What paddles do pro pickleball players use? A variety—depending on style of play, sponsorship, look and feel. Some players have paddles designed for them, their logos and signatures emblazoned. Though many would agree that buying the paddle your favorite player uses will not transform you into a pickleball god, choosing the right one might improve your mental as well as your physical game. So, let’s find out more about the pickleball legends and the paddles they wield!
- 1. Anna Leigh Waters + Paddletek Bantam ALW-C
- 2. Collin Johns + Joola Scorpeus 3S
- 3. Anna Bright + JOOLA Scorpeus 3S
- 4. Ben Johns + JOOLA Perseus 3S
- 6. Federico Staksrud + JOOLA Perseus 3S
- 7. Lea Jansen + JOOLA Perseus 3S
- 8. Tyson McGuffin + JOOLA Magnus 3S
- 9. Riley Newman + ProXR Zane Navratil “The Standard”
- 10. Jessie Irvine + Engage Pursuit Pro MX
- 11. JW Johnson + Franklin FS Tour Tempo
1. Anna Leigh Waters + Paddletek Bantam ALW-C
View Paddletek Bantam ALW-C at JustPaddles
Now 17 and having won 29 triple crowns, Anna Leigh Waters is ranked number one by the PPA. Standing five feet, six inches and right-handed, she turned pro in 2019 at age 12, becoming the youngest pro player in history; she still competes in women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Back in 2022 her mother and partner, Leigh, tore her ACL and did not play with her at all the following year. Post-recovery found Leigh and Anna Leigh victorious at the 2024 Minto US Open, winning gold in women’s doubles against Simone Jardim and Allison Harris. Leigh has been AL’s coach since the beginning, helping her to hold the number-one PPA spot and to sustain excellence in MLP as a member of the New Jersey 5s.
AL’s playing style blends power shots and reflex volleys with masterful defense and resets, ensuring her dominance in singles and doubles and her almost unstoppable run in mixed doubles alongside Ben Johns. Waters’s consistency and aggressive game have garnered worldwide attention; her two-handed backhand poach alone pumps up crowds! It’s clear that Anna Leigh Waters is more than just a dominant force on the court—she’s also a well-rounded young woman with interests outside of pickleball.
2. Collin Johns + Joola Scorpeus 3S
View Joola Scorpeus 3S at JustPaddles
Collin Johns, a 30-year-old right-handed player, turned pro in 2018. In singles and doubles he is ranked in the top 10, often competing in doubles with his younger brother, Ben. Together they have won 29 titles, including back-to-back U.S. Open wins in 2021 and 2022. Before turning pro, Collin spent half a decade as a pro tennis player and, sponsored by JOOLA and the Professional Pickleball Registry, has reached an ATP ranking of #978 in singles and #939 in doubles. Also worth noting that Collin played and excelled in table tennis and baseball before Ben taught him pickleball. A player of the highest caliber, Collin is revered for his precision dinking. Watch him, learn, and enjoy!
3. Anna Bright + JOOLA Scorpeus 3S
View JOOLA Scorpeus 3S at JustPaddles
Intense through and through and a pro since 2018, Anna Bright is a 23-year-old, right-handed player, five feet, eight inches. Before discovering her love of pickleball (with her parents) she played tennis at UC Berkeley, where she ranked as high as number 18 in the country. As a member of the MLP Team Ranchers she competed on the APP circuit then joined the PPA. Anna is part of the New York Hustlers with Rafa Hewett, Tyson McGuffin, and Lacy Schneemann, forming a successful MLP team. Anna credits her consistency, fast hands, and good anticipation from her tennis days to her ongoing success in pickleball. A regular winner in doubles, she and Rachel Rohrabacher are gold medalists. JOOLA is her current sponsor, the Anna Bright Scorpeus 3S.
4. Ben Johns + JOOLA Perseus 3S
View JOOLA Perseus 3S at JustPaddles
Ben Johns—24 years old, right-handed, six feet, pro since 2016, considered by many to be the greatest pickleball player of all time. Soft-spoken and rarely emotive on court, Johns is a gold medalist in all three divisions (28 doubles medals with Anna Leigh Waters), and once, in singles, had a 108-match winning streak. Although one of the youngest players on the PPA tour, Ben has won more than 120 titles and has more triple crowns than any other male player. And, of major significance, he is perhaps the most generous line caller; few would dispute that. Ben and his brother, Collin, are a winning team who often make it to Championship Sunday. He enjoys reading, weightlifting, traveling, and playing other sports, such as golf and table tennis, while also staying busy as co-owner of two pickleball-related businesses. Jigsaw Health and JOOLA Pickleball sponsor Ben Johns, and he helped develop his own paddle.
