Verified Pro Paddles 2026 | What the Pros Actually Use
Complete list of PPA/MLP pro paddle choices for 2026. Cross-referenced from rosters, sponsorship pages, and on-court footage. No rumors — only confirmed.
Published 2026-06-08
TL;DR: Ben Johns (JOOLA Perseus Pro V 16mm), Anna Leigh Waters (Franklin C45 Hybrid 14mm), Gabe Tardio (Facolos EliteX Extreme Edition 16mm). Full verified list below — no speculation, no fake Instagram links.
How This List Was Built
Sources:
- PPA/MLP official rosters and partner pages
- Brand sponsorship announcements (JOOLA, Franklin, Vatic, CRBN, Selkirk, Paddletek, Proton, Engage, HIT, Six Zero, Luzz, PIKKL, Facolos)
- On-court footage from PPA Tour, MLP, YouTube broadcasts
- Player social media posts showing equipment
Excluded:
- Rumored switches (marked separately)
- Blacked-out/unreleased prototypes
- Unverified social media claims
- Fake/invented pros (Mari Hume, Vivian Gamboa, etc.)
Last verified: June 8, 2026
Men’s Doubles (PPA/MLP Rankings)
| Rank | Pro | Paddle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Ben Johns | JOOLA Perseus Pro V 16mm | JOOLA flagship; charged carbon, 16mm foam |
| T1 | Gabe Tardio | Facolos EliteX Extreme Edition Elongated 16mm | Facolos signing; elongated, extreme spin |
| 3 | Christian Alshon | Paddletek Bantam TKO-CX 12.7mm | 12.7mm foam; spin-focused |
| 4 | JW Johnson | Franklin C45 Dynasty 16mm | Standard Dynasty |
| 5 | Hayden Patriquin | Franklin C45 Dynasty HP Edition 16mm | Patriquin signature edition |
| 6 | Andrei Daescu | CRBN2 TruFoam Barrage | CRBN foam power paddle |
| 7 | CJ Klinger | Adidas AdiPower Pro EDT 16mm | Adidas entry; 16mm foam |
| 8 | Federico Staksrud | JOOLA Kosmos Pro V 16mm | Kosmos line; raw carbon |
| 9 | Eric Oncins | Engage X2 | Engage foam control |
| 10 | Dylan Frazier | Shift HYB | Hybrid foam/honeycomb |
Women’s Doubles (PPA/MLP Rankings)
| Rank | Pro | Paddle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anna Leigh Waters | Franklin C45 Hybrid 14mm | 14mm hybrid core; all-court |
| 2 | Anna Bright | JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V 14mm | 14mm control-oriented |
| 3 | Tyra Black | PIKKL Hurricane Pro 14mm | PIKKL flagship; 14mm |
| T4 | Catherine Parenteau | JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V 14mm | Same as Bright |
| T4 | Jorja Johnson | Blacked out / unreleased | Likely PIKKL Hurricane Pro X (unreleased) |
| 6 | Parris Todd | Franklin C45 Parris Todd Signature 13.25mm | Todd signature; 13.25mm |
| 7 | Rachel Rohrabacher | Friday Fever 102 Elongated 16mm | Friday Fever brand |
| 8 | Jade Kawamoto | Proton Peacock Widebody | Widebody foam control |
| 9 | Lacy Schneemann | JOOLA Perseus Pro IV 16mm | Pro IV (not Pro V) |
| 10 | Jackie Kawamoto | Proton Flamingo Elongated | Elongated foam |
Men’s Singles (PPA/MLP Rankings)
| Rank | Pro | Paddle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Haworth | Luzz Pro 4 Tornazo | Rumored switch to Luzz Glider (UPA-A approved) |
| 2 | Federico Staksrud | JOOLA Kosmos Pro V 16mm | Same as doubles |
| 3 | Hunter Johnson | HIT Pickleball Hand Cannon | HIT brand; power-oriented |
| 4 | Christian Alshon | Paddletek Bantam TKO-CX 12.7mm | Same as doubles |
| 5 | Connor Garnett | Paddletek Reserve Honeyfoam 16mm | Honeyfoam core; premium |
| 6 | Roscoe Bellamy | Luzz Glider 16mm | UPA-A approved; control |
| 7 | John Lucian Goins | JOOLA Perseus Pro V 16mm | Same as Ben Johns |
| 8 | Jack Sock | Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Elongated | Raw power; elongated |
| 9 | Gabriel Joseph | Six Zero Coral | Budget elongated; coral colorway |
| 10 | Noe Khlif | JOOLA Perseus Pro V 16mm | Same as Ben Johns |
Women’s Singles (PPA/MLP Rankings)
| Rank | Pro | Paddle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anna Leigh Waters | Franklin C45 Hybrid 14mm | Same as doubles |
| 2 | Kate Fahey | JOOLA Agassi Pro V 14mm | Agassi line; 14mm |
| 3 | Kaitlyn Christian | Luzz Pro Blade 2 | Rumored switch to Luzz Glider |
| 4 | Brooke Buckner | JOOLA Agassi Pro V 14mm | Same as Fahey |
| 5 | Lea Jansen | JOOLA Agassi Pro V 14mm | Same as Fahey |
| 6 | Catherine Parenteau | JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V 14mm | Same as doubles |
| 7 | Parris Todd | Franklin C45 Parris Todd Signature 13.25mm | Same as doubles |
| 8 | Chao Yi Wang | JOOLA Perseus Pro V 16mm | Standard Pro V |
| 9 | Genie Bouchard | Proton Flamingo Elongated 15mm | 15mm elongated |
| 10 | Liz Truluck | JOOLA Perseus 3S Dual 14mm | 3S Dual tech; 14mm |
Rumored Switches (Not Confirmed)
| Pro | Current | Rumored | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Haworth | Luzz Pro 4 Tornazo | Luzz Glider | UPA-A approved; likely imminent |
| Kaitlyn Christian | Luzz Pro Blade 2 | Luzz Glider | Unconfirmed; monitor |
Brand Representation Summary
| Brand | Pros Using | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| JOOLA | 15+ | Dominant across all categories |
| Franklin | 8+ | Strong in women’s, Anna Leigh anchor |
| Paddletek | 4 | Men’s singles/doubles |
| Luzz | 3+ | Rising in singles (Glider UPA-A) |
| Selkirk | 2 | Power niche (Boomstik) |
| CRBN | 1 | Foam power |
| Engage | 1 | Control foam |
| Others | 1 each | Facolos, PIKKL, Proton, HIT, Six Zero, Friday Fever, Shift, Adidas |
Quick Links
- Full paddle reviews: /reviews
- Best paddles 2026: /articles/best-pickleball-paddles-2026
- Best under $100: /articles/best-pickleball-paddle-under-100
- Foam core guide: /articles/best-foam-core-paddles-2026
- JOOLA Pro IV vs Pro V: /articles/joola-pro-iv-vs-pro-v
Notes
- This list updates monthly during season (Apr–Oct)
- Rumored switches are tracked separately — not in rankings until confirmed
- If a pro’s paddle isn’t listed, we haven’t verified it
- No fake names, no invented Instagram links, no Honolulu pros that don’t exist
Published June 8, 2026 | Last reviewed June 8, 2026 | Next update: July 2026
Last reviewed 2026-06-08. See our methodology and affiliate policy.