Jade Kawamoto: Powerful Journey from Tennis Champion to Professional Pickleball Star
From a Promising Tennis Career to a Historic Professional Pickleball Breakthrough
Jade Kawamoto has built an inspiring athletic career by successfully moving from competitive tennis to professional pickleball. Born and raised during her early years in Maui, Hawaii, she developed her competitive instincts through tennis before becoming a standout high-school and Division I college player. Her journey later took an unexpected but highly successful direction when she discovered pickleball with her identical twin sister, Jackie Kawamoto.
Today, Jade Kawamoto is recognized as a professional pickleball player competing on the PPA Tour and in Major League Pickleball. Her story is especially interesting because it combines athletic determination, family support, education, professional work and a remarkable partnership with her twin sister. Her first PPA Tour title in 2025 represented a major breakthrough and added a historic achievement to her growing career.
Quick Bio
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jade Kawamoto |
| Date of Birth | April 30, 1996 |
| Age | 30 years old as of September 2026 |
| Birthplace | Maui, Hawaii |
| Hometown | Lahaina, Hawaii |
| Current Residence | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 feet 3 inches |
| Playing Hand | Left-handed |
| Profession | Professional Pickleball Player |
| College | University of Dayton |
| Previous Sport | Tennis |
| Twin Sister | Jackie Kawamoto |
| Professional Pickleball Debut | 2021 |
| Current Tour | PPA Tour |
| Major League Pickleball Team | Los Angeles Mad Drops |
| PPA Career Titles | 1 |
| Major Breakthrough | 2025 PPA Cincinnati Showcase |
Early Life and Family Background
Growing Up in Hawaii
Jade Kawamoto spent her early childhood in Maui, Hawaii, where she developed a strong connection with the outdoors and the natural environment. Her family later moved to the Indianapolis area when she was nine years old, creating an important transition in her childhood and athletic development.
Her father, Don Kawamoto, introduced Jade and her twin sister Jackie to tennis. The sisters quickly developed a competitive relationship that eventually became one of the defining features of their sporting careers. Their family background and early encouragement provided an important foundation for their success.
Her Twin Sister Jackie Kawamoto
Jackie Kawamoto is Jade’s identical twin sister and also became a professional pickleball player. The two sisters competed together in tennis before eventually making the transition to pickleball.
Their relationship has created a unique professional partnership. Although they frequently play women’s doubles together, their competitive personalities can also lead them to enjoy competing against one another. Their ability to understand each other’s game has helped make them a notable doubles team in professional pickleball.
Education and Tennis Career
Greenwood High School Success
Before becoming known for professional pickleball, Jade Kawamoto was already an accomplished tennis player. She attended Greenwood High School in Indiana and established herself as one of the state’s strongest young competitors.
During her senior season in 2013-14, she produced an outstanding 26-1 record. She reached the Indiana girls’ singles state championship match, ultimately finishing as the runner-up. Despite losing the final, her exceptional season earned her selection to the 2014 Indiana Girls All-State First Team.
University of Dayton
After high school, she continued her athletic career at the University of Dayton, competing in NCAA Division I women’s tennis. Her college career demonstrated that her high-school success was not simply a short-term achievement.
In her freshman season, she finished with a 14-2 singles record. She continued to improve and recorded a 16-4 singles record in 2016, earning Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors and being recognized as Dayton’s Most Valuable Player.
During 2017, she posted a 16-9 overall record and went 10-2 at No. 3 singles. She was again named Dayton’s Most Valuable Player. Her academic and athletic accomplishments also earned her recognition on the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
The Beginning of Her Pickleball Journey
Discovering a New Sport
The transition from tennis to pickleball became a major turning point in Jade Kawamoto’s life. In 2019, she and Jackie were introduced to pickleball by their father. What initially began as a recreational activity gradually became a serious competitive pursuit.
Her tennis background gave her several useful skills for pickleball, including hand-eye coordination, court movement, anticipation and competitive discipline. Instead of treating pickleball as simply another recreational sport, she and Jackie began developing their abilities with professional competition in mind.
Turning Professional
Jade Kawamoto officially became a professional pickleball player in 2021. Her entry into the professional game marked the beginning of a new phase after her collegiate tennis career.
The transition was challenging because pickleball requires different strategies and techniques from traditional tennis. Nevertheless, her previous experience gave her a strong foundation, while regular competition helped her adapt to the faster tactical demands of professional pickleball.
