Short answer: Tyson McGuffin is a 36-year-old pickleball pro from Washington State, now living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, who turned pro in 2016 after a career as a tennis player and coach. He has 13 PPA Tour titles on his athlete page, won a rare Triple Crown in 2023, and is No. 31 in the PPA’s men’s world ranking as of October 26, 2026.
The 30-second version
- The background: high school tennis star in Chelan, Washington, then a tennis pro and coach before pickleball.
- The résumé: 13 PPA titles on his athlete page, and a Triple Crown (singles, doubles and mixed) at the 2023 Tournament of Champions.
- The ranking: No. 31 among men in the World Pickleball Ranking, with 2,172.5 points, as of October 26, 2026.
- The 2026 season: drafted by the expansion Palm Beach Royals in MLP, and still playing singles and doubles on tour.
- Steal this: his get-backs. Defensive scrambling is the most underrated skill in rec doubles.
Who is Tyson McGuffin?
Tyson McGuffin is an American professional pickleball player on the PPA Tour and in Major League Pickleball.
His PPA Tour athlete page lists him as 36, right-handed, living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and a pro since 2016. He grew up in Chelan, Washington, where the Wenatchee World covered him repeating as a state high school tennis champion in 2008.
The PPA bio fills in the rest of the tennis story. He played two years at Scottsdale Community College, and the PPA says he reached the top 1,500 of the ATP men’s rankings. He then became head tennis pro at the Yakima Tennis Club and coached for six years before he found pickleball.
How did Tyson McGuffin go from tennis to pickleball?
Fast, but not smoothly. In a Pickleball.com interview published October 21, 2026, he said: “When I first started playing pickleball in 2016, I never thought I’d be in the position that I am now.”
The PPA bio is candid that the game “did not come naturally” to him, and that he turned pro only six months after he started. That is the part I find encouraging for tennis converts here in New England. The athleticism transferred right away. The soft game at the kitchen line took work. If that sounds familiar, our pickleball vs. tennis guide covers exactly what carries over and what you have to relearn.
What has Tyson McGuffin won?
Tyson McGuffin has 13 PPA Tour titles, according to his athlete page: 6 in singles, 5 in men’s doubles and 2 in mixed. Pickleball.com’s October 2026 profile also credits him with more than 80 PPA Tour medals.
The counts depend on who is counting. The PPA’s own all-time title table, which runs through the 2026 National Championships, credits him with 15 (6 singles, 6 doubles, 3 mixed). I am using the athlete-page number, and flagging the gap rather than picking a winner.
The highlights:
- The 2023 Triple Crown. At the Tournament of Champions in Utah in August 2023, he won all three events, the PPA reported. He came back from 2-9 down in the last game of the singles final against Connor Garnett. He won men’s doubles with James Ignatowich after losing the first two games to Riley Newman and AJ Koller. The mixed final ended when Patrick Smith retired injured. Catherine Parenteau won three golds that week too.
- A 2025 title in Australia. With Gabe Tardio, he won men’s doubles at PPA Tour Australia in February 2025, beating CJ Klinger and Quang Duong 4-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, per Pickleball.com.
Where does Tyson McGuffin rank in 2026?
As of October 26, 2026, Tyson McGuffin is No. 31 in the PPA’s men’s World Pickleball Ranking, with 2,172.5 points. That is a combined ranking across disciplines, so it is not a pure singles or doubles number. Check the PPA rankings for the current figure. Our PPA Tour points explainer shows how that number is built.
He is still a full-time tour player in 2026, and still entering singles. Pickleball.com’s Nationals preview on August 31 listed him seeded No. 12 in men’s doubles with a new partner, Nico Acevedo, and No. 38 in singles. At the Hong Kong Slam in October, his men’s doubles partner was Casey Diamond.
What MLP team does Tyson McGuffin play for?
He plays for the Palm Beach Royals, one of MLP’s 2026 expansion teams. Palm Beach took him with the 12th pick of the 2026 draft, for $65,000, according to Pickleball.com, which called him “a perfect fit”. For how the draft and those dollar figures work, see our MLP draft explainer.
What paddle does Tyson McGuffin use?
He is a JOOLA player. He switched from Selkirk, his sponsor for about eight years, to JOOLA in January 2024 and debuted a signature Magnus paddle, Pickleball.com reported. His PPA athlete page now lists the JOOLA Kosmos V. Our Tyson McGuffin paddle page covers the Magnus line in more detail.
Steal this from Tyson McGuffin’s game: the get-back
The PPA’s own bio says it best: his “athleticism, quickness on the court, amazing get-backs, and defensive returns make him a fan favorite to watch.” You will not match a former tennis pro’s foot speed. You can steal the habits that make his scrambles work.
- Split-step every time your opponent hits. Retrievers are not just fast, they are balanced when the ball comes off the paddle. Our split-step guide has the drill.
- Turn and run for lobs, do not backpedal. Backpedaling is how rec players fall. Our guide to covering a lob shows the turn-and-chase pattern, and who should take it.
- Reset the get-back, do not hero it. A defensive ball that lands soft in the kitchen gets you back in the point. A wild counter usually ends it. Work on the reset before you try the highlight shot.
- Win the walk back in. After you scramble, move forward through the transition zone in short, balanced steps.
One 15-minute drill for your next session: have your partner feed lobs and short balls at random from the kitchen line. Your only job is to get every ball back softly and walk back to the line. Count how many you return without a pop-up. More drills by level are in the Learn hub.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Tyson McGuffin?
Tyson McGuffin is 36, according to his PPA Tour athlete page as of October 2026.
Where is Tyson McGuffin from?
He grew up in Chelan, Washington, where he was a state high school tennis champion. His PPA Tour page lists his home as Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
How many titles has Tyson McGuffin won?
His PPA Tour athlete page credits him with 13 titles: 6 singles, 5 men’s doubles and 2 mixed. The PPA’s all-time title table shows 15, so counts vary by source.
Did Tyson McGuffin win a Triple Crown?
Yes. He won singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles at the PPA Tournament of Champions in Utah in August 2023.
What MLP team is Tyson McGuffin on?
He plays for the Palm Beach Royals, who drafted him 12th overall for $65,000 in the 2026 MLP draft.
Sources: the PPA Tour, Pickleball.com and the Wenatchee World, all linked above and checked October 26, 2026. Rankings and partnerships change often, so check the PPA’s rankings for the current picture. More players in the Pro Corner.
