Pickleball World Championships Draws Record 60,000 Fans, Sets New Bar for Pro Pickleball
The PPA Tour's 2025 Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships breaks attendance, participation, and viewership records for pro pickleball
The 2025 Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championship didn't just return to Brookhaven Country Club — it blew the doors off every expectation.
More than 60,000 fans poured into Farmers Branch, Texas, generating more than $1.1 million in ticket and hospitality revenue, all to witness 18-year-old Anna Leigh Waters cement herself as the sport's undisputed GOAT. With a dominant triple-crown performance, Waters collected her 168th career title, becoming the winningest player in Carvana PPA Tour history, surpassing friend and longtime mixed-doubles partner Ben Johns.
The amateur ranks were just as staggering. Nearly all 50 states and 38 countries were represented among a record 4,400 competitors, who battled through more than 6,000 matches in what has become the world's largest pickleball festival.
Viewership and Media Footprint at the Pickleball World Championship
Viewership soared, too.
- PickleballTV logged a record 70 million minutes watched
- Social platforms racked up 54 million impressions
- Earned media reached a staggering 1.2 billion potential viewers — up 50% from last year
This was the 100th PPA event and it was a remarkable showcase of how much we've grown, said PPA Tour Founder and CEO Connor Pardoe, who watched crowds pack Pickleball Boulevard and Nature's Sunshine Championship Court all week.
"We feel confident in saying that the 2025 edition of the Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships was the most extraordinary tournament in pro pickleball history.”
The two-week spectacle opened with the Edward Jones MLP Cup, where the St. Louis Shock, led by Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin, edged the hometown Dallas Flash in a heavyweight showdown.
Finally, the debut Adidas Collegiate World Championships crowned Utah Tech as the inaugural global collegiate champions.
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From juniors to wheelchair athletes, military veterans to first responders, every corner of the sport had its moment. Wednesday's Celebrity Pickleball Showdown added star power with Dirk Nowitzki, J.D. Martinez, Terrell Owens, and Tfue battling alongside Waters, Ben Johns, and Anna Bright.
The final weekend capped things off with the PPA Challenger Showdown, where rising prospects fought for coveted Carvana PPA Tour contracts. Need some new pickleball gear? Get 20% off select paddles, shoes, and more with code THEDINK at Midwest Racquet Sports.
Results, Breakdown and Analysis
The PPA Tour's pickleball world championship in Dallas delivered exactly what pickleball fans crave: drama, controversy, incredible athleticism, and yes, actual tears of joy.
With 3,000 ranking points on the line, this wasn't just another tournament. This was the sport's first true grand slam moment, complete with nightly concerts, celebrity exhibitions, and packed stands that made you feel like you were watching something genuinely significant.
The World Number One Showdown at the Pickleball World Championship
Federico Staksrud and Hunter Johnson were locked in a points race for the world number one ranking heading into Dallas, and whoever advanced further in the draw would claim the crown. That tension rippled through the entire tournament.
Staksrud, who'd been struggling in singles throughout 2025 after dominating in 2024, made a statement by playing exclusively on the right side in men's doubles for the first time. The move paid off spectacularly.
He and partner Hayden Patriquin upset Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio in the semifinals, snapping their six-tournament winning streak and handing them their first loss in months. Read more: How Fed Staksrud's Right-Side Gamble Paid Off and Reinvented a Winning Doubles Team
The Dink Media Team
Later, Staksrud defeated Connor Garnett in singles to reclaim the world number one ranking from Johnson.
But here's what made it special: after the doubles victory, Staksrud got emotional.
"It's been a tough year in doubles," he said, his voice cracking. "I work so hard for this and I'm just so happy that we get to do this with Hayden. So much respect for Ben and Gabe. They're great players and I just love this game and I love this sport."
That's the kind of authenticity that makes you remember why you care about sports in the first place.
Anna Leigh's Quest for History at the Pickleball World Championship
Meanwhile, Anna Leigh Waters was on the cusp of something historic. She had a chance to surpass Ben Johns' record of 167 gold medals if she could triple crown — win singles, doubles, and mixed. The narrative was compelling, the stakes were real, and the pressure was immense.
Waters delivered. She extended her singles win streak to 19 tournaments and 89 consecutive matches, surpassing Johns' gold medal count in the process. Waters has consistently been featured on ESPN's SportsCenter for her record-breaking dominance throughout 2025.
In the women's singles final against Kate Fahey, she won relatively easily in game one, but game two was an absolute battle. The championship point? Probably the best one you'll see all year. Waters' dominance at this level is almost unfair, but that's what makes her so captivating to watch. Read the full Anna Leigh Waters Surpasses Ben Johns in Titles, While Hayden and Fed Win Gold recap.
Erik Tice
Waters Cements Her Legacy as the Top Pro Pickleball Player
Her triple crown wasn't just a stat line — it was a statement. As Sports Illustrated has documented pickleball's rapid ascent, the sport's top stars are now routinely competing for the kinds of stakes that command mainstream attention.
Waters is the standard-bearer for what pro pickleball excellence looks like. Her ability to dominate singles, doubles, and mixed in the same week — at the sport's biggest tournament — is simply unprecedented.
The Numbers Behind Waters' Historic Pro Pickleball Season
- 168 career gold medals, most in PPA Tour history
- 89 consecutive singles match wins
- 19 consecutive tournament wins in singles
- A triple crown at the sport's premier event for the third straight year
No other player in pro pickleball history has put together a run like this. The conversation around who is the greatest of all time is no longer a debate.
What This Tournament Meant for Pro Pickleball
The PPA Tour's stricter standards and growing production value were on full display throughout the event. The crowds were bigger, the stakes felt more real, and the entire week created an atmosphere that set a new bar for professional pickleball tournaments.
From nightly concerts to celebrity pro-ams to "Pickleball Boulevard," Dallas created an environment that felt less like a tournament and more like a festival of sport. For fans who have followed pickleball's journey from niche pastime to national phenomenon, this was a milestone moment.
The 2025 Dink Awards will capture how historic this year was from every angle. This event only amplifies what was already an extraordinary season for the sport.
"We came back to Brookhaven this year in anticipation of putting on the largest, greatest event the pickleball world has ever known," said Pardoe. "And we did just that."
Whether you're a beginner just learning the fundamentals or a seasoned competitor tracking the latest pro paddle deals, the 2025 Pickleball World Championship made one thing undeniably clear: this sport is no longer on the rise; it has arrived.
Frequently Asked Questions
What records did the 2025 Pickleball World Championship break?
The 2025 Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championship set records across every major metric. Over 60,000 fans attended, more than 4,400 amateur competitors participated, and PickleballTV logged a record 70 million minutes of viewing.
Who won the 2025 Pickleball World Championship?
Anna Leigh Waters claimed the triple crown, winning the women's singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles titles. Her win gave her 168 career PPA Tour gold medals, making her the all-time winningest player in tour history.
Who won the world number one men's ranking at the 2025 Pickleball World Championship?
Federico Staksrud reclaimed the world number one singles ranking after defeating Connor Garnett. He and Hayden Patriquin also won the men's doubles gold medal, defeating the previously dominant team of Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio.
What was the significance of Anna Leigh Waters' triple crown at this pro pickleball event?
Waters surpassed Ben Johns' record of 167 career gold medals, making her the most decorated player in Carvana PPA Tour history. Her singles win also extended her consecutive match win streak to 89, spanning 19 straight tournament victories.
Where was the 2025 Pickleball World Championship held?
The tournament took place at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, from November 3 through November 10, 2025. The venue hosted the full two-week event, which included both the Edward Jones MLP Cup and the PPA pro draws.
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