The Top Pickleball Players to Watch: Player Profiles and Rankings

Learn about their playing styles, achievements, and why they're worth keeping an eye on in the exciting world of pickleball.

Watching top pickle ball players can be fun, entertaining and informative. You get to see how a competitive game is played at the pro level and how they perform under pressure. In this blog post, we'll be highlighting some of the top pickleball players to watch, their profiles, rankings, and special skills.

Ben Johns 

Ben Johns is currently the No. 1 ranked pickleball player in the world and is considered by many to be the greatest pickleball player of all times. He is known for his quick hands, mastery of several different strokes and competitiveness playing style. He has won gold medals in both singles and doubles. He can cover the court with ease and quickly transition from defense to offense. He loves the strategic chess match that pickle ball provides.

Simone Jardim 

Simone Jardim retired from playing professional pickleball after 2022, but was ranked No. 1 women player in the world from 2016-2020. She was called the “queen of Pickleball” by many. She is a six-time national champion and a seven-time US Open champion. Jardim is known for her unique ready position, excellent footwork and quick reflexes. Her backhand is one of the best in the game, and her ability to mix up shots makes her a tough opponent to beat.

Tyson McGuffin 

Tyson McGuffin is one of the top-ranked male pickleball players in the world. He is a five-time Grand Clam Champion and a four-time National Champion. He has also won several other major tournaments. McGuffin is known for his speed, physicality, serve, forehand and determination. Forehand speed-up with a forehand clean-ip is his favorite shot. His ability to change the pace of the game and keep his opponents off-balance is what sets him apart.

Catherine Parenteau 

Catherine Parenteau is another top female pickleball player. She is ranked No. 2 in women’s singles and No. 4 in mixed doubles. She has won several National Championships and Open championships. Parenteau is known for her excellent volleys and her ability to control the pace of the game. She is a strategic player.

Kyle Yates 

Kyle Yates was one of the first professional Pickleball player. He was ranked No. 1 doubles player in 2018. In 2022, he was ranked No. 18 in the world, and has won several national and international titles, including the US Open and the Tournament of Champions. He is a strategic player known for his powerful serves and quick reflexes on the court. Yates is also an excellent doubles player.

Lucy Kovalova 

Lucy Kovalova is a well-known top female pickleball player. She is currently ranked No. 2 in the world in mixed doubles and tied for No. 1 in women’s double with her partner, Simone Jardim. Kovalova is a nine-time medalist at the US Open Championship, a two-time champion at the Tournament of Champions, and a four-time USA National Champion. Specifically, in 2018, she won a triple crown at the USA Pickleball National Championships, where she won gold in women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and women’s singles. Kovalova is known for her aggressive playing style, quick reflexes and her excellent backhand shots. 

There are many great pickleball players, but these are just a few of the top players that we enjoy watching. Each player showcase their skills, strategy and athleticism. Their style and ability to adapt to their opponent's playing style is what makes them such great players. These players show us how a competitive game looks like and hopefully inspires you to practice more and try new techniques.