Top 18 Best Male Pickleball Players in the World of All Time

An Overview of Pickleball

Pickleball has grown in popularity and is now accessible to players of all ages and skill levels, making it one of the nation's fastest-growing sports. It would appear that pickleball's status as a mainstream sport is here to stay, thanks to an expanding professional league, sponsors, and money pouring into the sport.

Although many people may consider pickleball to be a new sport, it was actually invented on Washington state's Bainbridge Island in 1965. Despite the sport's long period of relative obscurity, its popularity has skyrocketed in the past five years. The sport of pickleball appears to have a promising future, what with the formation of leagues like Major League Pickleball in 2021 and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The game of pickleball was supposedly invented in 1965 in Joel Pritchard's backyard by Bill Bell, Barney McCallum, and Joel Pritchard.

Although it might be too soon to compile a list of pickleball's all-time greats, there are a few names to keep in mind who are rising to the top of the sport. Listed below are a few of the best male and female players to keep an eye on.

More and more accomplished and well-known pickleball players crop up as the sport grows in popularity around the world. Discover the fascinating lives and remarkable accomplishments of the top 18 pickleball men in the world in this comprehensive article.

Finding out who the top pickleball players are can teach you a lot about the game and set you on the road to a professional career.

Top 18 Best Pickleball Men in the World of All Time

1. Ben Johns

7.29 (DUPR Doubles Rating)

25 years old

6'1" tall

Right handed

Top-Ranked Pickleball Player Ben Johns

Johns, originally from Laytonsville, MD and now living in Austin, TX, is the undisputed top male pickleball player globally. He triumphed as the champion in the 2023 PPA Tournament Finals for Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Since its inception in March 2020, he has secured over 125 professional titles on the PPA.

In addition to his skills in pickleball, Ben has recently completed his studies at the University of Maryland, earning a degree in Materials Science & Engineering. His interests extend well beyond the court, encompassing traveling, reading, weightlifting, and exploring a variety of sports such as spikeball, golf, chess, and table tennis.

Furthermore, Ben serves as a co-owner of Pickleball Getaways and Pickleball 360, while also playing a role in the creation of his signature JOOLA Perseus paddle.

Achievements Held the #1 spot in all three divisions for most of the last three years. Boasts an impressive 108-match winning streak in singles. Clinched over 80 PPA titles in his career. Holds the record for the most Triple Crowns in male professional pickleball history.

2. Kyle Yates

Kyle Yates

Kyle Yates was among the pioneering professional Pickleball players. In 2018, he achieved the distinction of being the top-ranked doubles player.

In 2022, he achieved a world ranking of No. 18 and has secured multiple national and international titles, such as the US Open and the Tournament of Champions. He is a tactical player recognized for his strong serves and swift reflexes on the court. Yates is a remarkable doubles player.

Kyle Yates was born in Florida on April 11, 1995.In his childhood, he was a spirited athlete who participated in tennis during school. During his teenage years, Yates was introduced to the sport of pickleball by his uncle.

In 2014, at the age of 19, Yates participated in his inaugural USA Pickleball (USAPA) National Tournament and secured a gold medal in the men's doubles 19+ division.

In 2016, he achieved the grand slam of men's pro doubles, securing victories at the US Open, Tournament of Champions, and the USAPA Nationals. He secured six US Open pro doubles titles and earned the distinction of being the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) #1 ranked doubles player in 2018.

On September 3, 2024, Yates was announced as an inductee into the Pickleball Hall of Fame for the year 2024.

3. JW Johnson

7.13 (DUPR Doubles Rating)

21 years old

5'10" tall

Right handed

JW Johnson

Originating from Kansas, JW is part of a family that is heavily involved in pickleball, with both his mother and sister also achieving success in the professional circuit. Driven by his passion, JW and his family made the bold decision to move to Florida, a choice that significantly elevated his career.

At only 19 years old, JW achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the youngest player to secure the men’s singles title in pickleball.

Achievements

Secured three Triple Crowns in his career.

Earned a remarkable 47 medals in the year 2022.

Won his second Triple Crown at the Association of Pickleball Professionals South Carolina Open in April 2022.

Secured victory in Singles against Federico Staksrud with scores of 11-5, 11-8.

Competed in Mixed Doubles alongside Simone Jardim, facing Michelle Esquivel and Rob Cassidy.

Triumphed in Men’s Doubles with Zane Navratil, defeating Eden Lica and Andrei Daescu with scores of 13-11, 11-7.

4. Tyson McGuffin

Tyson McGuffin

A legendary old player with 13 gold medals in his career. When the two professional tours started in 2020, he was thought to be the best player in the sport. Even now, he is still ranked in the top 10.

