Top 15 Best Female Pickleball Players in the World of All Time
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Pickleball has been one of the most popular sports in recent years. At the same time that top female pickleball players are changing the game, the sport is now played and watched by individuals all over the globe.
The sport of pickleball has benefited greatly from the exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship displayed by these top female players, who range from reigning champions to up-and-comers.
Fifteen of the most influential women in the history of pickleball will be profiled in this article.
Top 15 Best Pickleball Women in the World of All Time
1. Simone Jardim (Brazilian-American)
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| Simone Jardim is Queen of the Court |
From 2016 to 2020, Simone Jardim was the top-ranked women's pickleball player in the world. She retired from professional play after 2022. By all accounts, she was the "queen of Pickleball" in her day. She has won the US Open seven times and the national championship six times. Exceptional footwork, lightning reflexes, and Jardim's distinctive ready position have brought her widespread renown. Being able to switch up her shots and have a top-tier backhand makes her an intimidating opponent.
Simone Jardin, a professional pickleball player of Brazilian and American descent, has been at the top of her game since 2016. With her unrivaled strategy and exceptional talent, she has achieved more than any other female pickleball player in history.
Born and brought up in Brazil, Simone began her tennis career at the tender age of seven. Throughout her formative years, she had the unwavering support of her athletic family, particularly her mother, who not only played tennis but also coached others.
She played her way up the Brazilian junior tennis rankings before transferring to Fresno State University in California on a tennis scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming a professional tennis player. Simone became a standout player at Fresno State, where she led her team to conference titles and earned multiple All-American honors.
Before taking over as head coach at Michigan State, she made the switch to coaching at Fresno State.
Switching from tennis to pickleball was a game-changer for Simone Jardim's athletic career. Jardim began playing pickleball in 2015 after having a long and successful career as a tennis player and coach during her time at university.
To take advantage of the sport's growth, Jardim turned professional in 2016. Her record of achievements is truly outstanding from that point onward.
Achievements:
32 Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) titles
6-time National Open Champion
8-time Tournament of Champions Open Champion
7-time U.S. Open Champion
2023 APP Vlassic Classic: Won two gold medals
Ranked No.1 female player in the world from 2016 to 2020
2. Anna Leigh Waters (American)
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| Anna Leigh Waters |
Despite not even being 18 years old, Delray Beach, Florida-based Waters is without a doubt the world's most dominant and undisputed female player. Over her career, she has won over 100 gold medals and 26 PPA Triple Crowns.
She has won 20 gold medals and only suffered three losses in 2024. Even though she's already excellent, many think that as she ages, she will only become more powerful.
Since ancient times, there have been young masters. We could argue that winning three pickleball championships is just as impressive as Mozart, even though Anna Leigh Waters didn't compose a symphony at the age of nine.
When they're twelve years old, most people can only dream of becoming professional athletes, but Waters made that a reality. Because of the influence of her two parents, who were Division I competitors, she grew up playing soccer and tennis. Her grandfather was the one who got her started in the game after the family temporarily moved due to Hurricane Irma in 2017.
With their aggressive play, Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh revolutionized the doubles competition. These days, Waters's mother coaches from the sidelines while Anna plays doubles with a variety of players, including Ben Johns.
At the moment, Waters can deftly balance her career as a professional pickleball player with being a typical teenage girl. Even though she ranks first in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, there's no denying the depth of her desire to win.
3. Catherine Parenteau (Canadian)
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| Catherine Parenteau |
Another great woman who plays pickleball is Catherine Parenteau. She is ranked No. 2 in singles for women and No. 4 in mixed doubles. A number of National and Open titles have been won by her. Parenteau is known for her great volleys and her ability to set the speed of the tennis match. She thinks things through.
Professional pickleball player from Canada, she has been making a name for herself as a leader in the sport. Since she first learned how to play pickleball, people have noticed how good she is at competing and how technically skilled she is.
She was born in Montreal on August 26, 1994. Her name is Catherine Parenteau. She learned how to play tennis when she was only 4 years old, and she liked it right away.
During her formative years, she kept getting better as a player and became one of the best junior players in Canada. After that, Catherine went to the University of Arkansas to study and play tennis on a scholarship.
After that, she moved on to Michigan State University and played tennis for the women's team there, where she represented Canada. The first time she played pickleball was in the spring of 2015, when her coach, Simone Jardim, took her to MSU.
