What Paddles Do the Pros Overseas Use? The World's Top Players × Their Brand Deals [July 2026 Edition | International]

I'm Coach Yoshi. Welcome to What Paddles Do the Pros Use? (hub article) — this is the international edition. Here I line up about 40 of the world's top tour players, naming names brand by brand.

One promise before we start. Pro contracts really do change all the time. That is why this article lists only what I could confirm at the primary source — each brand's official team page, PPA/MLP player profiles, the players' own social accounts, and reliable overseas trackers from 2026 — presented as it stood in July 2026. Where a player's model has not been made public, I say so plainly: not disclosed. Please read this one as a living document.

JOOLA | The Strongest Force on Tour Right Now

First up is JOOLA, a clear step ahead of the field on momentum right now. On the 2026 PPA Tour it is reported to have led every paddle brand in medals won, and its roster of marquee names runs deep. For a closer look at the brand, see the JOOLA brand guide.

The face of the brand needs no introduction: world No.1 Ben Johns. The Elongated version of his signature Perseus is the paddle JOOLA is known for. It is also fun that there is an Agassi line built with tennis legend Andre Agassi.

Franklin | The Brand That Landed the Women's World No.1

The biggest shock of 2026 came from Franklin. They pulled women's world No.1 Anna Leigh Waters away from Paddletek, her home for years. For the details, see the Franklin brand guide.

Selkirk | Trimming Its Pro Roster a Little in 2026

Selkirk is the established name with the No.1 share in North America (and yes, we are an authorized distributor too). After JOOLA took its marquee man McGuffin in 2024, Selkirk has narrowed its pro roster somewhat in 2026.

Tennis convert Jack Sock (former world No.8) is the headline name. Having a top-level crossover from tennis as the face of the brand feels like the steady, dependable Selkirk we know.

CRBN | A Deep Squad of Genuine Contenders

CRBN is the brand you know from the numbers in its model names. Its team is stacked with players who have won titles.

Starting with former ATP player Daescu, that international mix is a big part of CRBN's appeal.

Paddletek | Absorbing the Old ProXR Camp and Rebuilding

Paddletek is one of the original brands (brand guide). It is mid-transition to a new line in 2026, so a fair number of players' signature model numbers have yet to be announced.

Other Brands Worth Watching

• ProKennex: fronted by touch specialist Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), a former world No.1 in racquetball. His signature is the Black Ace LG.
• Vatic Pro: a value-focused newcomer. Husband and wife Brandon Lane (USA) and Glauka Carvajal Lane (Spain) both play the V-Sol Pro V7.

The Pros on the Brands We Carry

While we are here, let me also cover the players on the two brands we carry at Pickleball Lab as an authorized distributor.

Engage (Japan's sole authorized distributor)

Brazil's Oncins moved from JOOLA to Engage in 2026. Former WTA player Irvine is on a long-term contract. For the model lineup, see Engage Paddles: All Models Explained.

Six Zero (an authorized distributor in Japan)

Six Zero strengthened its team in one big push in 2026. Devilliers and Hovenier were both seen switching from the Black Opal to the Coral family during the season. For the models, see Six Zero Paddle All Models Explained.

The Best Story of All: The Player Who Chooses JOOLA With No Contract

To finish, the story I found most interesting while researching this. Catherine Parenteau, one of the greatest women's players of all time, saw her Selkirk contract expire in February 2026, and since then she has played the JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V purely by her own choice, without a contract with any paddle maker (her own official sponsor list includes no paddle company, and JOOLA's official site states that she is unaffiliated).

A top player going out of her way to pick a paddle with no money involved. To me, that speaks louder about performance than anything else could.

Summary: The Right Paddle for You Beats the Right Brand

Broadly, the overseas power map is concentrated around JOOLA, Franklin, Selkirk, CRBN and Paddletek — that is the view in July 2026. But as Parenteau's story shows, the pros using it does not make it the best paddle. Pros are on another level in fitness and swing speed. Their right answer is not necessarily yours.

So what I always tell people is to choose on whether it suits your level and playing style, not on star names or rankings. For the fundamentals of choosing, see The Complete Pickleball Paddle Buyer's Guide, and to compare brands side by side, see A Thorough Comparison of the Major Pickleball Brands.

For Japan's pros, I have put it all together in the Japan edition. Well worth a read alongside this one.

🇯🇵 Read the Japan pros edition →

← Back to the hub article

References

1. Team JOOLA official roster
2. JOOLA — Leading all paddle brands in 2026 PPA medals (Parenteau mentioned)
3. Team Selkirk official / International Team
4. CRBN Pro Team official
5. Franklin × Anna Leigh Waters long-term deal (pickleball.com)
6. Catherine Parenteau official site — Sponsors
7. The Kitchen — 2026 pro paddle tracker
8. The Dink — 2026 paddle deal tracker