Jennifer Dawson Player Profile
Jennifer Dawson is a longtime tennis player turned professional pickleball player, best known for winning the 2017 U.S. Open Pickleball Championships Triple Crown. This profile covers the verified highlights of her career; details change, so check the USA Pickleball and PPA player directories for her current results.
Early Life And Tennis Background
Dawson grew up playing competitive tennis. She earned a full tennis scholarship to the University of San Diego, where she played four seasons for the Toreros and earned a degree in business administration. She still plays and coaches tennis.
Switching To Pickleball
Dawson and her family started playing pickleball around 2015 to 2016. Pickleball is a paddle sport that borrows from tennis, badminton and table tennis and is played on a smaller court, and her tennis skills carried over quickly. She went on to compete on the professional circuit and in senior divisions.
Career Highlights
- Won the Triple Crown (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) at the 2017 U.S. Open Pickleball Championships, widely reported as the first professional Triple Crown in the sport.
- Won the Senior Triple Crown at the 2021 USA Pickleball National Championships, according to the USA Pickleball player directory.
- Listed as one of the Competitor Category honorees in the 2023 Pickleball Hall of Fame class, according to USA Pickleball.
Family
Dawson's husband Steve is also a pickleball player, and her son Callan is a professional player. The family owns and operates the Bobby Riggs Racket and Paddle Club in Encinitas, California.
Equipment
Dawson is sponsored by ProKennex, a paddle manufacturer. Sponsorships and paddle choices change over time, so check her current gear before buying anything based on this profile.
Conclusion
Jennifer Dawson's move from college tennis to the top of pickleball shows how well racquet-sport skills can transfer to the game.
Watch the matches
Reference clips from official broadcasts and highlight packages, embedded from YouTube.