5. Catherine Parenteau + Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta
View Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta at JustPaddles
Catherine Parenteau, who became a pro in 2016, is 30 years old, right-handed, and five feet, five inches. A former top-five Canadian tennis player, Parenteau continues to be one of the best, most respected and well-known pickleball players in both singles and doubles. She started playing tennis at age four and competed in Division I at the collegiate level. In 2015 she discovered pickleball and made a full commitment, finding success before long. With Callie Smith, she won the U.S. Open Pro Women’s Doubles title in 2021; with Anna Leigh Waters the two are gold medalists, their record 117-2! Catherine enjoys running and skiing, and teaching as an IPTPA-certified instructor. Her paddle: the Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta. The paddle you see in the photo is a new one that Selkirk is working on.
6. Federico Staksrud + JOOLA Perseus 3S
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View JOOLA Perseus 3S at JustPaddles
Federico Staksrud is a 27-year-old, right-handed player, five feet, eleven inches and joined the pros in 2021. Having begun his sports career as a tennis player, he changed to pickleball after training with Simone Jardim, Kyle Yates, and Brendon Long, among others. He holds bachelors’ degrees from Tennessee Wesleyan and the University of New Orleans and a master’s from Florida Gulf Coast University. Sponsored by JOOLA and Patak Meats, Staksrud uses JOOLA Perseus pickleball paddles, the same brand used by Ben Johns. Federico is one of the best singles players on the PPA tour, his style of play almost identical to that of Ben Johns. The two athletes have competed against each other several times; Johns has won all but one match.
7. Lea Jansen + JOOLA Perseus 3S
View JOOLA Perseus 3S at JustPaddles
Thirty-one years old and right-handed, Lea Jansen is five feet, ten inches; pro in 2022. Her fiery on-court personality and competitive nature have made her one of the most exciting players on the PPA Tour, a formidable opponent for all. She started in tennis at the age of eight, also played at Washington State University, afterward transitioning to pickleball in the summer of 2019. Jansen has won several PPA medals and is a regular finalist on tour. A type 1 diabetic, she enjoys cooking and baking the best food for her condition, as well as spending time with her dogs, skiing, hiking, and snowboarding in the Pacific Northwest.
8. Tyson McGuffin + JOOLA Magnus 3S
kerry_pittenger_pickleball
View JOOLA Magnus 3S at JustPaddles
Tyson McGuffin, 34, is a right-handed player. Standing five feet, ten inches, he went pro in 2016 and is ranked at the top in all three disciplines. Renowned for his singles game and for his intensity and showmanship, his rivalry with Ben Johns has produced unforgettable matches. His style is athletic and quick—he is a scrapper who never gives up. McGuffin has played men’s doubles with James Ignatowich and Juame Martinez Vich and mixed doubles with Catherine Parenteau and Meghan Dizon; he has also competed for MLP as a member of the New York Hustlers. Tyson McGuffin—who enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and kids and watching live music—is now under contract with Joola.
9. Riley Newman + ProXR Zane Navratil “The Standard”
View ProXR Zane Navratil “The Standard” at JustPaddles
Six feet, two inches and right-handed, Riley Newman turned pro in 2018, having come from a passionate sports family. Newman can often be seen playing mixed doubles with his sister, Lindsey. Growing up he competed in basketball, baseball, soccer, and tennis; his college days in Seattle found him participating in basketball and tennis as a Division I athlete. In 2017 his friend and former referee, Mark Cook, introduced him to pickleball, and his first tournament, with Lindsey, resulted in a gold medal in 5.0 mixed doubles. Newman says that the fans’ energy has fueled his passion for the game, and his “pancake” forehands are a menace to his opponents; he enjoys spending time with his family, attending professional sporting events, and working out.
10. Jessie Irvine + Engage Pursuit Pro MX
View Engage Pursuit Pro MX at JustPaddles
Early on, Jesse Irvine thrived as a WTA pro tennis player and as a top women’s POP tennis player. No surprise, then, when in 2019 she won gold in mixed doubles and women’s doubles. Thirty-five years old, right-handed, and five feet, eight inches, she has won medals at several PPA tournaments, including the 2019 Tournament of Champions and the 2020 PPA Las Vegas Championships. Irvine has played with Jay Devilliers, Catherine Parenteau, and Gabriel Tardio, with whom she won gold at the 2024 Picklr Utah Open. Among other attributes, she is respected and admired for her passion, athleticism, and overall game. Jessie Irvine enjoys hanging out with friends, coaching, watching movies, dancing, and playing golf. Her paddle is an Engage Pursuit Pro MX Rebel Edition.