There is another great pickleball player named Tyson McGuffin who deserves praise for all he has done. He was a tennis star at Scottsdale Community College for two years and made it to the top 1500 on the ATP men's tour before becoming a pickleball star.

Tyson quickly made a name for himself in pickleball after switching to coaching at the Yakima Tennis Club. He became a professional in the sport just six months after starting to play it. He was driven by an unwavering determination to succeed.

Tyson does a lot of work outside of pickleball to make the sport more fun and easy for everyone to play. He holds clinics all over the country, makes instructional videos, and actively promotes pickleball as a game that anyone can learn and enjoy.

Achievements

Winner of multiple US Open Championships such as Singles Open, Mixed Doubles Age 30+, and Men’s Doubles Age 30+

Victorious in the Men’s Singles Open at the International Indoor Pickleball Championships in 2019.

Champion of The Lakes Spring Fling and the Hawaii Open tournaments.

Ranked #2 in the world in Mixed Singles, #5 in Men’s Doubles, and #4 in Mixed Doubles as of 2020.

Attended tournaments like the Florida Grand Slam, the Hawaii Open, and the PPA Mesa in 2020, before the pandemic stopped pickleball games.

5. Federico Staksrug

Federico Staksrug

The top pickleball players in the world all started out as tennis players before making their way to the pickleball court. This is a common thread among them. Federico Staksrud fits this description. Johns lost his top spot in Men's Singles to Staksrud recently. With nine career singles gold medals under his belt, Staksrud qualified for the singles final of the first nine events in 2024. But Staksrud is not just a singles player—he consistently ranks in the top 10 in doubles as well.

The Buenos Aires native attended many prestigious universities to compete in collegiate tennis, the most well-known being Tennessee Wesleyan and the University of New Orleans. He didn't play pickleball, though, until he moved to Florida Gulf Coast University to pursue his master's in information systems.

Luckily for Staksrug, he had a team full of elite pickleball players at his disposal, including Simone Jardim, one of the greatest female players ever. Staksrug has only been playing for two years, but his rise to the number two spot and his medals indicate that he may be close to overtaking the legendary Johns.

6. Collin Johns

Collin Johns

Ben Johns' older brother has been his regular Men's doubles partner since 2021, winning over 30 Men's Pro Doubles titles together. His brother and Collin rank top-5 in doubles.

J.W. Johnson and Dylan Frazier of Florida are the second-best Men's Pro doubles team in Pickleball, with four titles in 2024 and nine overall.

Collin Johns debuted in pickleball at the 2019 US Open, reaching the Men's Pro Singles semifinals. He quickly rose to the top 10 in both divisions the following year. He regularly partners his younger brother Ben Johns in doubles, winning over 25 professional titles.

Johns credits his success to his tennis, table tennis, and baseball background and his younger brother Ben's coaching.

The oldest Johns sibling, Johns grew up in Laytonsville, MD. Five years before pickleball, he played professional tennis, reaching a career-high ATP ranking of #978 in singles and #939 in doubles. After professional tennis, he coached Florida Gulf Coast University to the 2019 Atlantic Sun Conference division title.

Johns was Baltimore Country Club's full-time Head Racquets Professional from May 2019 to December 2021, coaching tennis, pickleball, and platform tennis. Johns moved to Austin Pickle Ranch in 2022 to focus on professional training. Collin develops coaches and writes for PPR and serves on the Professional Pickleball Registry Board of Directors.

He certifies professionals nationwide and has been featured in Pickleball Magazine and the PPR Symposium. Johns co-founded Pickleball 360 and Dekel Bar, an instructional video subscription service, and travels as a pro athlete. He likes reading, writing, chess, and table tennis off-court.

7. Jay Devilliers

Jay Devilliers

Jocelyn “Jay” Devilliers, a Frenchman, has made a significant impact in the world of pickleball since 2019, showcasing the sport's global appeal that transcends its Pacific Northwest roots.

Devilliers boasts expertise in various racquet sports, yet it was a career-ending injury that led him to discover the world of pickleball by picking up a paddle.

At the 2021 Pacific NW Classic, Devilliers achieved an impressive feat by clinching the Triple Crown, securing first place in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competitions. This victory elevated his total APP championships to over 20. Devilliers ranks among the elite, standing as one of the top five male singles players globally, while also serving as an ambassador for the French Pickleball Federation.

8. Zane Navratil

Zane Navratil

American pro pickleball player Zane Denis Navratil was born on November 2, 1995.

Since 2021, Franklin Sports has paid for him to play.Over the course of his career, he has won more than 80 medals. A lot of players, commentators, and even Navratil himself have called Zane "Gucci" because he is so good at the sport.

