The Dink's Top 20 Women's Singles Pickleball Power Rankings

Similar to our Men's Top 20 Power Rankings that dropped earlier this week, there are quite a few newcomers to our latest Top 20 on the women's side since we published our initial Top 20 Women's Singles Power Rankings back in February.

These rankings are a subjective view of the field. I am taking into account a variety of factors:

Recent finishes
PPA points and seedings
APP points
Head-to-head competition

This is NOT a scientific algorithm or an AI bot making picks. Just a guy who watches a LOT of pickleball. APP players are now included in the rankings because we have been able to see them in four events this year.

20. Jill Braverman (Pv. 18) – Braverman has only played three singles events in 2024. She made the Round of 16 in both the PPA Mesa and the APP Delray Beach. In Mesa she got a win over Ava Ignatowich, and in Delray she beat Alia Brown. Braverman needs to play more in order to maintain her Top 20 ranking moving forward.

19. Amanda Hendry (N/R) – Hendry was not in the Power Rankings last time because she exclusively plays APP events and we had only seen her once. Hendry has since made the quarterfinals in both APP Sacramento and APP Miami. In Sacramento, Hendry beat Nicole Eugenio and took Alix Truong to three games. In Miami, Amanda beat Milan Rane and Hannah Blatt. If she can continue to make a few more quarterfinal runs (or better), she will move up the list.

18. Dominique Schaefer (10) – Schaefer hasn’t had the results in 2024 that she enjoyed last year. The last time she medaled in singles was in October at the PPA Las Vegas. Domi hasn't made it past the Round of 16 yet this year. In her most recent tournament – PPA Austin – she got a win over Genie Erokhina, but then lost to Jorja Johnson. She is falling in the rankings until she can make a few runs.

17. Mari Humberg (N/R) – Humberg has played in all four APP events in singles, with her worst finish being 17th. Humberg made two quarterfinal runs in Miami and Delray. In Miami, Humberg beat Daria Walczak and Brooke Revuelta, before losing to Katerina Stewart in three games. Humberg has one of the best backhand flick rolls in the game and consistently hits the ball with so much slice.

16. Shelby Bates (N/R) – Bates is an extremely athletic player who has made three quarterfinals in a row on the APP Tour with wins over Alix Truong, Jill Braverman, and Hannah Blatt. Shelby has gotten unlucky in the draw, usually being matched up against Megan Fudge. If she is able to get a little luckier with the seedings, she may find herself in the semis soon on the APP Tour.

15. Liz Truluck (14) – Truluck is on the PPA Tour and has made the Round of 16 in five of the six events, even making the quarterfinals once. Liz has wins over Linwei Kong, Allyce Jones (twice), and Brooke Revuelta, and has an impressive loss to Judit Castillo in three games. If Truluck gets hot and makes another big run with a win over a big name, she could move up.

14. Lacy Schneemann (13) – Lacy has had a very up-and-down year in 2024 in singles. She has lost three times in the Round of 32, but also made the quarterfinals in Austin. Her best win this year was over Lina Padegimaite in the Round of 16 in Austin. Lacy is streaky and seems to be playing a little more confidently as of late.

13. Lauren Stratman (12) – Lauren had a rough start to the season with two losses in the Round of 32. Since then, she has made two quarterfinal runs and two Rounds of 16. Stratman has ridiculously good ground strokes from both sides, but doesn't get to the line as much as some of the other ladies on tour. Her ability to produce consistent results is what is keeping Lauren in the top 15.

12. Lina Padegimaite (7) – Lina is tall and athletic and her lateral quickness at the kitchen line is elite. She has made the quarterfinals twice this year along with a semifinal run at PPA Indoor Championships in Minnesota. On her way to the fourth-place finish in Minnesota, Lina beat Kaitlyn Christian and Lauren Stratman. This past weekend she also beat Alix Truong and Lacy Schneemann.