11. JW Johnson + Franklin FS Tour Tempo
View Franklin FS Tour Tempo at JustPaddles
Just twenty-two years old and a master of the backhand flick, JW Johnson is right-handed, five feet, ten inches, and turned pro in 2020—a former tennis player, now a top 10 pickleball player. His journey began in 2011 and then progressed in a hurry. He won four gold medals by mid-season in 2023. Johnson competes in men’s singles, men’s doubles (several gold medals with Dylan Frazier) and in mixed doubles with his sister, Jorja. JDub is as laid back off court as he is when competing.
12. Irina Tereschenko + Paddletek Bantam TKO-C
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View Paddletek Bantam TKO-C at JustPaddles
Pickleball veteran Irina Tereschenko is 41 years old, right-handed and five feet, ten inches. She turned pro in 2016. She has coached and played racquet sports for more than 20 years and is a top player in all three divisions, having won a number of medals in women’s singles and doubles. Before her MLP-PPA days, she competed as a top player in singles and doubles tennis for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. After college, Tereschenko coached Division I tennis at Texas Tech University and The University of Washington. Even more impressive, she is an adjunct lecturer at the School of Professional Advancement at Tulane and a research assistant at the Center for Leadership in Athletics at the University of Washington. Irina enjoys snowboarding, camping, kiteboarding, and surfing.
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When a company delves into developing and Marketing wooden paddles, then we’ll be on to something big. In my personal opinion wood paddles have significantly more power AND control than plastic paddles. Actually, I don’t believe this is an opinion. It is a fact. It has something to do with physics.
I have yet to find the perfect wooden paddle. Probably because they don’t make one. Most go for $13.99. I would be with willing to pay for a light wooden paddle with the hardness of marine wood.
I have a paddle made of marine wood that would be perfect if it wasn’t 13.3 oz!!!
Hitting a plastic wiffle ball with a plastic paddle is pure folly. And they are all plastic. Graphite and fiber aside. C’mon folks. Make a decent wooden paddle!!!!
Great point Dave! I’ve wondered the same thing, why no one makes a really high-quality, light wooden paddle? I’ve seen some cool-looking ones like these that a pickleball club down in the Dominican Republic posted on Instagram and I’ve also seen some nice-looking wood “Frescobol” beach paddles from a Florida-based company. I’d love to see something like that for pickleball.
Have you tried the Gearbox GX6 Power? It’s got the solid core (seems like some wood) that you’re referring, I believe. I got a couple from a Gearbox rep to try and it’s amazing the ball action. I’m sold on solid core and can’t figure out why they all seem to use that honeycomb construction – especially after I saw that Utube video where they tore apart a bunch of paddles.
John W
Hey Jack, yes we have reviewed the Gearbox GX6 Power on our gearbox reviews page under the brands tab!
Agreed! I get 3x the spin-action with my woody!!
#makewoodgreatagain😎
Have you tried the Gearbox GX6 Power? It’s got the solid core (seems like some wood) that you’re referring, I believe. I got a couple from a Gearbox rep to try and it’s amazing the ball action. I’m sold on solid core and can’t figure out why they all seem to use that honeycomb construction – especially after I saw that Utube video where they tore apart a bunch of paddles.
John W
You need a basswood wood paddle. Basswood is used for strong large Japanese fishing lures.
Negs with wood are vibration and weight.
Thanks for the insight!
Ben Johns hasn’t used Franklin in a long time. Certainly not in 2023 like the title of the article says.
Hi Jim, we just published an updated version of this article for 2023. Sorry for the lack of freshness!
In the article on your website re. paddles the pros used in 2023 – in the comments section – ‘Matt’ from Pickleball Portal commented on March 9, 2021 (strange to see a comment from 2021 posted for an article in now 2023), that he wanted to know – ‘why no one makes a really high quality, light wooden paddle’. A previous commenter – Dave H. – stated that ‘wooden paddles have significantly more power & control than plastic paddles’. Matt seemed to agree w/Dave H…
This is from 2021. Does ‘Matt’ still believe that now, in 2023 – that a wooden paddle is more powerful & has more control than a plastic paddle? Especially with all the more recent thermoformed raw carbon fiber faced paddles?
Joola’s background in ping pong paddles would be the perfect company to do this, as they go in depth on their website in ranking the attributes of specific chosen wood species to make their ping pong paddles.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts, Larry Marks
Matt is no longer part of Pickleball Portal and I can’t speak for Matt. Also, this article was updated and redone this year, which is why you see 2023 for the publishing date even though it was originally published before that. The dates for the comments will remain the same.