Less than 10 percent of professional pickleball players have no tennis background

Growing up near the birthplace of pickleball, in Washington state, Chuck Taylor always had a love for the game. First discovering the sport in high school, Taylor was obsessed. At 41 years old, he’s still competing at the top of his game on the PPA Tour.

Unlike the majority of pro pickleball players today, Taylor’s background didn’t come from tennis, And he’s not alone, for 10 percent of pro pickleball players on tour today have no tennis background.

According to tournament records, Taylor is one of eight PPA players whose only sport was pickleball. Dylan Frazier, another of the octet, now finds himself at the top of the rankings across doubles (No. 3), mixed doubles (No. 18) and singles (No. 5).

Hayden Patriquin, who quit baseball for pickleball, and Gabriel Tardio, who picked up a paddle for the first time at age 14, are also among the highest-ranked non-tennis playing picklers on tour. Patriquin currently stands at No. 13 in doubles and No. 9 in mixed, while Tardio sits at No. 10 in doubles and No. 11 in mixed.

A few players in this minority percentage have established trick shots and nicknames. For instance, Mary Brascia has the “Mary-Go-Round,” Tyler Loong, who plays doubles with Novak Djokovic’s long-time hitting partner Connor Garnett, is known as the “Ernie King,” and former firefighter Callan Dawson is known for his signature “high choke” paddle grip.

Fun fact about Dawson: both of his parents play pickleball professionally, with the three of them totaling 40 major titles on tour.

Also considered in this percentage are players who have other sports backgrounds:

• Daniel Jensen played Division I soccer at Ohio State where he, to this day, is a Top 10 record-holder for Buckeye goals, assists and points.
• Daniel De La Rosa was the No. 1 racquetball player in the world for the past three years while competing parttime on the PPA. He officially transitioned over to pickleball for the first time this year.
• Luke Wasson is a newly turned pro, who was previously a semi-pro golfer and soccer player before trying his hand in the kitchen.
• Monica Paolicelli, one of a handful of lefties on tour, coached and taught fitness classes before becoming director of Dill Dinkers and transitioning into competition.

The fastest growing sport in America is so closely associated with tennis that sometimes we forget that it stands on its own. As the next generation of athletes continue discovering pickleball as an afterschool hobby, the percentages can quickly turn in favor of non-tennis playing professionals on the PPA Tour.