She wasn't sure if she wanted to play pickleball at first, but she gave in and fell in love with it.
Achievements:
3-time U.S. Open Champion
2-time National Champion
36 PPA Tour Titles
Ranked No.3 in Women’s Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles by the PPA as of August 2023
Her maiden victory came at the 2018 USA Pickleball Association event, and she has since added numerous PPA medals and two 2021 doubles titles to her resume. Parenteau continues to prioritize her professional career but finds fulfillment in coaching others and organizing clinics.
4. Lucy Kovalova (Slovakian)
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| Lucy Kovalova |
Pickleball player Lucy Kovalova is a well-known star. Right now, she is ranked No. 2 in the world in mixed doubles and tied for No. 1 with Simone Jardim in women's doubles. Nine times, Kovalova has won a medal at the US Open. She has also won the Tournament of Champions twice and the USA National Championship four times. In 2018, she won three gold medals at the USA Pickleball National Championships: in women's doubles, mixed doubles, and women's singles. People know Kovalova for her aggressive style of play, quick reflexes, and great backhand shots.
Lucy Kovalova is a professional pickleball player who has come up quickly in the sport. Kovalova has reached many important milestones since she first started playing pickleball. She is known for her aggressive style of play and willingness to fight.
Kovalova was born in Slovakia and grew up in a family that loved sports. This made her want to try different kinds of sports from a young age. When she was younger, she played competitive tennis, which set the stage for her future interest in racquet sports.
Kovalova had a hard time switching from tennis to pickleball because she had to learn the rules and strategies of the new game. In 2016, she started playing in pickleball tournaments. Her skill at the game got her a lot of attention, which led to her big break.
Achievements:
U.S. Open Gold Medalist
Tournament of Champions Gold Medalist
Consistently ranked among top female players
2021 U.S. Open women’s doubles title with Simone Jardim
Notable finishes in mixed doubles
5. Irina Tereschenko (Ukrainian)
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| Irina Tereschenko |
Irina Tereschenko is one of the best female pickleball players. She is known for being a great technician and a great sportswoman. As a professional pickleball player, she has done a lot of great things and worked hard to set a good example for young athletes.
She was born and raised in Ukraine, which is where she first became interested in sports. Irina was very good at tennis and racquetball, which helped her a lot when she played pickleball.
When Irina moved to the United States, she started to play pickleball and saw how fun and useful the fast game could be. So, her drive to be the best female pickleball player came from her need to be competitive and master the game.
From the first time she played in a local tournament, she quickly moved up the rankings, showing how talented she was and how determined she was.
Achievements:
Multiple titles at the USA Pickleball National Championships
Notable wins in events like the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships
Featured in pickleball media and publications
6. Jessie Irvine (American)
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| Jessie Irvine |
She is a professional pickleball player who has made a quick name within the sport of pickleball. By leveraging her extensive background in tennis, Jessie Irvine has become one of the top female pickleball players.
Jessie Irvine of Cary, North Carolina, began her athletic career in tennis at the age of 10. She quickly ascended through the junior ranks, becoming one of the top ten junior tennis players in the nation and competing as a professional on the WTA tour.
Despite the success, Irvine was suffering from chronic pain due to a genetic condition involving her cartilage. Eventually, the pain became too much to bear, and she had to retire from tennis at age 19.
After moving to Southern California, she began studying sports psychology at UCLA while coaching junior tennis players.
Achievements:
Currently ranked Top 5 across all three divisions of women’s pro pickleball
Secured multiple championships at prestigious tournaments
7. Lea Jansen (American)
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| Lea Jansen |
The 31-year-old pickleball player Lea Jansen hails from Valleyford, Washington, USA. As of October 2024, Lea has played in 348 professional matches and 39 tournaments.
Despite being nearly twice Anna Leigh Waters' age, another rising star on the PPA Tour with a combative on-court demeanor and fierce competitiveness is Lea Jansen. After spending her formative years on the courts for tennis and volleyball, Jansen is a relative newbie to pickleball.
She began playing with a paddle in 2019 and committed herself fully in 2021. After turning professional, Jansen moved to Austin to train with other top pickleball players. Two PPA golds are among her many medals from the sport's most illustrious events.
8. Mary Brascia (American)
You should be praised anytime you can come up with a new shot. Since its debut in 2022, Mary Brascia's "Mary-Go-Round" shot has been a fixture in the world of pickleball.
