Best Dressed Pickleball Pros: PPA Greater Zion Cup
The world of professional pickleball has evolved far beyond just athletic performance and strategic gameplay. Today’s elite players understand that presentation matters, and nowhere was this more evident than at the recent PPA Greater Zion Cup at Black Desert Resort in Utah. As someone who has followed the sport’s transformation from recreational pastime to professional spectacle, I find myself increasingly drawn to how players express their personalities through their on-court attire. The desert landscape of Utah provided a stunning canvas against which these athletes showcased not just their skills but their individual sense of style, creating a visual narrative that extends the sport’s appeal beyond the competition itself.
What struck me most about this particular tournament was how the players’ fashion choices reflected the changing identity of pickleball as a sport. We’re witnessing a generation of athletes who recognize that their influence extends beyond the court, and their clothing choices represent an opportunity to connect with fans, express individuality, and even challenge traditional notions of what athletic wear should look like. The vibrant colors, bold patterns, and carefully coordinated outfits we saw in Utah weren’t just about looking good—they represented a deeper understanding of personal branding and the visual culture that surrounds modern sports.
Anna Leigh Waters: Purple Perfection in the Desert
Anna Leigh Waters has become synonymous with excellence in pickleball, and her appearance at the Greater Zion Cup demonstrated that her attention to detail extends well beyond her legendary hand speed and court positioning. She selected a striking purple sapphire ensemble from Nike that commanded attention against the earthy tones of the Utah desert landscape. The choice wasn’t merely aesthetic—it was strategic, creating visual contrast that made her instantly recognizable on the court.
Her outfit centered around the Nike Pro Sculpt Women’s Medium Support Padded Short Sleeve Sports Bra, a technical piece that balances function with form. What I found particularly thoughtful about this choice was the cutout detailing on the top—a design element that adds visual interest without compromising the garment’s athletic purpose. These cutouts serve dual functions: they enhance breathability during intense rallies while creating geometric shapes that draw the eye and add dimension to the overall silhouette.
Waters paired the sports bra with a matching Nike skirt in the same purple sapphire shade, creating a monochromatic look that feels both cohesive and sophisticated. The power of matching separates shouldn’t be underestimated—this approach creates a streamlined appearance that can make an athlete appear taller and more commanding on the court. For a player like Waters, whose game is already imposing, the visual enhancement only adds to her formidable presence.
What resonates with me about Waters’ fashion choices is how they reflect her position in the sport. She’s not just following trends—she’s setting them. The purple sapphire shade she wore is bold without being garish, confident without being ostentatious. It’s the kind of color choice that suggests someone who knows exactly who they are and what they represent. In many ways, her outfit at the Greater Zion Cup embodied the same qualities that make her such a dominant force in pickleball: precision, confidence, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Noe Khlif: Bringing Safari Vibes to the Court
Noe Khlif took a distinctly different approach with his outfit selection, opting for bold prints that brought an element of the unexpected to the pickleball court. His choice of the JOOLA Men’s Club Printed Polo demonstrated a willingness to embrace patterns that many male athletes might shy away from. The safari-inspired leopard and serpentine print created visual texture and movement, transforming what could have been a standard polo into a statement piece.
What I appreciate about Khlif’s fashion sensibility is his understanding that men’s athletic wear doesn’t need to be boring or conservative. The animal prints he selected walk a fine line—they’re attention-grabbing without being costumey, distinctive without being distracting. This balance is harder to achieve than it might appear. Too subtle, and the print gets lost; too bold, and it overwhelms. Khlif found the sweet spot, creating an outfit that enhanced his presence without overshadowing his performance.
He complemented the printed polo with the JOOLA Men’s Woven 5″ Shorts, a smart choice that provided a visual anchor for the busier top. The shorts’ solid color allowed the polo’s pattern to remain the focal point while maintaining overall outfit cohesion. This kind of thoughtful pairing shows an understanding of proportion and balance—fundamental principles of style that apply whether you’re dressing for a business meeting or a professional pickleball tournament.
Khlif’s outfit also speaks to the international flavor that pickleball has developed. The safari-inspired prints evoke a sense of adventure and global influence, reminding us that this sport has transcended its American origins to become a truly international phenomenon. His willingness to bring these cross-cultural aesthetic elements to the court enriches the visual landscape of professional pickleball and challenges other players to think more creatively about their own presentation.
Dylan Frazier: The Power of Pink and Black
Dylan Frazier’s color combination at the Greater Zion Cup caught my attention immediately—hot pink and black is a pairing that exudes both energy and edge. This wasn’t a safe choice, and that’s precisely what made it so effective. Frazier wore the Volair T-Shirt in Black with Pink Logo, creating a foundation that was both classic and contemporary.
