Alexis Nelson

Alexis Nelson traded her Cal Bears tennis racket for a pickleball paddle, and the transition has been a fun ride. A former collegiate tennis player at UC Berkeley (2016-2020), Nelson is now based in San Francisco and competes on the pro pickleball circuit. She's entered events on both the PPA and APP Tours, including the Veolia Sacramento Open and Desert Ridge Open, and has been building her game in women's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

In late 2025, Nelson found her groove in mixed doubles, partnering with Will MacKinnon to reach the quarterfinals at the NVZ Mixed Open and the finals at the NVZ NorCal Showcase. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, she brings the same grit that got her through Big Ten-caliber tennis competition to every pickleball match. At 27, Nelson is still early in her pickleball career with plenty of room to grow, and the Bay Area pickleball community has a rising star to watch.