Professional pickleball player Brooke Buckner has built one of the most inspiring careers in the sport. In a recent interview on ‘The Kitchen Pickleball’ YouTube channel, the world No. 4 women’s singles player spoke about her journey from junior tennis and motherhood to becoming one of the best singles players in pickleball.
She also opened up about her close match against Anna Leigh Waters, the advice she has received from Andre Agassi, and why she hopes to inspire other mothers to chase their dreams.
Before switching to pickleball, Buckner enjoyed a successful tennis career. She competed in three of the four junior Grand Slams before playing Division I tennis at the University of Michigan. Although she once dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player, her coach encouraged her to take the college route instead. “I had a really, really good coach that was honest. He encouraged me to go to college and I wouldn’t change anything,” she said. After graduating, she coached at Yale and UNC Charlotte before stepping away from the sport after her son was born in March 2020.
Life changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Buckner found herself at home raising her family. It was her mother who pushed her to get back into competition. “My mom forced me basically. She’s like, ‘You need to do something for yourself. You have to get out of the house,'” Buckner said. She picked up a pickleball paddle without expecting much, but the sport quickly became a new career.
Today, Buckner is known for her powerful forehand and aggressive playing style. She credits her tennis background for helping her adjust to pickleball. “I’m known for my forehand. That’s what most people think of when they think of me,” she said. Since starting to work with Mike Wolf, she has focused on improving her net play and using her power more effectively. “I do have power that some girls don’t have. So, I just want to learn how to use that,” she explained.
Buckner also looked back at her thrilling match against world No. 1 . She led 9-4 in one game before Waters came back to win. “I had a game plan for sure going in and I feel like I executed it at like a 99.5%,” Buckner said. Even after the loss, she believes she can beat Waters one day. “I think I’ll get her once,” she said confidently.
has also received encouragement from tennis legend Andre Agassi, who regularly follows her progress. After one tough loss, he sent her a message saying, “Keep your head up. We’re always proud of you.”
More than rankings and titles, Buckner wants her journey to encourage other parents. “I just want them to realise that you can still go do things once you start a family because a lot of times people don’t realise that they can still chase their dreams once they have kids,” she said.