Rise of Taller Players in Pickleball Championships: In recent PPA tournaments, taller players have been dominating Men’s Doubles finals. Since 2024, 17 of the 19 championship teams have featured at least one player over six feet tall, with the trend continuing in early 2025. This shift is raising questions about the role of height in pickleball success.
Shift Towards Taller Players
In 2024, the tournament results have shown a clear tendency for taller teams to win. Out of 32 Men’s Doubles finals, 11 titles were claimed by teams where both players were over six feet tall, 13 by teams with one player over six feet and one under, and 8 by teams with both players under six feet. Interestingly, the number of titles won by shorter teams has dropped sharply from six in the first half of 2024 to zero by April 2025.
Dominance in Recent Tournaments
The trend became particularly evident after the Kansas City tournament in August 2024, where 17 of the next 19 championship teams had at least one player taller than six feet. Six of the last nine tournaments have been won by teams with both players over six feet tall.
Height in the 2025 Red Rock Open
The Red Rock Open in March 2025 continued this pattern, with every male gold medalist standing at least six feet tall, including Hunter Johnson in Singles, Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu in Doubles, and Dekel Bar in Mixed Doubles. The North Carolina Open also featured the tallest Singles final ever, with Gabe Tardio and Roscoe Bellamy battling it out.
The growing dominance of taller players could impact how future teams approach competition and training. It remains to be seen if this trend will continue, or if shorter players will find ways to adjust their strategies to compete at the highest level.
News in Brief: Rise of Taller Players in Pickleball Championships
Since 2024, taller players have dominated Men’s Doubles finals in PPA tournaments. By April 2025, teams with both players over six feet tall have won the last six tournaments, suggesting height could be an important factor in success on the court.
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