Professional Pickleball Career
Competing on the PPA Tour
Jade competes in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. She is particularly well known for her women’s doubles partnership with Jackie.
The sisters gradually established themselves among the competitive players on the professional circuit. Their chemistry, understanding of each other’s movement and experience as former competitive tennis players became valuable strengths.
Her left-handed playing style also gives her a distinctive advantage in doubles. It allows her team to create different court formations and strategic possibilities against right-handed opponents.
Major League Pickleball
Jade also became involved in Major League Pickleball. She was drafted by the D.C. Pickleball Team for the 2023 season before becoming associated with the Los Angeles Mad Drops.
The Mad Drops continued to view her as an important part of their roster. For the 2026 season, she was retained as one of the team’s female keeper players, demonstrating her continued value in professional team competition.
Jade Kawamoto Career Timeline
2014 — High School Tennis Standout
She finished her senior high-school tennis season with an impressive 26-1 record and reached the Indiana girls’ singles state championship.
2015 — College Tennis Begins
She started her Division I tennis career at the University of Dayton and finished her freshman season 14-2 in singles.
2016 — All-Conference Recognition
She posted a 16-4 singles record, earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors and was named Dayton’s Most Valuable Player.
2017 — Continued College Success
She recorded a 16-9 overall mark, including a 10-2 record at No. 3 singles, and again received Dayton’s MVP recognition.
2019 — Pickleball Discovery
She and Jackie began playing pickleball after being introduced to the sport by their father.
2021 — Professional Pickleball
She officially turned professional and began competing at the professional level.
2023 — Major League Pickleball
She joined Major League Pickleball competition and was drafted by the D.C. Pickleball Team.
2023 — Beer City Open
Jade and Jackie won women’s professional doubles at the Beer City Open, strengthening their reputation as an emerging professional doubles team.
2025 — First PPA Tour Championship
The Kawamoto sisters captured their first PPA Tour women’s doubles title at the Cincinnati Showcase. They entered as the No. 6 seed and completed an impressive comeback in the final.
2026 — Continued Professional Competition
She continued competing at the highest levels of professional pickleball and remained associated with the Los Angeles Mad Drops in Major League Pickleball.
The Historic 2025 Breakthrough
First PPA Tour Title
The most important achievement in Jade Kawamoto’s professional career came at the 2025 PPA Cincinnati Showcase. She and Jackie won the women’s doubles championship after entering the tournament as the No. 6 seed.
Their path to the title was particularly dramatic. In the semifinal, the sisters defeated top seeds Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright after overcoming a significant deficit in the deciding game.
The final was even more memorable. Jade and Jackie lost the opening two games to Jorja Johnson and Hurricane Tyra Black but fought back to win the next three games. Their final score was 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7.
A Historic Left-Handed Achievement
The Cincinnati victory was more than simply a first championship. The PPA later identified Jade as the first left-handed female player to win a PPA Tour title.
That achievement gave her career an important place in PPA history. It also highlighted how her individual playing style and left-handed advantage could be successfully combined with her twin sister’s game.
Playing Style and Strengths
Tennis Skills in Pickleball
Jade Kawamoto’s tennis background remains an important part of her pickleball identity. Years of competitive tennis helped her develop quick reactions, disciplined footwork and an understanding of angles.
She also brings the mental toughness developed through high-level competition. Moving from a 26-1 high-school season to Division I tennis and then professional pickleball required the ability to adapt after both victories and setbacks.
Doubles Chemistry
Her partnership with Jackie is one of the most recognizable elements of her career. As identical twins who have competed together since their youth, they possess an unusual understanding of each other’s tendencies.
That familiarity can help them communicate naturally during matches. Their ability to recover from difficult situations was demonstrated clearly during their 2025 Cincinnati championship comeback.
Professional Life Outside Pickleball
NCAA Eligibility Center
One distinctive aspect of Jade’s career is that professional pickleball is not her only professional responsibility. She has also worked for the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Her work in the NCAA environment connects directly with her own background as a former Division I athlete. Her experience as a college competitor gives her a personal understanding of collegiate athletics and the eligibility process.
This combination of professional employment and elite sport demonstrates a practical side of her career that separates her from many full-time professional athletes.
