Top Male Pickleball Players of 2024

Branded as a fast-growing sport in the USA, pickleball was invented in 1965 and peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pickleball has simple rules and is easy to learn, that's why it’s beginner-friendly. The essential shots of pickleball are hard to master and require practice and patience. You need to invest in the right pickleball equipment and wear proper pickleball attire to be able to fully concentrate on improving your skills.

A lot of pickleball players, some are previous tennis players, have now dedicated their talents and skills to becoming professional pickleball players. There are many men and women top players in pickleball. Let’s find out which male pickleball players hold the title of being the best.

Top Pickleball Players: Male

Ben Johns

Benjamin Johns is considered the number 1 male pickleball player in the world. He liked playing tennis, table tennis, and pickleball when he was younger. In 2016, he decided to pursue pickleball and became a pro that same year. Since then, he has held his highest rank of number 1 in all major divisions of the PPATour. He currently holds 108 winning streaks and 123 PPATour gold medal titles. He teamed up with Anna Leigh Waters in the Mixed Doubles category in 2023, and together, they have won 16 consecutive titles as partners.

Being one of the best professional pickleball players, skills aren't the only thing Ben invests in. He also invests in power pickleball paddles to help him dominate the court. JOOLA sponsors him and a paddle was made specifically for him, the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus CFS 16.

For the best affordable pickleball paddles that provide power and control, check out 101 Pickleball’s Infinity Balance. 

James Ignatowich

James Ignatowich started as a college tennis player turned pickleball enthusiast. He enjoyed the challenges of pickleball so much that he decided to pursue a professional career. He started playing pickleball in 2021 and became a pro in 2022. Even though he is still fresh in the sport, he has proven he has what it takes to be a pro. He currently ranks 3 and 11 in the Men’s Mixed and Doubles respectively, and has won two gold medals in the 2023 Indoor National Championship on the PPA Tour. He usually partners with Tyson McGuffin and Anna Bright.

He is currently sponsored by Selkirk and uses the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta, a paddle designed for power players.

Riley Newman

Riley Newman, a pickleball top competitor, is a frequent Champion Sunday player. Champion Sunday is the last day of the PPATour where most of the significant and highly anticipated matches happen. He was first introduced to pickleball in 2017 and became a pro in 2018. He won his first gold medal in his first 5.0 tournament together with his sister Lindsey. He has only competed in Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles.

Riley uses a ProXR Zane Navratil Signature, an ultra-raw carbon pickleball paddle that focuses on extreme spins.

Tyson McGuffin

Tyson McGuffin was a tennis player before pursuing to become one of the professional pickleball players. He reached the top 1500 on the ATP Tour Men and later became the head tennis pro at the Yakima Tennis Club. In 2015, he decided to try pickleball after being a tennis coach for six years. He eventually became a pro in 2016. He has since become dedicated to pickleball by running clinics, teaching pickleball, making instructional videos, and promoting pickleball to others.

Tyson McGuffin is a pickleball fan-favorite and is currently sponsored by JOOLA and Skechers among others.

Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson, a pickleball rising athlete, is currently number 2 and 10 in the PPATour Men’s Mixed Doubles and Doubles, respectively. Before playing pickleball, Thomas Wilson played tennis in college but had to stop when he was injured. A decade after his tennis dreams were cut off, his parents introduced him to pickleball. He became a pro in 2020.

He is currently sponsored by CRBN and uses the CRBN¹ X Series, a durable carbon fiber pickleball paddle that focuses on spin and dwell time.

Matt Wright

Matt Wright, a pickleball veteran, currently ranks 7 and 12 in the PPATour Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. His mixed doubles partner is Lucy Kovalova. He is not just a pro pickleball player, he is also a full-time lawyer.

Matt is sponsored by Onix and uses the Onix Evoke Premier, one of the best power pickleball paddles.

Frederico Staksrud

Frederico Staksud is still a rising star in pickleball compared to the others. The Argentinian-born pickleball pro started playing in 2021 and became a pro the same year. He used to play tennis and compete in multiple colleges.

When he got the chance to train with other pro pickleball players like Simone Jardim, Kyle Yates, and Ryan Sherry, he decided to pursue the sport. He is currently number 1 in the PPATour Men’s Singles.

JOOLA currently sponsors Frederico and uses the Anna Bright Scorpeus CFS 14 paddle.

Julian Arnold

Julian Arnold, a pickleball newcomer but tennis veteran, is a pickleball MVP in February 2023 and has won 14 medals since he started. He is part of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) team Los Angeles Mad Drops.

Julian uses the Volair pickleball paddle Mach 1 from one of his sponsors, Voalir, the best pickleball paddle for control and spin.

These men are currently the best in the sport. Most of them used to be tennis players before transitioning to pickleball. Whether a veteran like Ben Johns or a newcomer like Federico Staksurd, pickleball provides opportunities for everyone. Of course, they didn’t get to the top without putting in sweat and effort, they dedicated a lot of time and skills to becoming one of the best professional pickleball players.