11. Jorja Johnson (16) – Jorja has been very hit or miss this year in singles. When she is on, she is on. She won APP Sacramento and got fourth at PPA Austin. However, she was ousted in the Round of 16 in the other four events she played in. With wins over Judit Castillo, Megan Fudge, and Catherine Parenteau this year, Jorja has proven she can beat nearly anyone in the game. She just needs more consistency to move higher in the rankings.

10. Brooke Buckner (6) – Buckner started the year hot, winning a bronze medal at The Masters. While she doesn't have another medal this year on the PPA Tour, she also hasn't missed the quarterfinals. With wins over Kaitlyn Christian, Liz Truluck, Jorja Johnson, Mary Brascia, and Lacy Schneemann this year, Buckner has been consistent. The only way Brooke moves up is if she continues to make quarterfinals AND makes a semifinal or two.

9. Parris Todd (11) – Parris started the year off a little shaky, but now has back-to-back medals on the PPA Tour. She earned a silver at the PPA Indoor Championships and a bronze at PPA Austin. Parris has a blended mix of many players in her singles game. She can hit ground strokes well from both sides if that is what is needed, but she can also be hyper-aggressive and get to the kitchen line if that is what's required on a given day. Her mental game is also one of the strongest in pickleball – she has made some amazing comebacks when the pressure was on.

8. Kaitlyn Christian (9) – Christian has earned a bronze medal and a silver medal this year on the PPA Tour. She has never missed the Round of 16. Kaitlyn has beaten Salome Devidze, Brooke Buckner (twice), Parris Todd, and Lacy Schneemann this year, proving she can hang with the best of the best. She is one of the most athletic movers on the female side of pickleball and loves getting to the kitchen line in singles.

7. Mary Brascia (3) – Mary had two big silver medal runs early in the year in the two Arizona events. Since then, she lost in the Round of 16 and lost in the quarterfinals. She drops a few spaces not because her play has been bad, but there have been more APP events, and I added in Megan Fudge and Judit Castillo to the rankings. Mary could easily make a semifinal run in April and move back up.

6. Salome Devidze (5) – Devidze's worst finish this year was 12th at Desert Ridge. She won the PPA Indoor Championships – sure Anna Leigh skipped that one – but a win is a win. She had to beat both Catherine Parenteau and Parris Todd in thrilling three-game matches that came down to the wire. While she isn't the fastest player on tour, her groundstrokes are very precise and she has a great mental game.

5. Megan Fudge (N/R) – Fudge has either gotten first or second on the APP Tour in every event this year. She won the APP Miami Open and got second at every other event. Fudge moves well, is a presence at the kitchen line, and has a really strong mental game. With Castillo playing MLP and Fudge opting out, I think Fudge will have more APP titles than Castillo by the end of the year.

4. Lea Jansen (4) – We love to see Jansen playing a full singles schedule again and performing at a high level. Jansen has two bronze medals this year - one in Mesa and another this past weekend in North Carolina. She got fourth at The Masters and PPA Desert Ridge – so she is right there – but just hasn't gotten to Championship Sunday yet this year. With her consistent level of play, it's only a matter of time before we see Lea back competing on Sundays for titles.

3. Judit Castillo (8) – Judit has three wins on tour this year and moved up significantly since our last rankings. Castillo is unique in that she plays both APP and PPA events, and she is the only woman on tour this year who has wins on both tours. She won APP Punta Gorda and APP Delray Beach this last weekend. In the Austin PPA, Castillo was able to beat Kaitlyn Christian in the final. Judit is probably the fastest female on tour when it comes to pickleball speed.

2. Catherine Parenteau (2) – Catherine hasn't missed the quarterfinals this year in six events. She has three medals on the PPA Tour this year, only second to Anna Leigh Waters. Catherine has the speed and quickness to get to a lot of balls other players cannot and has great groundstrokes from both sides.

1. Anna Leigh Waters (1) – Anna Leigh has not lost a singles event this year. She is 5-for-5 in gold medals. She has beaten Catherine in two gold-medal matches, most recently at PPA North Carolina. She is very much the women's singles GOAT.