We maintain saying pickleball is for everybody of any age. We imply that after we say so, and now we’ve a Guinness E book of World Data certification to show it!
This October, the world’s official keeper of data formally proclaimed American Joyce Jones as oldest aggressive pickleball participant on Earth at 95 years, 185 days previous (as of 10 October 2025). Born 4 April 1930, Jones competed on the 2025 Huntsman World Senior Video games in Utah as she once more proved the saying that “Age is only a quantity.”
Joyce Jones Discovered from the Co-Inventor of the Sport
Jones’s story, although, doesn’t finish there. It will get extra compelling as she additionally discovered the game from Joel Pritchard, who simply occurs to be one in all pickleball’s co-creators. This occurred manner again in 1965 when Jones and her husband, Don, have been closely into tennis and badminton.
However, hey, why not be taught one other racket sport, proper? Maybe as a favour to their pal, Pritchard, Jones and her husband agreed to check out pickleball, and it got here naturally for the 2 the Joneses.
“I assumed it was a enjoyable recreation. However Don and I have been already taking part in badminton and tennis, and we had no time to work in one other sport. It took us about 5 minutes to be taught it as a result of we have been very adept at our different two sports activities,” Jones informed the Guinness E book of World Data in a latest interview when requested to recall her first impressions. “Essentially the most tough habits to beat have been to not serve and volley like we did in tennis, as a result of you need to let the ball bounce again in your court docket while you serve, and to not rush to the online and invade the ‘kitchen’ space to place the ball away.”
By the way, Don and Joyce have been taking part in pickleball for thus lengthy that they really competed in one of many first pickleball tournaments in historical past. The truth is, in accordance with Joyce, her husband beat Pritchard within the semifinals—in entrance of about 40 of the latter’s neighbours, who confirmed up rooting for the then US lawmaker.
“At one of many first pickleball tournaments, Don performed singles in opposition to Joel [Pritchard] within the semi-finals. About 40 of Joel’s neighbours confirmed as much as cheer him on by stomping their ft on the steel bleachers, waving flags and cheering when he scored a degree,” Joyce recalled. “When Don made a great shot, all he bought was, ‘Good shot, honey!’ However he bought his revenge when he beat Joel in three video games. It isn’t everyone who can say that they beat the inventor of pickleball in a match!”
A Lifelong Love Affair with Pickleball
Joyce most likely didn’t comprehend it but at the moment, however Pritchard had truly sparked what would become a protracted, still-going-strong love affair between the Joneses—Joyce, specifically—and pickleball. It’s so robust, in actual fact, that it has outlived tennis and badminton so to talk as Joyce gave up the latter in 2021 and the previous in 2023. Pickleball, although, isn’t going by the wayside simply but because the nonagenarian plans on taking part in the game so long as she will be able to.
“I’m going to compete so long as attainable,” she mentioned determinedly, “as a result of I nonetheless love the competitors, and seeing all of the lots of of pals that I’ve made over time, and assembly so many new pals at each competitors,” she mentioned.
All this shouldn’t be a shock, actually. Joyce seems to have that “athletic” gene as she boasts a sporting résumé that’s nothing wanting extraordinary. A lifelong lover of racquet sports activities, she has amassed over 300 titles in badminton, tennis, and extra. In recent times, even whereas giving up badminton and tennis on account of bodily constraints, she stored pickleball as her aggressive anchor. On the 2024 Huntsman World Senior Video games, she swept singles, doubles, and blended doubles in her age group—attaining a “Triple Crown”—and in addition competed in observe, successful gold within the 100 m and silver within the 50 m.
In a sport constructed on group and evolution, Joyce Jones stands aside as each a pioneer and a residing icon. Her longevity within the sport is greater than a headline—it’s a assertion about what’s attainable when ardour meets perseverance. And wuth pickleball’s reputation is exploding globally, Joyce Jones is bridging the game’s humble origins with its daring current—and is all of the whereas reminding us that age is just not a barrier, however a part of the story. Her legacy continues to problem assumptions, elevate senior athleticism, and lightweight the way in which for future generations.