At the professional level, 24-year-old Mary Brascia has won matches in both the singles and doubles events.
Mary Brascia was introduced to pickleball in 2020 by her parents in Mission Viejo, California, where she grew up. She admitted that she was first hesitant to play, but that she quickly became hooked and now plays daily.
In October of 2020, Mary competed in and won the 5.0 division at her inaugural PPA tournament in Sin City. In addition to her many medals in professional singles and doubles competitions, she hit her signature shot, the "Mary-Go-Round," at a 2022 Major League Pickleball event. At the Acrytech Atlanta Open in the women's singles division in 2023, Mary won her maiden PPA silver medal. Her defensive prowess and tenacity were the keys to her success, she says. In addition to playing Women's Doubles with her sister Maggie Brascia, she adores quick-hand exchanges.
9. Anna Bright (American)
After ending her career as a singles player in the middle of 2023, 24-year-old Anna Bright rose to become one of the top three players in the world in the women's and mixed doubles categories.
She is also an excellent talent judge; her MLP teams frequently follow her advice and draft unknowns who go on to become superstars.
Anna Bright was a standout member of the women's varsity tennis team at UC Berkeley, where she achieved a career-high national ranking of thirteenth, before becoming a pickleball superstar. Bright competed on the APP and MLP Team Ranchers circuits before joining the PPA. With the PPA's Gold Card, she is now officially a touring professional.
Bright says that her quick hands, consistency, and excellent anticipation are the keys to her pickleball success—along with her Hannah Montana pump-up playlist. She counts herself lucky to live in South Florida, where she often trains with other accomplished players. After gaining experience as an account manager at DUPR and then moving on to the PPA tour, Bright decided to leave her full-time job to focus on her pickleball career.
10. Callie Smith (American)
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| Callie Smith |
With nearly 60 career PPA pro medals, 33-year-old Callie Smith ranks among the sport's all-time greats. She is still a top player in the women's doubles division.
Callie Smith has become known as an intimidating opponent and a winner since she turned professional in 2019. Smith attended the University of Utah and played on the collegiate tennis team at the D1 level. In her spare time, when she isn't playing mixed doubles with Lucy Kovalova or traveling the pro tour with Jay Devilliers, she keeps teaching tennis and pickleball.
In addition to being Kyle Smith's wife, Smith is a mother of two. Smith has become known for her charming personality and infectious smile. On court, she is known as "Rapunzel" due to her distinctive long braid. She regularly posts workout tutorials on YouTube and other platforms, showcasing her rigorous physical preparation for professional athletic competition. Smith loves spending time with his family, playing tennis, going for runs or workouts, reading, eating chocolate, preparing and baking delicious meals, singing and watching entertaining movies.
11. Salome Devidze (Georgian)
Salome Devidze is a Georgian pickleball and tennis player who was born on January 2, 1986.
Her highest professional ranking was 254 in singles on April 26, 2004, and 250 in doubles on October 10, 2005. She is a one-time ITF doubles champion.
Devidze represents Georgia in the Fed Cup and has a record of 18-11. Salome Devidze defeated her rivals at the Davis Cup and Fed Cup at the age of thirteen years and two hundred and seventy days.
At the moment, Devidze is the number two ranked women's singles pickleball player in the world.
12. Vivienne David (Canadian)
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| Vivienne David |
David is now solidly in the top 3 in Mixed Doubles and is one of the most in-demand female right-side partners in the game. She’s also ranked in the top 10 in women’s doubles, owns more than 20 career pro medals, and was a second round MLP pick in 2024.
Originally born in Canada, and her parents are originally from Slovakia… Lived in Florida for 17 years… Is the second youngest out of seven children, (six girls and one boy)… Was homeschooled and played a lot of junior tennis tournaments growing up… Started to work at her dad’s tennis and pickleball retail store in southwest Florida at age 15, where she had first heard of pickleball in 2013… Played several local Florida tournaments in 2019, winning the singles title at the 2019 World Pickleball Championships.
13. Rachel Rohrabacher (America)
Rohrabacherwent from being a top-25 ranked NCAA tennis player to one of the top ranked Pickleball professionals in just about one year. She’s Anna Bright’s regular doubles partner and has risen to be a top-4 ranked women’s doubles player on tour.
Growing up in Tampa, FL, Rachel Rohrabacher was involved in a variety of sports before deciding to focus solely on tennis when she was twelve. Her prowess on the court was quickly recognized, as she earned a full scholarship to the University of South Carolina and reached a national ranking of #9 in collegiate doubles.
