Pickleball is becoming one of the most popular paddle sports for people who want to enjoy an entire workout. If pickleball player wants to improve their skills, one of the main things they need to consider is what paddle they are playing with. This leaves a lot of new players wondering What Pickleball Paddles Do the Pros Use.
Even though there are over 100 pickleball manufacturers, there are only a handful of paddle brands that professional pickleball players use in competitive events. This could be because Only a handful of pickleball manufacturers produce top-notch quality paddles. Only a handful of pickleball paddle manufacturers sponsor and pay the pro pickleballers to use their respective paddles.
How Do Pros Choose Pickleball Paddle Brands?
A professional pickleball player is an undefined term. However, it generally means a pickleball player playing competitively for money and their livelihood. This is “black and white” on the fringes—for instance, Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters play pickleball for thousands of dollars in prize money and even more thousands of dollars in sponsorship. This is also “black and white” for those that only play recreationally at the local park—these folks are not professional pickleball players. However, it becomes grey in between.
With that said, the data on pickleball paddle brands and the pickleball pros in this article is based on the pickleball paddles used in October 2022 by
- The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) contracted touring pros; and
- Any player that played on a Major League Pickleball (MLP) team at its event in Columbus, Ohio, in October 2022.
Top Pickleball Professionals & Their Paddles
Over the last few months, I’ve interviewed over 30 professional Pickleball players on the Pickleball Fire podcast and asked which pro pickleball paddle they use and why. This included senior pros and pickleball pros, men and women, and singles and doubles players. Of course, this list depends on which paddle company sponsors the pro.
Pro-Ben Johns’ Signature Pickleball Paddle / Ben Johns
Ben Johns is one of the top pro pickleball players. He’s so good at what he does that a signature paddle is devoted to him. Franklin brand teamed up with Ben Johns to create a signature paddle. Johns first got into pickleball when he was in university in 2016. A few years later, he dominated the sport, becoming one of the top male players.
In 2021 alone, he was the # 1 male player for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. As one of the best sports players, it’s easy to see why many brands wanted to work with him. The Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pickleball Paddle was released in 2019. This paddle wasn’t just a hit with Ben Johns and his fans. Several other pro players also use this paddle, including Zane Navratil, AJ Koller, and Rob Nunnery.
Tyson McGuffin
We now turn our attention to Tyson McGuffin. The most electrifying player in pickleball plays with the most electrifying paddle in pickleball. The Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta is Tyson McGuffin’s go-to paddle. It features an incredibly unique design that allows maximum swing speed and power but holds firm in its control and offers the soft touch you expect from Selkirk. Want to put on a show whether you win or lose?
A longtime pro, father to three, and Major champion, Tyson is an unparalleled talent in the pickleball world. His paddle, manufactured by Selkirk Sports, is created for the pro by the pro.
Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters
This famous mother-daughter duo has been crushing doubles pickleball over the years. Their journey into the sport is one for the storybooks. They are the only mother-daughter team on the professional circuit, and Anna Leigh is only fourteen years old! They recently shocked the pickleball community when they upset Simone Jardim and Corrine Carr at the Florida Grand Slam. What Pickleball Paddles Do the Pros Use? Do you ask? None other than the top brand of Paddletek. To be more precise, you can play like Anna Leigh by using her custom Paddletek Bantam TS-5 Pro Pickleball Paddles Middleweight at your next match.
ALW is the star with the brightest future in the sport of pickleball. Her partnership with Paddletek and the development of her signature paddle ensure that this 15-year-old is a lock to be a relevant part of our sport for years to come! Anna’s signature paddle is a lightweight option for both singles and doubles. At 7.0-7.5 ounces and sporting a fiberglass-hitting surface and a high-grade polymer core, this lightning-fast paddle is one of the best values on the market.
Catherine Parenteau
Among the greatest athletes in the world plays with one of the most storied brands in our game. Catherine’s signature Tempest Reign is an elongated paddle coming in at 16 1/2 “and benefits both singles and doubles players. Paddletek’s high-grade polymer composite ensures all the feel and touches you need in pickleball. The unidirectional carbon fiber lets you (and Catherine) paint the lines with the greatest of ease. (Even if she might make it look a little easier than us!) If you’re looking for an elongated paddle that still tips the scale at a fast 7.6 ounces, track down the Paddletek Tempest Reign Pro Catherine Parenteau Edition.
Lucy Kovalova and Matt Wright
Top pros Lucy Kovalova and Matt Wright don’t only play with the same paddle but on the same court with the same paddle! These absolute legends of the mixed pro draw share a lot of gold medals and a love for the Onix Evoke Premier Heavyweight paddle. This big hitter features a composite hitting surface, a poly core, and plenty of beef, averaging around 8.4 oz. (Just about half the weight of a gold medal!)
More Information : wilson pickleball paddles
Why Do the Pros Like Their Paddle?
Below are the answers to why professionals like the top four Pickleball Pro Paddles.
Catherine Parenteau
“I can guide it very well. It’s well known for control. It doesn’t have as much power as other paddles, but control is more important than power because I can add power by getting stronger. But yes, that’s the reason why I love my paddle.”
Scott Moore
“It’s the complete paddle in the game. It’s a little thicker than normal paddles, has a little more absorption, and has a graphite facing. So it’s soft and has a little grit to it. I have plenty of power. I’m looking for control, so it absorbs energy well. It gives me the control I want with a little extra spin. And it’s just been the complete paddle, like I said, that I’ve ever played with, and I’ve tried a lot of them.”
How to Pick Out a Pickleball Paddle Like a Pro?
There are a few things people assume that professional pickleball players want when choosing the right paddle. Many new players believe that it’s essential to look at the brand of the paddle and the paddle’s specs. But How to Choose a Pickleball Paddle is still big question for the newbie rather then how to hold a pickleball paddle.
These things do play a role in what to expect from the paddle, but they are at the bottom of the list of what the pros care about when picking out a paddle. The top thing that most professional pickleball players claim is the deciding factor of whether or not they’re going to use a paddle is that it feels good.
So, what does that mean? Every player will have a different preference for the paddle they use to perform the best. Many pickleball pros, like Mark Rennison and Mark Friedenberg, will tell people that the paddle needs to feel good in their hands to play at their best.
One thing to take away from this is that the paddle can sound perfect on paper. It may have all the right specs and even be recommended by some of your favorite players. Yet, if you pick it up and it just doesn’t feel right, then it’s not going to be the best paddle to improve your techniques in the game.
FAQs
There are many benefits to picking up an elongated pickleball paddle: The extended pickleball paddle has been around for a long time and is now a popular choice among singles players and professionals.
Thirteen pros are playing with Joola, 11 are playing with Selkirk, and ten are playing with Paddletek. This is particularly interesting for Joola, a brand that just made its way into pickleball in early 2022. The pro players have taken to the Joola paddles.
The more expensive paddles use a higher-quality polymer that doesn’t break down as quickly and gives you a more consistent feel across the face. Other than the quality of the polymer, you’ll see core density when the core material is described.
The Vulcan V740MAX Pickleball Paddle is Team Vulcan Pro Jay Devilliers’ signature model and features his favorite modern shape and extended handle, perfect for two-handed backhands.
Conclusion
These are real pros who “do” pickleball full-time. They either play, coach, or make the best pickleball equipment – they are the pioneers of pickleball as we know it. They’re the trailblazers, taking the game and the paddles we use to new heights.
The paddles the pros are using may or may not work for you. Before you decide on a paddle, make sure it fits. It would help if you considered things like the paddle’s weight and grip size. Hope you like What Pickleball Paddles Do The Pro Use?