Matt Wright

Matt Wright is a veteran pro who proves you don't need to quit your day job to dominate on the pickleball court. A corporate attorney in Wichita, Kansas, Wright balances legal briefs with backhand dinks, having transitioned from college tennis at the University of Michigan to pickleball around 2016. He's a four-time USA National Champion, seven-time U.S. Open Champion, and two-time Tournament of Champions gold medalist. His long-running mixed doubles partnership with Lucy Kovalova has produced some of the most consistent results on the PPA Tour, where he's racked up 73 total medals.

Wright's path to pickleball started in the most grassroots way possible: his friends made a makeshift game with wooden paddles and a deflated tennis ball. That backyard experiment turned into a full-blown competitive career, with Wright climbing as high as No. 1 in men's doubles and No. 3 in mixed doubles. With over 250 career wins and counting, he's proof that the sport rewards athletes who combine elite racquet skills with relentless consistency.