JOOLA announced their entrance to the pickleball industry on Friday by naming Ben Johns as their headliner pro and dropping twelve paddle options, a ball, and other accessories. The #1 player in the world in all three divisions, Johns left Franklin Sports to work with JOOLA after his previous contract expired April 1st, 2022. A former high-level table tennis player with a rating near 1900, Johns collaborated with JOOLA to design a custom signature paddle, engineered from the latest technology and built to match his exact specifications.
“JOOLA wants to bring pickleball to the largely untapped market in Asia, something I am passionate about, and is dedicated to helping me craft the perfect paddle,” said Ben Johns about the new partnership. “Add to that JOOLA’s expertise in all things table tennis, a sport that was integral to the development of my pickleball game, and it’s the perfect match for me.”
JOOLA has also signed top pros Chuck Taylor, Allyce Jones, Rachel Rettger, and Eric White to its roster and is eager to continue building its name in pickleball. Rumor has it that we may get to see a table tennis vs. pickleball special event for pros in the not-so-distant future, as well as additional product and apparel releases from JOOLA as the year unfolds.ABOUT THE PPA TOUR: The Professional Pickleball Association is the professional tour for the sport of pickleball, organizing events and rankings for the top male and female pickleball players in the world and awarding almost $3 million in annual prize money. With more than 20 events in 2022 at world-class facilities like the Linder Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati and the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, the PPA Tour is the premier provider of professional and amateur events. The PPA Tour’s broadcast partners include FOX Sports, Tennis Channel, CBS Sports, and ESPN. Founded in 2018 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the PPA Tour provides an unparalleled experience for all, inviting players to compete and “play where the pros play,” as well as offering unrivaled venues, food/beverages, live DJ entertainment, VIP experiences, giveaways and games, pro player meet-and-greets, shopping, vendors, and more. For more information, go to www.ppatour.com.
ABOUT JOOLA: JOOLA has been a pioneer in table tennis since its establishment in 1952. In 2022, its expansion into pickleball quickly attracted the biggest names in the sport. As an official table tennis sponsor for three Summer Games and the sponsor of the PPA Tour and top athletes in pickleball, the team at JOOLA combines its expertise with fresh perspectives to bring synergy and innovation to both sports. JOOLA creates a variety of equipment, apparel, and accessories for table tennis and pickleball players, both professional and recreational. JOOLA is based in Rockville, MD and is owned by Sport Squad, Inc. Learn more about JOOLA and see why the sport’s best are joining Team JOOLA by visiting joolausa.com.
Media Contacts: Hannah Johns PPA Tour PR/Broadcasting [email protected]
Thomas Nguyen JOOLA Senior VP of Marketing [email protected]