The Kitchen's top pickleball paddles for singles

1. JOOLA Agassi Pro V

Several top singles players on the PPA Tour, especially on the women's side, are currently using the Agassi Pro V in singles. The list includes Kate Fahey (ranked No. 2), Brooke Buckner (ranked No. 4) and Lea Jansen (ranked No. 5).

The Agassi shape is a great fit for players coming over from tennis, because the sweet spot is shifted further toward the top of the paddle and it has a handle that is plenty long enough for players who like to hit a two-handed backhand. The elongated shape also helps singles players reach more balls when they're outstretched.

Learn more about the development of the JOOLA Pro V series here.

Watch: Brooke Buckner and Kate Fahey talk about why they prefer the JOOLA Pro V Agassi.

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2. Paddletek Bantam TKO-CX

Designed in conjunction with top men’s pro Christian Alshon, the Bantam TKO-CX gives players good power from the baseline and great spin, so those passing shots will have enough dip to stay in the court.

In 2025 this paddle was used by Alshon, Hunter Johnson and Chris Haworth, who combined to win nine PPA Tour singles titles last year. Only one of those players (Alshon) was sponsored by Paddletek. It's always a good sign when unsponsored players are choosing to use a paddle for free.

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3. JOOLA Perseus Pro V

Ben Johns famously has used an older JOOLA model when playing singles the past two years, even after the 3S and Pro IV were released.

That changed this year, when he put the Perseus Pro V in play at the Mesa Cup. He immediately had a good result, earning a silver at that event (his first medal in singles in nearly a year). Johns doesn't play singles regularly anymore, but the fact that he was willing to make the switch from his older model speaks volumes.

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4. Luzz Pro 4 Tornazo

Chris Haworth switched to Luzz at the beginning of 2025 and has been using the Tornazo as of late. Roscoe Bellamy, another Luzz player and currently the No. 6 ranked singles player, has also been using the Tornazo.

The full-foam core provides a firm feel with great spin and power, although not as much power as the Luzz Pro 4 Inferno.

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5. RPM Friction Pro V2

The 16mm RPM Friction Pro V2 is the signature paddle of James Ignatowich, who founded the paddle company in 2025.

The V2 is an updated version of the original Friction Pro paddle, which became one of the most popular paddles on the market toward the end of 2025. Ignatowich compares the V2 to an iPhone update -- he made a few small tweaks to the original that improve feel and add dwell time. It delivers a very satisfying feel on contact and generates elite levels of spin (measured in Revolutions Per Minute, or RPM) thanks to a very gritty hitting surface.

Shaping the ball on serves, third-shot drives and heavy topspin drops is made easy with this paddle.

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6. Proton Flamingo

The Proton Flamingo features a powerful core and a very gritty hitting surface for great power and spin. The Flamingo has been used by several top singles players over the past year, and the 15mm “Velocity Core” has earned this paddle a reputation as one of the most aggressive on the market.

Check out our in-depth review here.

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7. Engage X2

Engage's latest paddle, the X2, is designed with a "Quad-Density Foam" core and a "Micro-Weave Carbon Fiber" face for more dwell time and increased spin.

Pro player Eric Oncins switched to the Engage X2 in early 2026 and has been playing great in both doubles and singles so far this year.

"This paddle has been unreal the past few tournaments I've been playing with it," Oncins said recently. "It has helped me a lot, especially with the firepower."

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8. JOOLA Kosmos Pro V

The Kosmos is the new hybrid shape that JOOLA introduced with the Pro V line, and it's currently the signature shape of Federico Staksrud and Tyson McGuffin, who both put a lot of emphasis on singles. Staksrud is using the 16mm version, while McGuffin is using the 14mm version.

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9. Franklin C45

Since joining Franklin in early 2026, Anna Leigh Waters -- the No. 1 ranked singles and doubles player on the women's side -- has switched back and forth between a few of the C45 models. She seems to have settled on the C45 hybrid as her preferred shape (for now) and has been using it for several events. The long handle offers plenty of room for two-handed backhands, and the curved top makes it very whippy through the hitting zone.

It's also extremely lightweight out of the box, which means players have a lot of room to customize it to their weight preferences. More weight = more power on serves, passing shots and putaways.

You can find our complete breakdown of the different C45 shapes here.

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10. Honolulu J6CR

This paddle features an intricate core design with multiple layers and cutouts that allows the paddle to absorb and transfer energy to the ball in a more controlled way.

It has more of a “pocketing” effect on contact compared to many other foam paddles, which makes it a breeze to shape the ball on shots from the baseline. It also maintains the top-end power that full foam paddles have become known for over the past year.

Check out our in-depth review of the Honolulu J6CR here.

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