Short answer: Christian Alshon is a 26-year-old pickleball pro from Boca Raton, Florida, and a former college tennis All-American who turned pro in 2022. He is No. 5 in the PPA’s men’s world ranking, with 11,792.5 points, as of November 9, 2026. His PPA athlete page credits him with 11 career titles, and he just reached the men’s doubles final at the 2026 World Championships.
The 30-second version
- The background: college tennis at Virginia and then the University of Chicago, where his ace clinched the school’s first NCAA title in 2022.
- The résumé: 11 titles on his athlete page across singles, men’s doubles and mixed.
- The ranking: No. 5 among men as of November 9, 2026.
- The 2026 season: back-to-back titles with Andrei Daescu in Mesa and Las Vegas, then a five-game Worlds final.
- Steal this: his forehand speed-up, and the discipline to pick the right ball to attack.
Who is Christian Alshon?
Christian Alshon is an American professional pickleball player on the PPA Tour and in Major League Pickleball.
His PPA Tour athlete page lists him as 26 years old, 6’2″, right-handed and living in Boca Raton, Florida, and says he turned pro in 2022. Boca Raton is also where he grew up, per his University of Chicago tennis bio.
Before pickleball, he was a serious tennis player. That bio says he played his freshman year at the University of Virginia and then transferred to Chicago. In 2021-22 he went 22-3 in singles there and was named an ITA All-American and UAA Player of the Year. In May 2022, his ace clinched UChicago’s first NCAA Division III team title in school history.
Sources disagree on exactly when he picked up a paddle: the PPA bio says June 2021, and Pickleball.com says June 2022. Either way, he went from college tennis to the pro tour fast. That’s the tennis-convert path a lot of our New England players are on, at a much higher level.
What has Christian Alshon won?
Christian Alshon has 11 career titles on his PPA athlete page: 3 in singles, 7 in men’s doubles and 1 in mixed. The PPA’s all-time title table lists 9, but it only runs through the end of August 2026. The two titles he has won since then make up the difference.
- Men’s doubles, 2024: the Indoor USA Championships with Thomas Wilson and the Bristol Open with Quang Duong.
- Men’s doubles, 2025: the Tucson Open, the Mesa Cup and the Red Rock Open, all with Andrei Daescu.
- Singles, 2025: the Cape Coral Open, the Texas Open and the Cincinnati Showcase.
- Mixed, 2026: the Indoor National Championships in January, with Tyra Black.
- Men’s doubles, fall 2026: the Arizona Open in Mesa (11-7, 7-11, 15-13, per The Dink) and the Las Vegas Open, both with Daescu.
The Vegas final mattered. Pickleball.com reported that Alshon and Daescu beat Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio 11-6, 11-8 on October 4. That’s the team that had beaten them in the Nationals final a month earlier.
Where does Christian Alshon rank in 2026?
As of November 9, 2026, Christian Alshon is No. 5 in the PPA’s men’s World Pickleball Ranking, with 11,792.5 points. Ben Johns, Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio and Federico Staksrud are ahead of him. It’s a combined ranking across disciplines. Check the PPA rankings for the latest, and see our PPA Tour points explainer for how the number is built.
Who does Christian Alshon play with in 2026?
His men’s doubles partner is Andrei Daescu. He opened 2026 with Hayden Patriquin instead.
- January, with Patriquin: the pair reached the final of the Carvana Championship and lost to Johns and Tardio 11-9, 11-4, 11-5, Pickleball.com reported.
- Nationals, with Daescu: they reached the final and lost to Johns and Tardio 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5. The PPA’s stats recap credited Alshon with a match-high 15 clean winners.
- A side switch: from the Arizona Open in September, Alshon moved to the left side and Daescu to the right. Pickleball.com wrote that “his length and new aggressive style fit well on the left side.” Two titles followed.
- Mixed: he won January’s Indoor Nationals with Tyra Black and took silver at the Arizona Open with Rachel Rohrabacher.
How did Christian Alshon do at the 2026 Worlds?
He reached the men’s doubles final with Daescu and came within one game of the title. In the semifinal they beat Johns and Tardio 11-9, 11-6. In the final, they won the first two games 11-5, 11-5 against JW Johnson and 15-year-old Tama Shimabukuro, then lost the next three, 4-11, 8-11, 4-11. The Dink and The Kitchen report the same scores. In singles he reached the semifinals and lost to John Lucian Goins 11-4, 11-9. Our 2026 Worlds results have every final.
What MLP team does Christian Alshon play for?
He played the 2026 MLP season for the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. The Texas Ranchers had him on their February roster, and on March 3 they traded him to Brooklyn along with Luca Mack, per The Dink’s trade tracker. His 2027 team isn’t set yet. Our MLP draft explainer covers how keepers and trades work.
What paddle does Christian Alshon use?
He’s a Paddletek player. The Dink reported the deal in February 2024. His PPA athlete page currently lists a 16mm Paddletek model. Our Christian Alshon paddle page has the specs.
Steal this from Christian Alshon’s game: the forehand speed-up
Alshon is known for power and flash. His PPA bio calls him “known for his tweeners and trick shots”, and The Dink once dubbed him the “Tweener King”. The part of his game you can actually use is less flashy. Pickleball.com’s September breakdown said he “has added more aggression to his game, most notably forehand speedups.”
A speed-up only works if you pick the right ball. Here’s how to build one:
- Wait for a ball you can attack. The best speed-up ball sits at or above net height. Anything below the tape gets dinked or reset. Our when to speed up guide covers the decision.
- Short, upward swing. Lift from below the ball with a compact motion, not a big backswing that tips off your opponent. The forehand flick guide shows the motion.
- Aim at the body or the shoulder. A speed-up at the opponent’s right shoulder (for a righty) is hardest to counter. See our body shots guide.
- Be ready for it to come back. Pros counter well. Recover with your paddle up. Our hands battles guide picks up from there.
One 10-minute drill: dink cross-court with a partner. Whenever a dink floats above net height, speed it up at their body and play the point out. Count how many speed-ups win the point versus how many come back past you. It teaches you to be patient. More drills by level are in the Learn hub.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Christian Alshon?
Christian Alshon is 26, according to his PPA Tour athlete page.
Where is Christian Alshon from?
He grew up in Boca Raton, Florida, and still lives there, per his PPA Tour page and his University of Chicago tennis bio.
Did Christian Alshon play college tennis?
Yes. He played at the University of Virginia and then the University of Chicago, where he was an ITA All-American and helped win the school’s first NCAA Division III team title in 2022.
Who is Christian Alshon’s doubles partner?
Andrei Daescu in men’s doubles. Together they won the 2026 Arizona and Las Vegas Opens and reached the 2026 Worlds final. He opened 2026 with Hayden Patriquin.
How many titles has Christian Alshon won?
His PPA Tour athlete page shows 11 career titles: 3 singles, 7 men’s doubles and 1 mixed.
Sources: the PPA Tour, Pickleball.com, The Dink, The Kitchen and the University of Chicago, all linked above and checked November 9, 2026. Rankings and partnerships change often, so check the PPA’s rankings for the current picture. More players in the Pro Corner.
