Kate Fahey: From Michigan Tennis Star to Top Pickleball Singles Player
Kate Fahey went from a college tennis star to one of the best women's singles players in pickleball in about three years. At the Veolia Chicago Cup in October 2026 she reached the women's singles final, where she lost to Anna Leigh Waters, and she also reached the mixed doubles quarterfinals and the women's doubles semifinal. Here is who she is, how she plays, and where to watch her.
Kate Fahey at a glance
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Fair Haven, New Jersey |
| Background | University of Michigan tennis, a three-time ITA All-American and two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Year |
| Pro tennis | About two years on the pro circuit, with a career-high singles ranking of 505, before wrist injuries ended it |
| Pickleball start | Picked up a paddle in summer 2023, signed with the PPA Tour and turned pro that year |
| Career titles | 9 per her PPA Tour page: 8 in singles and 1 in mixed doubles, with 18 finals |
| Paddle | JOOLA Agassi Pro V (14mm) |
| Plays | Right-handed, two-handed backhand |
Her ranking depends on the list and the date. Her PPA page has listed her around No. 8 in the world, while Pickleball.com has described her as the number two women's singles player for a while, so treat any single number with care.
From Michigan tennis to the PPA Tour
Fahey grew up in Fair Haven, New Jersey, and built her résumé at the University of Michigan, where she became one of the program's most decorated players. After college she played pro tennis for about two years, reaching a singles ranking of 505, but wrist injuries forced her to step away.
Pickleball came next. She started in the summer of 2023 and signed with the PPA Tour almost right away. In 2024 the St. Louis Shock took her 42nd overall in the Major League Pickleball draft, according to The Dink. Few players have turned a first summer with a paddle into a pro career as quickly.
How she plays
The Dink described her in 2024 as a 5'8" player who likes her forehand drive and her two-handed backhand drive, with strong counter-attacking speed-ups. That fits the tennis background: she is comfortable taking pace and sending it back, and the two-handed backhand gives her a stable base on hard-hit balls.
Her singles game rewards that. In singles you cannot hide at the kitchen line, and a player who hits clean groundstrokes from deep, moves well and speeds up balls when attacked has an edge. Her results show it. Eight of her nine titles are in singles.
Veolia Chicago Cup, October 2026
At the Chicago Cup Fahey finished second in women's singles behind Anna Leigh Waters, who has dominated the format. She also reached the mixed doubles quarterfinals with Staksrud and the women's doubles semifinal with Milan Rane, seeded 8th. A deep run in three events in one week shows how much stamina and match-fitness the tour asks for. We have not confirmed the final score, so we are not quoting one.
Watch the matches
The embed above is the best-rallies cut from the Chicago Cup final. For an earlier look at how she plays when it matters, here is her final against Helena Jansen at the PPA Virginia Beach Open.
What to look for when you watch her
- Court position in singles: she tends to hold the baseline and move the ball side to side rather than rushing the net on every point.
- The speed-up: when an opponent attacks, watch how quickly she counters instead of just blocking the ball back.
- The two-handed backhand: it is rare in pro pickleball, so it is worth studying if you came from tennis.
- Endurance: in a week like Chicago she plays singles, doubles and mixed, so late-match fitness matters.
Why she matters
Fahey is a clear example of how tennis skill transfers into pickleball singles, and she is now a regular name in the late rounds. If you want to learn from her style, watch how she sets up her two-handed backhand drive and how she attacks the ball after a short return. Pair that with our guides on the rules of pickleball, and see the other top women in our profiles of Anna Leigh Waters and Lea Jansen.
