You may have never heard of it, but pickleball is becoming more and more popular! This sport is a mix of badminton, tennis, and tennis table and was invented in 1965.
Initially born as a children’s backyard game, today there are plenty of tournaments held all over the US. Among these the most popular are the U.S. Pickleball National Championships, the U.S. Open Pickleball Championship, and the Major League Pickleball.
Nowadays, winners are awarded very high sums of money and can make a full-time salary playing professionally. But who are the current youngest pro pickleball players in the world? Let’s find out!
9. Catherine Parenteau (August 26, 1994 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): 27 years, 10 months, 2 days
Nationality: Canadian
Height: 5’5’’
photo source: www.facebook.com
At the age of 27, Catherine Parenteau is among the best pickleball players in the world.
She is, in fact, ranked number one in Women’s Singles and third in Women’s Doubles by the Professional Pickleball Association.
Parenteau grew up in Montreal, where she started playing tennis at the age of four. She proved to be extremely talented in this sport and soon became one of the top five players in her age group.
Parenteau studied for one year at the University of Arkansas and then moved to Michigan State University, where she played with the university tennis team for the following three years.
In 2015, Simone Jardim, Parenteau’s coach, introduced her to pickleball. Her talent soon became evident as, only six months after, she started her professional career as a pickleball player, winning the 5.0 mixed bracket in the US Open. Parenteau also won the US Open Pro Women’s Doubles together with Callie Smith in 2021.
Did You Know?
In her free time, Catherine Parenteau loves to teach. She’s, in fact, an IPTPA certified instructor at Collier’s Reserve in Naples, Florida.
8. Jay Devilliers (December 18, 1994 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): 27 years, 6 months, 10 days
Nationality: French
Height: 6’3’’
photo source: vulcansportinggoods.com
Jay Devilliers, currently 27, is one of the most popular pro pickleball players in the world.
Known by the nickname Flying Frenchman, he won his first Mixed Doubles together with Jessie Irvine in 2021 at the PPA Championship in Las Vegas.
Devilliers always loved sports and during his childhood, he tried several different ones ranging from soccer to tennis, handball, squash, swimming, badminton, skiing, and tennis table. Jay particularly excelled in soccer and tennis and eventually decided to pursue a career in the latter.
In 2009 he left France and went to Barcelona to train intensively. Here he completed his high school diploma and met his future wife Aleksandra. Unfortunately, while in Barcelona, the Flying Frenchman got badly injured and started to wonder whether a tennis career was the right choice for him, given the physical toll this sport has on the body.
In 2013, he accepted a tennis scholarship in the US, joining the men’s tennis team at Wichita State University. Here he discovered pickleball and began to compete in 2019. But what started as a simple hobby soon became a full-time job, and today Devilliers is among the best players in the world.
Did You Know?
Jay Devilliers is an ambassador for the French Pickleball Federation.
7. Ben Johns (March 18, 1999 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): 23 years, 3 months, 10 days
Nationality:
Height: 6’0’’
photo source: inpickleball.com
Ben Johns was born in 1999 and is currently one of the youngest pro pickleball players in the world.
With a total of over $145,000 won in his career, this young talent is currently the highest-ranked men’s player in the world in all three divisions, Men Singles, Men Dobles, and Mixed Doubles, according to the Professional Pickleball Association.
Johns described his playing style as ‘frankensteined’. According to him, he is constantly imitating other players, also competing in other sports, to perfect his technique.
Johns is currently studying at the University of Maryland and is the co-owner of two businesses: Pickleball Getaways, and Pickleball 360. The former consists of a vacation package through which people can get to try this sport, while the latter is an instructional video subscription service.
According to Johns, when he’s not studying, playing pickleball, or working on his two businesses, he likes to travel, read, weightlift, and play MTG.
Did You Know?
Ben Johns holds more Triple Crown than any other male player in the history of this sport. A ‘triple crown’ is achieved when a single pro player wins three gold medals at the same event in three brackets.
6. Dylan Frazier (2002 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): c.20 years
Nationality: American
Height: Unknown
photo source: bvmsports.com
Dylan Frazier is only 20 years old and is among the youngest pro pickleball players at the moment.
Currently ranked 10th in the World Pickleball Ranking for Men Singles, this young talent has played this sport since 2016.
When he was a kid, Frazier used to play all the most common sports, such as football, baseball, and soccer, but he discovered pickleball during a trip to Florida when visiting his mom’s parents. He first tried this sport at a recreational center and immediately fell in love with it.
Back in Missouri, Frazier decided to give this sport a chance and kept practicing until he became so talented to be able to participate in tournaments. Today, Frazier takes part in more than 20 tournaments each year, competing in Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.
As Frazier improved in this sport, his mother, Cindy, decided to join him. She had already played pickleball recreationally in college, but this time, she decided to compete as a pro next to her son.
Frazier is also supported by his father, Shawn, who helped him build a pickleball court in their house courtyard to practice at home.
Did You Know?
Dylan Frazier trains three times per week during school days and seven times in the summer.
