The eagerly anticipated Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships, set to take place at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, an inner-ring suburb of Dallas, has announced the bulk of the players who will be competing in the prestigious tournament. With the top athletes from all over the globe represented, this year’s player roster will be unmatched and bring the best pickleball has to offer to the Lone Star State.

The event will bring together the best pickleball players in the world on one stage. This international event will showcase the sport’s top players, who can only be seen on the professional PPA Tour and MLP events, including the Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships. The tournament has already garnered significant attention all across the country, with amateur players of all ages and skill levels from 47 states currently registered.

Pickleball witnessed a remarkable 52% increase in participants from 2022 to 2023, outpacing the next fastest-growing sport by more than 33 percentage points. According to the annual Topline Participation Report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), 13.6 million Americans engaged in pickleball last year, rivaling the numbers for baseball (16.7 million) and outdoor soccer (14.1 million).

The World Championships is the sport’s marquee event and serves as a platform to celebrate the sport’s global reach and showcase the incredible abilities of its players.

“We are thrilled to announce the exceptionally diverse lineup of professional players who will be participating in the Pickleball World Championships,” said Connor Pardoe, the CEO & Founder of the PPA Tour. “This tournament brings together the world’s best of the best in pickleball, and we are excited to witness the intense competition and sportsmanship that will be on display.” 

Players participating exclusively in the Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships include world number ones, cross-sport icons and global superstar athletes. The list includes:

Anna Leigh Waters, the teenage phenom World No.1 who broke onto the pro pickleball scene at 12 years old, has become pickleball’s biggest star with more Triple Crowns (winning singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the same event) than any other player. Her combination of fire and passion on the court and smiles and laughter off make her extremely popular with both die-hard pickleball fans and casual sports fans alike.

Ben Johns is likely pickleball’s first true legend of the game – the original GOAT who paved the way for pickleball as a professional sport. Johns holds nearly every record in men’s and mixed classes and has since branched out into the business of pickleball, co-owning multiple pickleball-related entities.

Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard is the definition of a global superstar. The former Wimbledon finalist and Women’s Tennis Association World No.5 has crafted a popularity unrivaled by most. She has recently turned her talents to the pickleball courts where the Canadian icon looks to continue her cross-sports success.

Federico Staksrud is currently in a tight race for Men’s Singles World No.1 with Ben Johns. Hailing from Buenos Aires, the Argentine has proven himself to be a tour-de-force in the sport.

Jack Sock, an Olympic Gold Medalist and four-time tennis Grand Slam champion, is a fixture on the PPA Tour and has found great success with his devastatingly powerful groundstrokes and instinctual play.

Quang Duong is fresh off his first PPA Tour gold medal at the Selkirk Bristol open and the teenager is already an international superstar in his home country of Vietnam. 

Catherine Parenteau, the World No.1 women’s doubles player, is a tireless competitor, traveling across the country playing in the biggest pickleball tournaments around. When the Montreal native is not competing, she is often teaching her craft to others, a role she takes great pride in.

Tyson McGuffin is one of the most visible players in pickleball and was named “The Most Electrifying Man in Sports” by Barstool Sports. The tattooed fan-favorite is an icon of the game and works tirelessly to grow the game on social media, reality television and of course, on the court.

Anna Bright is a Fort Worth, Texas native who emerged as a varsity tennis superstar at the University of California-Berkeley where she reached as high as No. 13 in the country. Armed with fast hands and a Hannah Montana pump-up playlist, Bright is a fast-rising and energetic star of pro pickleball.

Lucy Kovalova has one of the most fearsome game-faces on the PPA Tour. The native Slovakian is a consistently top-ranked doubles player and intimidates her opposition with an exceptionally powerful two-handed backhand, her signature move.

The full pro player field can be found HERE.

Last year at Brookhaven, the medal winners proved themselves in a gauntlet of competition that will only be tougher this year. The 2023 results are as follows:

Men’s Singles: (4) JW Johnson def. (7) Jaume Martinez Vich (6-11, 11-7, 11-5)
Women’s Singles: (1) Anna Leigh Waters def. (2) Catherine Parenteau (11-6, 7-11, 12-10)
Women’s Doubles: (1) Anna Leigh Waters/Catherine Parenteau def. (6) Maggie Brascia/Mary Brascia (11-7, 11-0, 11-4)
Men’s Doubles: (1) Ben Johns/Collin Johns def. (2) Dylan Frazier/JW Johnson (11-6, 12-10, 11-7)
Mixed Doubles: (1) Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns def. (2) Anna Bright/James Ignatowich (11-6, 11-5, 11-3)
The Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships will feature all three PPA Tour events, singles, doubles and mixed doubles, providing spectators with a multitude of exciting matchups. With registered players from every corner of the globe coming to Farmers Branch, Texas, this tournament promises to be a true international spectacle.

Anticipation for the Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships continues to build among both players and fans. The event is expected to draw a massive audience, both in person and through live streaming, as pickleball fans around the world anticipate the crowning of the 2024 world champions. Last year, the event welcomed 50,000 fans to Brookhaven Country Club and Pickleball Boulevard.

LAPIPLASTY® PICKLEBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

As a global governing body of men’s and women’s professional pickleball, the PPA Tour’s mission is to serve pickleball. We entertain millions of spectators, showcase the sport’s top athletes at the most prestigious tournaments, and inspire the next generation of fans and players.

The stars of the game battle for titles and PPA Rankings points at 18 tour stops across the United States. All roads lead to the PPA Finals, which features only the Top 8 qualified singles players and doubles teams in the world. The tournament also features the crowning of the year-end PPA World No. 1, the ultimate achievement in pickleball.

Professional Pickleball Association Tour (PPA Tour)

Pickleball

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LAPIPLASTY® PICKLEBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

All Ages Pickleball Tournament