Like many other people, Zane switched from tennis to pickleball quickly. Zane's unique serve, the "chainsaw," gives the ball a lot of topspin, making it hard to return. This is one thing that sets him apart from his opponents.

A master's degree in accounting was earned by Navratil from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. After that, he was able to get a job at Deloitte & Touche LLP in Milwaukee. He quit that job to play pickleball professionally.

9. Thomas Wilson

Resides: New Braunfels, TX

Turned Pro: 2020

Age: 34

Height: 5' 10"

Plays: Right-handed

Paddle: CRBN 1X Power Series 14mm

Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson, a rising pickleball star, is ranked number 2 in the PPATour Men's Mixed Doubles and number 10 in the PPATour Men's Doubles. Tennis was Thomas Wilson's first sport before pickleball. He played tennis in college but had to stop when he hurt himself. Ten years after he lost the chance to play tennis, his parents taught him how to play pickleball. In 2020, he turned pro.

The CRBN² X Series is a durable carbon fiber pickleball paddle that focuses on spin and dwell time. He is sponsored by CRBN right now.

There is a new player on the Pro Tour named Thomas Wilson, who is quickly moving up the rankings. Wilson played college tennis at Purdue University and The University of Texas, but kept getting hurt and had to stop playing. His parents taught him how to play pickleball after he stopped playing tennis ten years ago and went to work in the business world.

As well as being quick and agile, Thomas's friendly personality makes him a fun player to watch.

Wilson lives in New Braunfels, TX, with his wife Brittany. He works full-time as a Senior Account Executive at a software company.

10. Riley Newman

Riley Newman

Champion Sunday players include pickleball champion Riley Newman. Champion Sunday is the last day of the PPATour and features most of the most anticipated matches. He started playing pickleball in 2017 and turned pro in 2018.

He and his sister Lindsey won gold in their first 5.0 tournament. Only Men's and Mixed Doubles have he played.

Riley uses an ultra-raw carbon ProXR Zane Navratil Signature pickleball paddle for extreme spins.

Riley Newman, 29, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, but was raised on Whidbey Island, Washington. He liked basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis as a kid. His passion for basketball and tennis earned him a scholarship at a D1 college in Seattle, Washington.

Riley learned pickleball from his friend, former referee Mark Cook, in summer 2017. Riley was a natural at pickleball due to his high tennis skill. The former D1 tennis player picked up a paddle and learned the game strategy easily. Riley and his sister Lindsey Newman won mixed doubles gold in their first 5.0 tournament. Since then, Riley has loved pickleball and the wonderful people he has met.

His favorite pickleball memory was winning the mixed open Gold Medal Match on center court with Lindsey in his third US Nationals tournament (2021). “The fans were so engaged and felt awesome energy throughout the match”.

11. Matt Wright

Matt Wright

Veteran pickleballer Matt Wright is presently ranked seventh in men's doubles and twelfth in mixed doubles on the PPATour. The lovely Lucy Kovalova is his mixed doubles partner. In addition to being a professional pickleball player, he also practices law full-time.

Matt plays with a top-tier power pickleball paddle, the Onix Evoke Premier, because he is sponsored by the brand.

Riley Newman & Matt Wright Before breaking up in 2022, the duo was the undisputed number two men's doubles team for a long time, winning 20 consecutive tournaments. When it comes to men's and mixed doubles, both are still among the best in the world.

12. Julian Arnold

Julian Arnold, who is new to pickleball but has experience on the tennis court, won 14 medals since he began playing the sport and was named pickleball MVP in February 2023. He plays for the Los Angeles Mad Drops of the Major League Pickleball league.

One of Julian's sponsors, Voalir, makes the greatest pickleball paddle for control and spin, and Julian uses their Mach 1 model.

Right now, these guys are killing it in the sport. The majority of them are pickleball players who formerly played tennis. Pickleball is a great sport for people of all skill levels, from seasoned pros like Ben Johns to relative novices like Federico Staksurd. Being one of the top professional pickleball players obviously wasn't achieved without a great deal of hard work and dedication.

13. Andrei Daescu

6.96 (doubles)

6.62 (singles)

Before committing to the PPA in an exclusive deal, Daescu ruled the APP for much of 2023 and into 2024. He was selected in the first round of the 2024 MLP draft and has a career total of 26 APP gold medals.

Andrei Daescue played tennis for a long time before he took up pickleball; he was Romania's Davis Cup representative. Ultimately, Andrei departed from Romania to compete as a tennis All-American for the University of Oklahoma. After being introduced to the sport by Kyle Yates a few years later, he started playing pickleball professionally in 2017. Andrei has since begun instructing pickleball in Palm Beach, Florida, and has amassed a string of impressive victories.

