Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP)

Latest News of Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP)

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP), established in 2019 by industry veteran Ken Herrmann, stands as the trailblazing USA Pickleball-sanctioned professional-amateur tour that hosts over 30 year-round events worldwide, seamlessly integrating elite pros, senior pros, Next Gen juniors, collegiate teams, and everyday amateurs in singles, doubles, and mixed divisions, with more than $2 million in annual prize money amplified by national broadcasts on CBS Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports.

Origins, Founders, and Early Days

Ken Herrmann, a pickleball promoter with deep tournament experience, founded the APP amid the sport’s 2010s surge following the U.S. Open’s growth. Launching as the “Association of Pickleball Professionals,” it debuted with six U.S. events in 2019, partnering immediately with PickleballTournaments.com for seamless online registration, scoring, and operations—a game-changer for scalability. By securing USA Pickleball sanctioning in 2020, APP became the first official pro tour, distinguishing itself from unsanctioned rivals. The 2022 rebrand to “Association of Pickleball Players” reflected its inclusive ethos, opening doors for amateurs to share courts with pros. Early milestones included COVID-resilient hybrid events and the 2021 Next Gen Series launch for under-19 talent.

Explosive Growth and Key Milestones

APP’s trajectory mirrors pickleball’s boom:

  • 2020: Pivoted to virtual qualifiers/hybrids amid pandemic; first pro-am majors in Texas/Florida.

  • 2021: 15 events; $500K prizes; collegiate pilot.

  • 2022: 30+ stops, $2M payouts; full Next Gen/Collegiate Series.

  • 2023: International debuts (Malaysia, Japan); Golden Ticket program for USAP Nationals qualification.

  • 2024: 13 televised nationals; 50K+ total entrants.

  • 2025: Record viewership; global alliance with 9 organizations.

  • 2026: Pinnacle year—30+ events across 4 continents, 4-tier structure (Majors, Opens, Regionals, Internationals), new venues like Detroit and Louisville.

Growth fueled by pro-am model (pros inspire amateurs), youth focus, and media deals.

Comprehensive 2026 Schedule

Month Flagship Events Location Highlights
Jan Collegiate Series TX/NJ; Next Gen Kickoff Dallas/Austin School teams, juniors
Feb APP Mesa Open; AARP Senior Pro Series Mesa, AZ PPA crossover; 50+/60+
Mar Fort Lauderdale Major; Seattle Super Seniors FL/WA Golden Tickets (Boise/Opelika)
Apr Sacramento Open; Southern California Classic CA West Coast pro-am
May Virginia Beach Regional; Cincinnati Heartland VA/OH Midwest/East expansion
Jun Vlasic Pickleball Classic; Chicago Lakeside IL/IL Summer majors
Jul Next Gen St. Louis; MLP overlap events MO Youth showcase
Aug–Sep Detroit Motor City Open; Louisville Bluegrass MI/KY New markets
Oct–Dec Malaysia/England Internationals; Tour Championships Asia/Europe/FL Global finale ($100K+ purse)

Entry: Online via PickleballTournaments.com; fees $50–$150/division.

APP Tour Championship Winners (2019–2025)

Year Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
2019 Ben Johns Simone Jardim Ben Johns / Kyle Yates Simone Jardim / Corrine Carr Ben Johns / Simone Jardim
2020 Ben Johns Simone Jardim Ben Johns / Kyle Yates Simone Jardim / Corrine Carr Ben Johns / Simone Jardim
2021 JW Johnson Lea Jansen JW Johnson / Dylan Frazier Lea Jansen / Lucy Kovalova JW Johnson / Jorja Johnson
2022 JW Johnson Lea Jansen JW Johnson / JW Johnson Lea Jansen / Lucy Kovalova JW Johnson / Jorja Johnson
2023 Christopher Haworth Jorja Johnson Andrei Daescu / Rob Nunnery Lea Jansen / Jorja Johnson Andrei Daescu / Lea Jansen
2024 Christopher Haworth Megan Fudge Andrei Daescu / Rob Nunnery Megan Fudge / Jillian Braverman Jack Munro / Megan Fudge
2025 Ryler DeHeart Seone Mendez Jack Munro / Will Howells Shelby Bates / Sofia Sewing Bobbi Oshiro / Will Howells

Notable Multi-Title APP Champions

Several players have repeatedly won titles across different categories:

  • Ben Johns – one of the dominant early APP stars, winning multiple singles and doubles titles.

  • Simone Jardim – early women’s champion with several doubles and mixed titles.

  • JW Johnson – leading men’s player during the early 2020s.

  • Lea Jansen – multiple championships in women’s singles and doubles.

  • Andrei Daescu – dominant men’s doubles player in recent seasons.

  • Christopher Haworth – consistent men’s singles champion in the mid-2020s.

2025 Year-End Rankings Leaders:

  • Men’s Singles: Jack Munro

  • Women’s Singles: Megan Fudge

  • Men’s Doubles: Munro/Howells

  • Women’s Doubles: Bates/Sewing

  • Mixed: Sewing/Howells
    Points formula: Event tier weighting + wins/finishes.

Standouts: Jorja Johnson’s 2024 Triple Crown; Munro’s 10+ golds.

Exhaustive Rules and Event Formats (2026)

Foundation: USAP 2026 Rulebook (rally to 11/15/21 win-by-2; drop serve; 7-ft kitchen no-volley).
APP-Specific:

  • Balls: Onix Pure 2 Outdoor (26 holes).

  • Warmups: 4 min court-side (pros); 5 min shared pro-am.

  • Timeouts: 2/game (60 sec) + 1 injury (15 min).

  • Protests: $50 fee (referee review).

Division/Event Structure (5–8 guaranteed games):

  • Pro/Open (Gold/Silver/Bronze):

    • 4–8 team pools: Round-robin 1 game to 15 (win-by-2).

    • Quarterfinals: 1 to 15.

    • Semis: Best-of-3 to 11 (1st)/15 (2nd+).

    • Finals: Best-of-3 to 11/15.

  • Amateur (5.0–3.0+): 4-team pools → consolation bracket; medals.

  • Senior Pro (50+/60+/70+): Shorter pools (3 games min); same scoring.

  • Next Gen (U19/U16): Age pools; progression to pro path.

  • Collegiate: Team/individual; NCAA-style.
    Seeding/Ties: Record > H2H record > points diff > DUPR rating > draw.
    Prizes: Majors $10K–$25K singles ($50K doubles); amateurs trophies/gear.

Global Alliances, Rankings, and Media

Alliance: 9 partners (APP Asia/Europe/Australia); unified global rankings.
Rankings: Live points (majors=3x opens); categories reset yearly.
Broadcast: 13 nationals (CBS/ESPN/FOX); APPTV 100% streams.

Why APP Matters

APP’s pro-am fusion—pros vs. amateurs same weekend—democratizes access, inspires via USAP sanctioning (Golden Tickets to Nationals), builds pipelines (Next Gen → pros). 2026 global scale challenges PPA/MLP; $2M+ purses sustain careers (Munro $200K+). Rankings/TV create stars, accelerating pickleball from niche to $2B industry powerhouse.