Personal Interests and Values
Jade has publicly discussed her Japanese-Hawaiian background and the influence of Hawaiian culture on her upbringing. She has spoken about values connected with aloha and respect for nature and the environment.
Her academic interests have also included environmental subjects. This aligns with her publicly discussed appreciation for outdoor activities and the natural environment.
Charity and Community Work
Jade and Jackie have participated in efforts connected with raising money for Alzheimer’s research through pickleball events in Indianapolis.
Their involvement shows that their influence extends beyond tournament results. By using their sporting careers to support charitable causes, the sisters have created another positive dimension to their public profiles.
Challenges and Setbacks
Leaving Tennis Behind
Switching from competitive tennis to pickleball was a significant career change. Tennis had been a major part of Jade’s life from childhood through college, so entering a newer professional sport required learning different techniques and strategies.
The transition also meant building a professional identity in a rapidly developing sport. Her eventual success shows that the change was difficult but ultimately productive.
Learning From Defeat
Her career also includes important losses. Her 2014 Indiana state championship defeat ended an otherwise extraordinary 26-1 high-school season. Years later, the 2025 Cincinnati final showed the opposite side of competition when she and Jackie recovered after losing the first two games.
These contrasting moments illustrate an important quality in her career: the ability to respond positively to setbacks rather than allowing them to define her progress.
Current Career Status
As of September 2026, Jade Kawamoto remains an active professional pickleball player. Her PPA profile lists her among the leading women’s players, with a World No. 12 ranking and one PPA Tour career title.
She continues to compete across professional pickleball events while also being associated with the Los Angeles Mad Drops in Major League Pickleball. Her career therefore remains active, with opportunities for additional titles and achievements.
Net Worth and Income
Reliable public sources do not provide a verified figure for Jade Kawamoto’s net worth or total annual income. Professional tournament earnings, sponsorship arrangements and employment compensation can vary, and unsupported estimates would not provide a reliable picture.
She has had an association with Selkirk Sport as an athlete, while her professional pickleball competitions and NCAA-related employment represent documented aspects of her career. Because no authoritative source confirms a specific net-worth figure, no estimate is included here.
Why Jade Kawamoto’s Story Matters
Jade Kawamoto’s career demonstrates that an athlete does not have to follow one predetermined path. She began with tennis, competed successfully in high school and Division I college athletics, discovered pickleball in adulthood and eventually reached the professional level.
Her story is also closely connected with her twin sister. Together, Jade and Jackie transformed a family introduction to pickleball into a professional sporting career. Their first PPA Tour championship in 2025 provided the clearest evidence of how far that journey had taken them.
Conclusion
Jade Kawamoto has developed an impressive career through persistence, adaptability and a willingness to embrace a new challenge. Her early success in Indiana tennis, Division I experience at Dayton and eventual move into professional pickleball created a career that is both unusual and inspiring.
Her partnership with Jackie has been central to her rise, but her individual accomplishments are equally significant. From becoming a professional in 2021 to winning her first PPA Tour title in 2025 and making history as the first left-handed female PPA champion, she has established herself as a serious figure in professional pickleball.
As of 2026, her story is still being written. With continued competition on the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, Jade Kawamoto has the opportunity to add further championships and milestones to an already remarkable sporting journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Jade Kawamoto?
She is an American professional pickleball player and former Division I tennis player at the University of Dayton.
2. When was Jade Kawamoto born?
She was born on April 30, 1996.
3. Where is Jade Kawamoto from?
She was born in Maui, Hawaii, and later grew up in the Indianapolis area.
4. Who is Jade Kawamoto’s twin sister?
Her identical twin sister is Jackie Kawamoto, who is also a professional pickleball player.
5. Who are Jade Kawamoto’s parents?
Her parents are Don and Cindy Kawamoto.
6. What college did Jade Kawamoto attend?
She attended the University of Dayton and competed in Division I women’s tennis.
7. Is Jade Kawamoto married?
No verified public source used for this biography establishes a marriage, so no marital-status claim is made.
8. How tall is Jade Kawamoto?
She is listed at 5 feet 3 inches tall.
9. When did Jade Kawamoto become a professional pickleball player?
She turned professional in 2021.
10. What is Jade Kawamoto’s biggest pickleball achievement?
She won her first PPA Tour title with Jackie at the 2025 Cincinnati Showcase and became the first left-handed female PPA Tour champion.