Rachel was introduced to pickleball by her former junior tennis coach and transitioned fully over to the sport in 2023. She currently plays on the PPA Tour and was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 Major League Pickleball Premier draft. Representing the Orlando Squeeze, Rachel and her teammates advanced to all three finals and captured one MLP title.
In 2024, Rachel hopes to break into the top five with her paddle of choice, the SLK Halo.
14. Jackie Kawamoto And Jade Kawamoto (American)
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| Twin sisters Jade and Jackie |
The 29-year-old twin sisters Jade and Jackie are tearing it up in the PPA and MLP. As left-handed and right-handed twin sisters, the duo is well-suited to playing doubles together.
Tennis was an integral part of Kawamoto and Jackie's upbringing in Greenwood, Indiana. After graduating in 2018, the twins' time as doubles partners at the University of Dayton came to an end. They've made it as professional pickleball players, playing both sides of the court. When they met up in a tournament before, Jade came out on top.
Both of them took up pickleball in the early months of this year. After ending their competitive tennis careers the previous year, they were seeking for something to do when their dad took up the sport. They dove in headfirst, discovering that the rules were very similar to tennis but with just the right amount of strategic variance to make it their own. They started playing for money on a part-time basis about a year and a half after that, when they entered their first professional tournament.
As a pair, Jade and Jackie not only play in professional tournaments, but also host events to raise money for Alzheimer's research.
15. Jorja Johnson (American)
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| Jorja Johnson - A rising star in Pickleball |
Not only is Johnson one of the youngest players on tour, but she is also the younger sister of J.W. Johnson, who is also a touring professional. Johnson will not turn 17 until August of 2024.
She is now firmly established in the top five in Mixed and is a dangerous under-seeded opponent in Women's singles on the PPA tour. This is despite the fact that she is getting on in years and that she endured a contract dispute that prevented her from competing on the tour for several months in 2024.
Promising Female Pickleball Players in the World
This group of the best female pickleball players has had an impact that extends far beyond the realm of the sport itself. Changing the face of gender stereotyping in athletics is something that these women are doing in a profound sense. They are representing their talents, their determination, and their good sportsmanstyle. Moving forward, there is a great deal of potential for women to achieve in the sport of pickleball.
Parris Todd
Todd finished the year 2023 as one of the best players in the APP, and in 2024 he committed himself to playing for the PPA full-time. She has made rapid progress in the singles ranking, and by the time the season is halfway over, she is comfortably positioned within the top eight.
Meghan Dizon
Dizon plays out of Salt Lake City, UT and is one of the most powerful players on tour. After turning pro in 2022, she’s risen steadily in the ranks and now sits ranked #5 in Women’s Doubles.
Marietta “Etta” Wright
At the 2024 Major League Baseball draft, Wright was selected fifth overall, making her one of the most sought-after female players in the game. She is currently tied for fifth place in the season-to-date rankings with her frequent partner Dizon, and she is quietly having a dominant 2024 season. In addition, she and Ben Johns won two gold medals in the Mixed Professional division earlier this year.
Megan Fudge
On the APP, Fudge is the player with the highest ranking in both the Singles and Doubles categories. She is famous for living year-round in an RV with her fellow professional husband Ryler DeHeart and their two pickleball-playing children. She has won a total of twelve gold medals over the course of her career on the APP.
Judit Castillo
Castillo is ranked inside the top 10 in singles on both the PPA and the APP tour in 2024.
Susannah Barr
Barr is the top ranked Mixed Doubles female on the APP by a fair margin, and when she’s not playing she’s and Adjunct Professor in her home state of Idaho.
Genie Bouchard
As was the case with fellow former tennis professionals Jack Sock and Donald Young, Bouchard, a former top-ranked Canadian tennis professional, has committed to playing pickleball professionally full-time beginning in the year 2024. Despite the fact that her results have been inconsistent, she is making steady progress.
In Conclusion
Great female pickleball players may be found all over the globe. Listed below are fifteen of the most accomplished and promising female pickleball players of all time. No matter the match, these women have accomplished a great deal in pickleball thanks to their talent, skill, and well-honed game strategy.
What really sets them apart as players is their style and their capacity to adjust to the way their opponents play. Hopefully, seeing these athletes compete will motivate you to step up your game and try something new.
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