5. JW Johnson (2003 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): c. 19 years
Nationality: American
Height: Unknown
photo source: www.facebook.com
The older brother of Jorja Johnson, JW Johnson, proves how the whole Johnson family has a talent for pickleball.
This young talent became particularly known in the pickleball scene recently. In fact, in April 2022, he won his second Triple Crown at the Association of Pickleball Professionals South Carolina Open.
Johnson won his Singles against Federico Staksrud 11-5, 11-8, and competed against Michelle Esquivel and Rob Cassidy in his Mixed Doubles while partnering with Simone Jardim. In the Men’s Doubles, Johnson won 13-11, 11-7 together with Zane Navratil against Eden Lica and Andrei Daescu.
Did You Know?
Both JW Johnson’s sister and mother are pro pickleball players.
4. Jack Munro (2004 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): c. 18 years
Nationality: American
Height: Unknown
photo source: www.pickleballmagazine.com
Jack Munro started to play pickleball when he was only ten years old and today is one of the youngest pro players in this sport.
Before starting his career, Munro used to play baseball like many other kids of his age. However, due to an injury, he was forced to quit. In this period, Munro was introduced to pickleball by his father.
The first successes in this new sport arrived quite early. At the age of only 11, Pickleball Magazine wrote an article about Munro after he won a gold medal at the USAPA Nationals in both the 11-14 Boys Singles and the 11-14 Mixed Doubles as well as a silver medal in the 11-18 Boys Doubles.
Referring to his victories, Jack stated: “I have a lot of medals. I don’t remember every one of them, but they’re all in my room.” He added, “I remember the (2) Gold and Silver medals from the Nationals the most.”
Did You Know?
Talking about his future, Jack Munro said his dream is to work as an architect and become the youngest person to win a 5.0 pickleball tournament.
3. Hayden Patriquin (2005 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): c. 17 years
Nationality: American
Height: Unknown
photo source: facebook.com
Hayden Patriquin is a new talent in the pickleball scene. At the young age of 17, this teenager distinguished himself in the January 2022 APP Mesa Open in Arizona. Although Patriquin is not very well-known yet, his last performance may soon boost his career!
Before joining the 2022 APP Mesa Open, Patriquin had already played in the Hyundai Masters PPA in La Quinta, California, in November 2021, and in the PPA Championships in Las Vegas, in October 2021.
But as mentioned above, it was in the 2022 APP Mesa Open that Patriquin finally got a chance to prove his talent. In his first game, he managed to win against Canadian Brett Forsythe 11-1, 11-6 and he then proceeded to play against Rafa Hewitt, ranked 16th among men’s singles players by the World Pickleball Ranking, winning again 15-9.
Only time will tell whether Hayden Patriquin will remain one of the best pickleball players on the scene, but his last performance was without a doubt promising!
Did You Know?
In the 2022 APP Mesa Open, Hayden Patriquin also lost against Zane Navratil, one of the best singles players in the world, 13-15.
2. Jorja Johnson (2007 – Present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): c. 15 years
Nationality: American
Height: Unknown
photo source: www.majorleaguepickleball.net
Jorja Johnson is one of the the youngest pro pickleball player in the world at the age of 15.
She started to play pickleball after her family relocated from Kansas to Florida. It was, in fact, a new neighbor who introduced her family to this sport.
Johnson’s mom, Julie, played pickleball recreationally for two years until a friend convinced her to travel the world to participate in several tournaments. Julie’s kids, Jorja and JW (who is also on this list), soon joined her on her trips and they all started to compete professionally.
Did You Know?
Jorja Johnson, as well as the rest of the Johnson family, won an incredible number of medals throughout her career. Up till now, this young talent has collected three gold medals, eight silver, and eight bronze.
1. Anna Leigh Waters (January 26, 2007 – present)
Current Age (as of June 2022): 15 years, 5 months, 2 days
Nationality: American
Height: 5’6’’
photo source: facebook.com
Anna Leigh Waters is currently the youngest pro pickleball players in the world at the age of 15.
Despite her young age, Anna Leigh Waters is now considered one of the top five pickleball women players in the world competing in all three divisions: Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Singles.
Waters started her sports career in 2017 after her family had to leave their house in Florida due to the disaster caused by Hurricane Irma. While they were patiently waiting in Pennsylvania for the storm to pass, Waters’ grandfather introduced her to pickleball.
She enjoyed this sport so much that she started practicing it more and more, together with her mother Leigh. Soon after, mom and daughter began to tour the US and take part in tournaments.
Waters won her first gold medal in Women’s Doubles at the 2021 Orlando Cup. The 2021 year was extremely successful for her as she took golds in Singles at the Newport Beach Showcase, the Orlando Cup, and the Texas Open.
Waters also won the Women’s Doubles at the Tournament of Championships and the Margaritaville USA Pickleball Nationals Championship. Now this young talent has collected a total of 12 gold medals.
Did You Know?
Throughout her career, Anna Waters has collected over $40,000 in prizes.
