At Pickle Goddesses, we’re devoted to spreading America’s fastest-growing sport to everyone. However, we’re particularly interested in female empowerment. So, it would make sense to dedicate a blog post to pickleball’s most powerful women!

Who should be a household name?

There are so many amazing female pickleball players that it was hard to pick just five! After many hours of spirited debate, we came to a compromise: This will be the first of our series on remarkably skilled pickleball players. So, sit back and relax as we count down the most remarkable female athletes of the pickleball world!

What to Know Beforehand: Leagues and Skill Levels

Now, before we really bite into the topic, we want to clarify two points.

The professional pickleball community is divided by two major factors. The first is organizational; the second is individual.

Know Who’s Playing Where

We’ll begin with that first bit.

Professional pickleball has four identifiable “leagues.” They act like the governing bodies of any major sport, filling roles similar to the NBA and NCAA. Professional players act accordingly, signing exclusivity deals with certain leagues.

Despite some commotion behind the scenes, the major organizational players remain (mostly) the same. All pickleball players — regardless of gender — play for one of the four banners:

• International Federation of Pickleball (IFP): Formerly the International Pickleball Federation (IPF), the IFP is a primarily global organization. Its officials tend to courts and tournaments worldwide.
• Major League Pickleball (MLP): The MLP is one of the most prevalent forces in modern professional pickleball. It exists as an independent organization and retains its own branding despite its 2024 merger with the PPA.
• Professional Pickleball Association (PPA): Since its merger with the MLP, the PPA has become the world’s most prolific tournament organizer. Growth is secondary to the PPA’s goals. Its most important objective is promoting the professional pickleball community through its namesake PPA Tours.
• USA Pickleball Association (USAPA): This is the grandaddy of pickleball organizations. Growth-oriented members of the USAPA were the original founders of the IFP. Today, the USAPA primarily focuses on pickleball’s growth in the United States.

Pickleball Skill Ratings

The second must-know metric is a player’s skill rankings.

Two systems dominate the modern pickleball landscape: the USA Pickleball Tournament Ratings (UPTR) and the Dynamic Universal Pickleball Ratings System (DUPR). Both systems are numeric assessments of a player’s consistency and skill.

Anything above 5.0 is considered “professional” by both systems.

1. Anna Leigh Waters

Don’t let her age fool you!

Anna Leigh Waters plays at the highest level of pickleball. In fact, she’s consistently placed at the top of women’s skill rankings!

Waters’ mother, Leigh Waters, was a champion in her own right. The elder Waters was a renowned NCAA Division I professional tennis player, although she has since become her daughter’s doubles partner and coach.

Anna Leigh Waters, meanwhile, sacrificed a competitive soccer career to fuel her astronomic rise to pickleball fame.

Pickleball Facts

Waters’ professional pickleball journey began in 2019. Since then, she’s achieved a remarkable 6.30 DUPR with her distinctly aggressive playing style.

Waters also earned a place in pickleball history. In 2022, Waters and her mother participated in the first nationally televised pickleball game (against Lucy Kovalova and Callie Smith). The Los Angeles, California, match was broadcast by CBS Sports.

Altogether, Waters has won six gold medals at the US Open, nine gold medals at the USAPA National, and 23 Triple Crowns.

Pickleball Player Profile

• DUPR: 6.30
• Birthday: January 26, 2007
• Hometown: Delray Beach, Florida, USA
• League: PPA
• Dominant Hand: Right
• Pro Since: 2019

2. Catherine Parenteau

Catherine Parenteau’s home in Naples, Florida, is a far cry from her hometown of Montreal, Canada! Nonetheless, this gold medal winner is evidence of pickleball’s continued growth.

Like many pickleball pros, Parenteau’s journey began on the tennis courts. In 2011, she was recruited to the University of Arkansas’ NCAA Division I tennis team. (She later transferred to Michigan State University and joined their team.) However, her career as a professional tennis player took an unexpected turn with a chance meeting in 2015.

Pickleball Facts

Parenteau’s coach, Simone Jardim, introduced the rising star to pickleball during her final year of college. Understandably, Parenteau was smitten! A few months later, in 2016, Catherine Parenteau entered and won her first pickleball tournament—the US Open! In addition to that win, Parenteau also hoisted a gold medal alongside Callie Smith at the 2021 US Open.

Today, Parenteau works as a certified pickleball instructor. She also oversees business operations for her namesake pickleball equipment brand.

Pickleball Player Profile

• DUPR: 6.01–6.08
• Birthday: August 26, 1994
• Hometown: Montreal, Québec, Canada
• League: MLP and PPA
• Alma Mater: University of Arkansas and Michigan State University
• Dominand Hand: Right
• Pro Since: 2016

3. Etta Wright

As a pro tournament player since 2022, Etta Wright is a rising star. Her recent entry to the pro-level circuit is backed by remarkable skill and plenty of athletic prowess. Notably, as a native of New Zealand, Wright has the distinction of being the first Tongan-American pro pickleball player.

Pickleball Facts

Wright’s love for pickleball started in 2018 when her uncle introduced her to the sport. She has since entered multiple pickleball tournaments and is a driving force behind the sport’s expansion.

Pickleball Player Profile

• DUPR: 6.05
• Hometown: New Zealand
• League: MLP and PPA
• Alma Mater: Brigham Young University, Hawaii
• Dominant Hand: Right
• Pro Since: 2022

4. Simone Jardim

A native of Brazil, Simone Jardim gained international acclaim as a former professional tennis player. She served as one of Michigan State University’s most successful tennis coaches until 2016 when she moved her family to Florida and became a professional pickleball player.

Pickleball Facts

Jardim has faced many of her former students throughout her career as a pickleball player. In 2018, she won the US Open championship, beating out her old protégée, Lucy Kovalova, in the singles event. She has also earned titles in mixed doubles events.

While she’s a formidable opponent on the pickleball court, she’s a warm and beloved pillar of the Bonito Springs, Florida, community. Thanks to her sponsorships from JOOLA and Nike, she’s nurturing the sport’s growth as the co-founder of the massive Peak Performance Pickleball Academy!

Pickleball Player Profile

• DUPR: 5.81
• Birthday: November 7, 1979
• Hometown: Santa Maria, Brazil
• League: MLP
• Alma Mater: Fresno State University
• Dominant Hand: Right
• Pro Since: 2015

5. Vivienne David

Our final highlight on today’s roll call of female pickleball players is Vivienne David.

If you grew up in a large family, Vivienne David’s story might ring a few bells; she’s the second of seven children. A precocious athlete, David started playing racquet sports at eight. She also worked alongside her siblings at her father’s tennis store.

Like many successful female pickleball players, David was a former tennis player! Her childhood was filled with junior tennis championships and tournaments. However, her path changed when she was 15.

Pickleball Facts

David heard of pickleball from a customer at her father’s Florida-based store.

Three years later, she joined the ranks of pickleball’s pro-level female players. Less than a year after that, she won her first prize: the top spot in the 2019 World Pickleball Championship singles games.

Pickleball Player Profile

• DUPR: 6.03
• Hometown: Canada
• League: MLP and PPA
• Dominant Hand: Right
• Pro Since: 2018

Keep Track of the Lastest Pickleball News

Of course, these five amazing women are just a few of the sport’s most famous players. Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau are just the beginning. Players are joining at every level, and pickleball’s growth is accelerating.

That’s why you should stay informed! Check out the rest of our blog to see everything Pickle Goddesses has to offer. We’re not limited to pickleball news; we also cover tips, tricks, and equipment hacks for every skill level.

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