite this gap, Parenteau maintains a comfortable lead over the third-ranked Lea Jansen, with nearly a thousand points separating them.
The Canadian is Waters’ doubles partner, and as you can imagine, the duo makes quite a team. They are universally acknowledged as the team to beat, having lost only once in their doubles career.
Like many other pickleball experts, Parenteau’s success in the game sprang from her tennis experience. She started the sport in 2015 while enrolled at Michigan State University and soon moved into a professional career.
- Lea Jansen
Lea Jansen took the familiar tennis to pickleball tour as well. Jansen aced the Pacific Northwest junior tennis scene. Her path to college brought her to Washington State University, where her tennis prowess persisted. Starting pickleball in 2019, Jansen became a PPA regular two years later.
The Austin woman picked up an impressive collection of over 30 singles medals. She momentarily left the competitive circuit, nevertheless, to control her well-known diabetes condition.
Jansen made a spectacular comeback to the pickleball singles arena with the arrival of progressive draws in 2024 and has rapidly reestablished herself as a top contender, now placing third in the 2024 season standings.
- Brooke Buckner
Though Brooke Buckner is native of Cleveland, Ohio, she spent much of her childhood years in the sunny coastal town of Delray Beach, Florida. She developed a remarkable teaching record in tennis before establishing herself in pickleball.
Following a brilliant playing career at the University of Michigan, Buckner was an assistant coach for the women’s tennis team at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She became among the most decorated tennis players the university has ever produced during her tenure as a Wolverine; she also made history for the institution.
Buckner has shown the same level of athletic excellence after moving to pickleball. She has amassed heavyweight wins and now finds herself ranked fourth in the PPA Tour women’s singles rankings.
- Salome Devidze
Rising quickly through the rankings, Salome Devidze is among the best pickleball players on the planet today. Her exceptional run of gold medals from both the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) events and the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) tours has established her in the worldwide pickleball scene.
The Georgian has enjoyed success against some of the most well-known players in the game. Salome Devidze is one of the rare group of pickleball stars who have bettered the incredible Anna Leigh Waters in a professional pickleball match.
Emerging Pickleball Players
These are some pickleball players thought to be the next biggest stars of the game:
- Rachel Rohrabacher
In 2023 Rachel Rohrabacher became a pickleball professional. The Tampa girl hit the ground running by teaming up with Anna Bright in doubles. She wants to be in the singles top five very soon.
- Jorja Johnson
Though Jorja Johnson is among the youngest players on tour, her game is anything from juvenile. A rising star with a great future, the 18-year-old is not hesitant to challenge the best.
- Jack Sock
Jack Sock is one of the players that switched from tennis to pickleball and he has moved fluidly to his new sport and rapidly became a top competitor. Already a three-time medalist, he now ranks in the top ten in men’s singles, and many are projecting his rise will continue.
Pickleball has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years, with players increasingly treating it as a professional sport. The likes of Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters, who have won multiple major tournaments and set numerous records, are inspiring the next generation of pickleball players.
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