Ben Johns’ Pickleball Success: For the past two years, Dr. Noe Sariban, a physical therapist known as The Pickleball Doctor, has been a key figure behind the success of Ben Johns, pickleball’s top-ranked star. Sariban travels with Johns from tournament to tournament, ensuring he stays fit and recovers properly after each match.
A Blend of Skill, Science, and Sports Medicine
Dr. Noe Sariban became a licensed physical therapist in 2013 and has a deep background in sports and biomechanics. He first played pickleball at a high level and later combined his knowledge to launch The Pickleball Doctor brand about seven years ago.
“I used to play at the pro level in pickleball and I’m also a Doctor of Physical Therapy, so I combined those things about seven years ago and formed The Pickleball Doctor.” – (sariban)
His firsthand experience in sports has helped him create a unique approach for treating and guiding professional athletes like Johns.
“Being a physical therapist gives me a very good understanding of human biomechanics, so that helps for motion and movement on the court, as well as hitting the ball and using the whole kinetic chamber. That’s a big advantage. My background in sports before my education as a physical therapist came together and helped overall in pickleball.” – (sariban)
A Connection Forged on the Court
Sariban met Ben Johns in 2017 while playing against him in a pickleball match. Though Johns went on to become one of the most dominant figures in the sport, Sariban continued in the physical therapy world.
After their game, Sariban told Johns to reach out if he ever needed help with his physical recovery. Years later, Johns did exactly that, and since then, Sariban has become a vital part of his support team.
Why Pickleball Demands Top Physical Conditioning
Dr. Sariban believes pickleball, especially singles, requires unique physical movement—more intense in some ways than even tennis.
“I think singles pickleball is more strenuous than tennis. I’m not saying that tennis is easier, but from a movement standpoint, the movements are more aggressive and the ball doesn’t bounce as much, which means you have less time to get to the ball.” – (sariban)
“Pickleball is closer to basketball movements than it is to tennis because of the forward, side-to-side, backpedaling, and pivot movements. They’re all more similar to basketball. The difference is that basketball does it over a longer period of time, whereas in pickleball, the singles points average I’d guess somewhere between four to eight seconds, which is a quick turnaround.” – (sariban)
This fast pace puts constant stress on the body, making physical care and recovery essential for players like Johns, who often compete in all five disciplines at professional events.
The Science of Recovery
Dr. Sariban emphasizes that recovery isn’t just important—it’s misunderstood by many athletes.
“Recovery is not very well understood and it’s going to vary from person to person, but generally speaking you want to do some kind of cool down routine. After you’re done playing, you actually continue to do some movement to slowly bring your heart rate down and continue to have blood flow throughout your body. If you just stop and go sit down, it’s okay, but it’s not as good as if you were to keep moving. Getting on a bike, walking, or doing your warmup routine in reverse can be a good cool down.” – (sariban)
He also offered insights into recovery timing during tournaments, where match schedules can be unpredictable.
“At tournaments, players can have weird schedules in terms of how much time they have between matches. There’s not a lot of sports where you play fully, stop for an hour or two, then go back to playing your second match that same day. As much as you can, come down slowly from playing. If you have enough time to stretch, stretch. If not, don’t because you don’t want to stretch too close to playing again. Stretching too close to a match is not great for what’s called power output and your muscles to perform at their best. I’d recommend that if you have more than an hour between your matches, stretch. But if it’s less, I wouldn’t recommend it.” – (sariban)
A Hidden Hero Behind the Scenes
While Ben Johns shines on center court, Dr. Noe Sariban is the steady force helping him stay healthy, sharp, and ready for competition. His understanding of movement, muscle recovery, and court demands gives Johns an edge in one of the fastest-growing sports in America.
With the demands of pro pickleball growing each season, support professionals like Sariban are becoming more essential to the long-term success of elite players. As the sport expands, so too will the role of science-backed fitness in shaping champions.
News in Brief: Ben Johns’ Pickleball Success
Dr. Noe Sariban, also known as The Pickleball Doctor, helps top pro Ben Johns recover and stay fit during tournaments. A former player and physical therapist, Sariban uses his sports science background to guide Johns through intense competition and demanding schedules in all five pickleball disciplines.