14. Christian Alshon

6.97 (doubles)

6.98 (singles)

24 years old

Alshon has subtly established himself as one of the top all-around professional players on the PPA in 2024. He has achieved 13 PPA medals so far, ranks in the top 10 across all three disciplines, and was selected in the first round of the MLP draft in 2024.

Christian Alshon is an emerging player who is creating a significant impact in the pickleball scene. Christian has dedicated his life to tennis; at one time, he held the title of the #1 ranked 18s player in the nation and subsequently competed at the University of Chicago. Christian is stepping away from his promising tennis career to focus on pickleball and aim for the top spot as the #1 ranked pro in the world.

In his initial two tournaments, he triumphed over elite players such as Rafa Hewett and Jay Devilliers, and at one stage, he even led 8-0 in a match against Ben Johns. Christian often trains with the Waters in Florida and is poised to make a significant impact in the upcoming seasons.

15. Christopher Haworth

As a former tennis player for Oklahoma State University, Haworth has quickly established himself as one of the most accomplished singles players in the world. He is currently ranked number one on the APP, he claimed victory over Ben Johns at the USA Pickleball Nationals the previous year, and he just recently won his first professional singles medal from the PPA.

16. Hayden Patriquin

6.88 (doubles)

6.61 (singles)

Keep an eye out for the newcomer to the neighborhood! On the court, Hayden Patriquin is one of the youngest professionals, and he is competing against some of the most accomplished players in the world. At the beginning of the year 2022, when Hayden was only 16 years old, he defeated Rafa Hewit, who was ranked sixteenth in the men's singles rankings at the time.

It is important to keep an eye on young talent Hayden Patriquin because he has a great deal of potential and plenty of time to realize it.

17. Gabriel Tardio

6.85 (doubles)

6.61 (singles)

Gabriel Tardio is one of the most distinguished rising stars in the sport of pickleball. The sport of pickleball was initially introduced to Gabriel by his grandfather in Bolivia, where Gabriel was born and raised. Gabriel became one of the youngest players on the professional tour when he was only 17 years old.

However, he had already been playing for a few years. A great number of players at the highest level are keeping a close eye on Gabriel and are anticipating that he will make a significant impact in the years to come.

18. Dylan Frazier

6.83 (doubles)

6.74 (singles)

Dylan Frazier is a rising star from Missouri who is making rapid progress in his career. Dylan is one of the youngest professional players in the world, and he has already accomplished a great deal throughout his career. Dylan was first introduced to the sport of pickleball in the year 2016, and by the end of the 2022 season, he currently holds the position of being ranked as the twelveth best doubles player in the world.

He has accomplished this feat while continuing to be a full-time student at the University of Missouri. Dylan has a prosperous future ahead of him, and he definitely has a long career ahead of him!

FAQs

Who is the top male pickleball player in 2024/2025?

Ben Johns is the best male pickleball player in the year 2024. Since becoming a professional in 2016, he has been ranked #1 in the world. On the PPA Tour, he has won 108 straight games and 123 gold medals, which is a very impressive record. Because of how skilled and consistent he is, he is the best in the sport. He recently teamed up with Anna Leigh Waters to win 16 straight Mixed Doubles titles.

What are the primary differences between tennis and pickleball?

The main distinctions between tennis and pickleball encompass court dimensions, equipment utilized, and the regulations governing gameplay. A pickleball court is more compact than a tennis court, and players utilize solid paddles rather than strung racquets. The ball utilized in pickleball is a plastic wiffle ball, influencing its speed and bounce. Furthermore, pickleball features distinct rules concerning serving and the non-volley zone, which facilitates learning for beginners while still providing complexity for competitive players.

How do sponsorships impact the careers of professional pickleball players?

Professional pickleball players' careers are greatly impacted by sponsorships because they offer funding for equipment, travel, and training. Tyson McGuffin, for instance, is sponsored by companies like JOOLA and Skechers, which not only helps with cost-coverage but also increases their marketability and visibility within the sport. These collaborations let athletes concentrate on their training and performance, which eventually helps them succeed on the court.

What does it take for a newcomer like Frederico Staksrud to succeed in pickleball?

To be successful in pickleball, beginners like Frederico Staksrud need to have a combination of skill, commitment, and training. Staksrud, who switched from tennis to tennis as a professional in 2021, has had the opportunity to train with and benefit from the experience of more seasoned players. His #1 ranking in Men's Singles shows that novices can advance rapidly in the professional pickleball ranks with the correct guidance, practice, and competitive exposure.

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