May (2023) Pro Series: Jorja Johnson

Jorja Johnson is the sister of JW Johnson and daughter of Julie Johnson, both of whom have been interviewed in our 'Pro Series' articles.

Jorja, 16, is one of the youngest professional players out there, and has made a big impact during her inaugural year as a pro.  She and JW recently took home the mixed doubles title at the PPA Newport Beach Doubles Shootout.

When I met the family at a small exhibition game, Jorja was outgoing, warm and friendly with everyone. She took the time to ask my mixed partner and I what categories we were signed up for (for the US Open) and wished us luck.

Jorja was easy to speak with and her enthusiasm for the sport was written all over her face. If this is what the future of pickleball is like, then we’re in good hands. Jorja has been drafted to the MLP team Florida Smash, which may not be the highest ranked team at the moment but has all the potential to rise to the top.

Also, if you don’t follow JW or Jorja on social media, you should do so, their content is light and entertaining to watch.

Photo credit: Franklin Sports

Name: Jorja Johnson
Sponsored by: Franklin Sports, Day One, Chicken and Pickle
Paddle: 16mm Franklin Fiberglass
Recent Achievement(s): Ranked number one on the APP women’s tour and won the last 3 APP tournaments with 3 different partners

Q. How long have you been playing pickleball and how did you enter the world of pickleball?

I have been playing pickleball for 5 years now, but only full-time as a pro since January of this year.

Q. What was your first pro tournament and when? 

My first pro tournament was Newport PPA in 2021.

Q. What was a stand-out moment of any tournament for you?

Winning the NYC mixed doubles with my brother. 

Photo credit: Franklin Sports

Q. Do you have a favourite drill? If so, what is it? 

Dinking and reset drills.

Q. Who’s your pickleball hero?

JW, my brother.

Q. Name your top 3 favourite shots?

Overhead, backhand roll, and serve.

Q. Do you identify more as a left-side player or right-side player?

Left sided player.

Q. What’s your favourite pickleball moment to-date? 

Winning NYC Open with my brother.

Q. Name 3 other pros you’d like to play a rec game with and what is the match up? 

I would like to play with Gabriel Tardio against JW and Vivienne David.

Q. What is your favourite tournament format to play in and why? 

MLP because I love the team aspect.

Q. What does the sport of pickleball need the most in order for it to get to the “next level”? (can answer from a Canadian, US or global perspective) 

Pickleball just needs to continue to grow as it has been doing and this will propel it to the next level, it will happen organically as it continues to spread around the world. It also needs better venues and to continue to establish referees that can call lines at the pro level.

Q. Favourite ice cream flavour? 

Mint Chocolate Chip.

Q. How do you recover from a day of competition in order to get ready for the next day?

Getting plenty of sleep is key for me, eating right, hydrating, and drinking a Day One CBD drink.

Q. Do you have a favourite tournament that you attend? 

Boca Raton APP because it’s my home courts.

Q. How do you prepare yourself mentally for competition? 

I try to get a proper warm-up and talk about strategy with my doubles partner.

Q. In how many years do you think pickleball will be an Olympic sport? 

I am really hoping it makes it as an exhibition sport in LA in 2028! 

Photo credit: APP

Q. What’s your favourite piece of advice to give to a beginner? 

Drill, drill, drill! 

Q. Can you share with the readers something unique about yourself? 

I love cooking and learning new recipes.

Bonus question: what’s the most exciting part about pickleball for you these days? 

How fast everything is changing and growing and developing, there are new things happening constantly that are exciting to watch unfold.

This article was taken from our 'Control the Kitchen' Newsletter, if you're interested in receiving more content like this, please feel free to sign up using the subscribe section located at the bottom left of this page (or underneath the article if you're on mobile), thanks!