Good morning, pickleballers!
Nearly the end of the week, and then you can spend your weekend playing the greatest game in the world.
Before we get cracking with today’s pickleball news, the January issue of World Pickleball Magazine is now live and free to read. Explore global stories from Türkiye, Poland, Italy, Japan, India, Pakistan, and more, alongside wider coverage of governance, refereeing, and how the sport is developing worldwide.
If you enjoy it, please share it with your pickleball friends and communities. You can also follow @worldpickleballmagazine on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the World Pickleball Podcast on Spotify, iTunes, and many other major podcast platforms.
In the latest episode, which you can listen to below, Chris Beaumont speaks to the Picklebros about content creation and their journey in Pickleball.
Here’s the latest pickleball news from around the world.
Making a Splash: Floating Pickleball Court Debuts at Toronto International Boat Show
Toronto, Canada – The 68th annual Toronto International Boat Show is set to make waves this month, introducing a unique twist to its aquatic lineup: a floating pickleball court on the world’s largest indoor lake. From January 17 to 25, the Enercare Centre will host North America’s largest indoor boat show, where the ice rink inside the Coca-Cola Coliseum will be transformed into an expansive indoor lake to host marine innovators, retailers, and now, pickleball enthusiasts.
Organisers have announced that this year’s festival will feature the sport for the first time, offering visitors the chance to “smash, dink, or rally” on a full-sized floating court. “Serving up fun, the Toronto Boat Show is the only place to play pickleball on a full-sized floating court on the world’s largest indoor lake,” the show’s team stated. While equipment will be provided, eager players are welcome to bring their own paddles for friendly competition on the water.
Beyond pickleball, the indoor lake will host a variety of aquatic activities. The schedule includes standup paddleboard races on January 17 and a remote control sailing regatta from January 20 to 22. Attendees can also enjoy “glow in the dark” and “sunset golden hour” boating experiences, paddling clear kayaks and canoes illuminated by LED lights.
The festival also marks the 20th anniversary of the Paddling Film Festival, kicking off its 2026 World Tour with a premiere on January 22. For thrill-seekers, the closing weekend will feature the seventh annual indoor wakeboard Canadian championships, where professional and amateur riders will compete for cash prizes. Tickets for the event are available online, with adult admission priced at $26.
From Skits to Sponsorships: Friday Pickleball Signs Rachel Rohrabacher as First Pro Athlete
Palm Springs, USA – Friday Pickleball, the brand that skyrocketed to fame through viral content and community engagement, has officially entered the professional arena by signing Rachel Rohrabacher as its first-ever sponsored athlete. The announcement, made on January 9, 2026, marks a significant pivot for the company, which was founded by content creators Jake Triplett, Isaac McDonald, and Scott Peck in 2023.
Rohrabacher, a top-tier talent ranked No. 5 in women’s doubles and No. 7 in mixed doubles on the PPA Tour, will debut as a Friday athlete at the upcoming PPA Masters. “We are so unbelievably excited to have Rachel on the Friday team,” said co-founder Jake Triplett. “Getting to see her compete against the best in the world with a Friday paddle is going to be surreal”.
Rohrabacher, who earned 10 PPA medals in 2025 and is a nominee for “Women’s Player of the Year,” previously signed with Selkirk in late 2023. She will initially compete using the brand’s new “Friday Fever 102E,” an elongated paddle featuring dual-edge foam and interior rubber weighting. However, the company has teased the development of a signature all-foam paddle for Rohrabacher, dubbed the “Aura,” which is currently in the works.
This signing signals Friday Pickleball’s transition from a fun-loving media brand known for skits involving frying pans and inflatable suits to a serious equipment manufacturer challenging established giants like JOOLA and Franklin. The brand gained credibility among advanced players following the launch of their Gen-3 Fever paddle in May 2025. Friday Pickleball also hinted that Rohrabacher is just the beginning, with a top men’s pro set to join the roster later this weekend.
Homegrown Talent: Michael Loyd Appointed Head of Development for Texas Ranchers Academy
Austin, USA – The Texas Ranchers have strengthened their commitment to player growth by naming Michael Loyd as the new Head of Development for the Texas Ranchers Academy. In an announcement made on Friday, January 9, 2026, the organisation revealed that Loyd will lead the vision and curriculum for the team’s player development pipeline.
Loyd is already a familiar face within the Ranchers organisation. He was selected 26th overall by the team in the 2025 Premier level draft and posted a perfect 2-0 record before being traded to the California Black Bears mid-season. Despite his current roster spot with California, Loyd expressed enthusiasm for his new developmental role in Texas. “Stoked to be leading the Texas Ranchers Academy Program,” Loyd stated. “All-in on pickleball and helping make Texas the center of talent development in this growing game”.
The appointment comes at a time of rapid expansion for the Academy. Virginia Reyna, the Ranchers’ Head of Community, highlighted the program’s explosive growth, noting that it went from hosting a single team tryout last April to sending 17 teams to the MiLP Nationals by December. “This weekend we’ll welcome over 100 players to our Austin tryout,” Reyna said, adding that the program plans to expand into Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio next month.
This move underscores the Texas Ranchers’ strategy to build a robust local pickleball community where players feel “welcomed, supported, and proud,” solidifying Texas as a major hub for the sport’s future talent.
Season Opener: New Partnerships and Rising Stars Take Centre Stage at Carvana Masters
Rancho Mirage, USA – The 2026 Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour season officially launches this Monday with The Carvana Masters powered by Invited, held at the prestigious Mission Hills Country Club. As the first major event of the year, the tournament promises a fresh landscape of competition defined by shaken-up partnerships, the debut of crossover stars, and a surge of young talent.
The off-season has brought significant changes to the men’s doubles bracket. While dominant pairs like Gabe Tardio/Ben Johns and CJ Klinger/JW Johnson remain intact, other top players have reconfigured their alliances. Notable new teams include Hayden Patriquin moving to the left side to pair with Christian Alshon, and Federico Staksrud joining forces with Andrei Daescu.
A major storyline for this event is the PPA debut of Will Howells. After dominating the APP Tour and Minor League Pickleball, the top-10 talent enters the PPA arena without ranking points, forcing him into a challenging path as the No. 71 seed in singles. He faces a potential “welcome to the PPA” match against No. 2 Federico Staksrud in the Round of 64. Howells will also team up with Noe Khlif in men’s doubles and Rachel Rohrabacher in mixed doubles.
The “youth movement” will also be in full effect, with numerous teenage players seeded in the main draws. This includes 17-year-old Will MacKinnon partnering with Riley Newman, and the women’s doubles pair of 12-year-old Elsie Hendershot and 16-year-old Ella Cosma.
In the women’s field, analysts are watching for the emergence of a “Big Four” dominance similar to the men’s division in 2025. Top seeds Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright lead a formidable bracket that includes the Johnson/Black and Parenteau/Rohrabacher pairings. Predictions for the tournament favour a Waters/Bright victory in women’s doubles and a potential clash between Staksrud/Daescu and Patriquin/Alshon in the men’s semifinals.
Chris Beaumont
Founder and Editor-in-ChiefChris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at…
View All Articles →
