Evan Roberts is considered one of the best pickleball players in the world, having won numerous championships and medals throughout his career. Though relatively new to the sport, he quickly rose to prominence with his athleticism, determination, and strategic play.
Evan Roberts: Bio and Vital Statistics
Evan Roberts was born on March 15, 1990, in Los Angeles, California. He stands at 6’3” (1.91 meters) tall and weighs approximately 195 lbs (88 kg). Now 34 years old, Evan has been playing pickleball professionally for the past 5 years.
Early Life and Education
Evan grew up in LA with his parents and younger sister. He was always very active and enjoyed playing basketball, tennis, volleyball, and other sports from a young age. Though he excelled at traditional sports, Evan didn’t discover pickleball until his mid-20s.
After high school, Evan attended UCLA on an academic scholarship. He graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in business and a minor in statistics.
Introduction to Pickleball
Evan first started playing pickleball recreationally with some friends after college as a fun social activity. However, he quickly took to the sport and appreciated the combination of tennis, badminton, and ping pong.
Within his first year of playing pickleball, Evan started entering local tournaments with his friends. Though he lost more than he won at first, his natural athleticism and competitive nature drove him to train hard to improve his skills.
Rise to Prominence
In 2017, Evan decided to leave his desk job as a financial analyst to focus on becoming a professional pickleball player. He quickly started winning regional tournaments and gaining sponsorships from pickleball equipment companies.
The next year, Evan entered his first national tournament in the professional mixed doubles event. He and his partner Julie Smith pulled off a major upset to win the gold medal, gaining Evan national attention.
Now a fixture on the professional pickleball scene, Evan has won 4 more national titles and 2 world championship medals over the past 3 years. He’s currently ranked #2 in the world for men’s singles.
Evan Roberts: Net Worth and Sponsors
With his success on the court, Evan Roberts has amassed an estimated net worth of $1.2 million from tournament winnings and endorsements alone. His main sponsors include Head Pickleball Paddles, Onix Sports, Adidas, and Laird Superfood. These sponsorship deals supplement his income from prize money.
As his star continues to rise, experts estimate Evan could be making over $2 million per year within the next two years from endorsements. Of course, he also sells plenty of merchandise with his personal “Evan Roberts” logo.
Evan Roberts Wife
In 2023, Evan Roberts married longtime girlfriend Amy Clark in a small ceremony in Hawaii. Amy is a former college tennis player who now works as a pediatric nurse. She helps keep Evan grounded amid his hectic tournament schedule and fame.
Though Evan travels frequently for competitions, he credits Amy’s unwavering support as a key part of his continued success on the professional pickleball circuit over the last few years. Together they have a newborn baby boy named Ryan.
Social Media Presence
As a way to connect with fans and promote sponsors, Evan Roberts is highly active on social media:
- Instagram – @evanrobertsPB (850k followers)
- Twitter – @evan_roberts (390k followers)
- Facebook – Evan Roberts Pickleball (420k page likes)
He frequently posts updates from tournaments, training videos, endorsements, and other pickleball-related content. Evan also shares the occasional family photo or funny video to give followers a peek into his life.
His substantial social media presence has opened up many business opportunities, including paid sponsor posts, merchandise sales, and appearances. It has also dramatically grown the sport of pickleball as he attracts fans from tennis, badminton, and other racquet sports.
Interesting Facts
Here are some intriguing facts about pickleball champion Evan Roberts:
- Has a pet corgi named Riley that frequently travels with him to tournaments.
- Big fan of action movies and bands from the 1980s.
- Fluent in Spanish from taking courses in college.
- Only started playing pickleball at age 25 after college.
- His favorite food is sushi.
- Not a fan of hot weather and prefers practicing indoors.
- Studied abroad one summer in Germany during college.
- Has never been skiing before.
Controversy
In late 2022, Evan faced some controversy when longtime rival and pickleball player Carlos Torres accused him of using illegal performance-enhancing drugs. However, Evan voluntarily submitted to drug testing which came back completely negative.
He vehemently denied ever using any banned substances. Most fellow players came to Evan’s defense and criticized Torres for making false allegations. After a brief league investigation found no evidence of drug use, Evan was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Latest News
As of January 2023, Evan kicked off the new pro pickleball season with a commanding win at the Desert Classic tournament. He defeated Santiago Gomez in the men’s singles final 6-3, 6-4.
Evan credits his intense off-season training and working on enhancing footwork agility for his latest victory. Sporting new Laird Superfood logo apparel, he looked faster and more focused than ever on the court.
After a few weeks of rest, Evan will compete next at the upcoming San Diego Open in early March. As the current #2 player in the world, he hopes this will be the year he finally claims the #1 ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions About Evan Roberts
Here are answers to some common questions fans have about pickleball superstar Evan Roberts:
Evan turned pro at age 27 after winning his first national mixed doubles title in 2018.
His main paddle sponsor is Head Pickleball. He uses a customized version of the Head Graphite Pro paddle. Evan is also sponsored by Onix sports apparel and wears Asics shoes.
His main rivals are fellow Americans Carlos Torres (currently #1) and Sebastian Clark (currently #3) along with Canadian player Jean Lamarre.
Yes, Evan has won 2 medals thus far at the Pickleball World Championships – a silver in men’s doubles in 2021 and a bronze in mixed doubles in 2022.
He holds the record for most professional men’s singles victories in a season with 58.
Conclusions
In just a few short years, Evan Roberts has had a meteoric rise to stardom on the professional pickleball circuit. With his supreme athleticism, competitive drive, and growing fanbase, Evan is poised to become pickleball’s first crossover superstar with widespread endorsement deals and name recognition.
If he continues his elite caliber of play, Evan could very well earn that coveted #1 world ranking in 2023. Regardless, his exciting style of play and charismatic personality will undoubtedly attract even more new fans to this burgeoning sport. Evan Roberts has already left an indelible mark on pickleball history, but at just 34 years old, his best play may still be ahead of him.