The genius of this outfit lay in its inversion of expectations. Rather than wearing a pink top with black bottoms—the more predictable choice—Frazier opted for the reverse, pairing his black and pink top with the lululemon Mile Maker Ripstop Lined Short 6″ in mulberry spark—a vibrant pink shade that became the outfit’s statement piece. This unexpected proportion of color created visual interest and showed a sophisticated understanding of how to build an outfit that feels fresh and unconventional.
What strikes me about Frazier’s choice is how it challenges traditional notions of masculinity in sports attire. Hot pink has historically been coded as feminine, but Frazier’s confident embrace of the color demonstrates how meaningless such associations have become. The color doesn’t diminish his athletic presence—if anything, it enhances it by showing a player who is secure enough in his abilities and identity to wear whatever makes him feel good. This kind of confidence is magnetic, and it translates into the kind of mental strength that serves players well during high-pressure matches.
The technical aspects of Frazier’s outfit choices also deserve recognition. The lululemon shorts he selected are known for their performance features, including ripstop fabric that resists tearing and moisture-wicking properties that keep athletes dry during extended play. The fact that these functional elements come packaged in such a bold color demonstrates how far athletic wear has evolved—we no longer have to choose between performance and aesthetics. We can have both, and Frazier’s outfit exemplified this perfectly.
Gio Morelli: Spring Gingham Excellence
Gio Morelli’s outfit selection transported me straight into spring with the Gingham Serves Up Dress in bright green. Gingham is a pattern with deep roots in American fashion history, evoking everything from picnic blankets to vintage diner tablecloths. Seeing it reimagined as performance athletic wear in such a vibrant shade felt both nostalgic and innovative.
The choice of bright green gingham was particularly inspired for a desert tournament setting. While many players opted for colors that complemented the earthy desert palette, Morelli went in the opposite direction, choosing a shade that created maximum contrast with the surroundings. This made her instantly visible and memorable, which is no small consideration in a sport that’s increasingly conscious of its visual presentation and social media presence.
What I find most compelling about this outfit is how it balances playfulness with athleticism. Gingham could easily read as too casual or costume-like in a competitive sports setting, but the clean lines of the dress and the specific shade of green elevated it beyond novelty into genuinely sophisticated athletic fashion. The pattern also has a practical advantage—the checks create visual texture that photographs beautifully, an increasingly important consideration for athletes who maintain active social media presences.
Morelli’s dress choice also represents the growing diversity of silhouettes available in women’s pickleball attire. Not everyone wants to wear separates, and the dress provides an all-in-one solution that eliminates the need to coordinate multiple pieces while still looking polished and put-together. The fact that it accomplishes this while incorporating such a distinctive pattern and color demonstrates the expanding possibilities within pickleball fashion.
Tyra Black: Bloom Into Spring
Tyra Black’s outfit embodied everything I love about spring fashion—soft colors, floral-inspired details, and a sense of renewal and optimism. She selected pieces from Wilson, pairing the Wilson Everyday Brami in bloom with the matching Wilson Limitless Pleated Mesh Skirt. The coordination between these pieces created a cohesive look that felt intentional and refined.
The “bloom” color is particularly noteworthy—it’s a shade that manages to be distinctly pink without being overly sweet or juvenile. This kind of sophisticated color selection shows an understanding of how subtle variations in hue can dramatically impact an outfit’s overall impression. The bloom shade has enough depth to read as serious athletic wear while maintaining the freshness and vitality associated with spring colors.
Black’s choice of a pleated mesh skirt demonstrates attention to both aesthetic and functional details. Pleats add movement and dimension to a garment, creating visual interest as the player moves across the court. The skirt doesn’t just hang there—it responds to every lunge, pivot, and stroke, creating a dynamic visual element that enhances the viewing experience. Meanwhile, the mesh construction provides breathability and lightweight comfort, ensuring that style doesn’t come at the expense of performance.
The brami top—a hybrid between a bra and a cami—represents one of the more interesting developments in women’s athletic wear. It provides more coverage than a traditional sports bra while maintaining the same supportive structure, offering players a middle ground between minimalist and traditional tops. For players who want coverage without the bulk of a full shirt, the brami has become an ideal solution, and seeing it styled so effectively by Black may inspire other players to explore this option.
Hunter Johnson: Classic Cool in Light Blue
Sometimes the most effective fashion statements are the ones that don’t try too hard, and Hunter Johnson’s outfit at the Greater Zion Cup exemplified this principle. He wore a light blue Wilson Majors Tech Men’s Tee paired with the Wilson U Structured Classic Cap, creating a look that felt effortlessly put-together.
Light blue is one of those universally flattering colors that somehow gets overlooked in favor of more dramatic choices. Johnson’s decision to build his outfit around this shade demonstrated an understanding that you don’t need neon colors or bold patterns to stand out—sometimes a clean, classic look makes just as strong an impression. The light blue worked beautifully against the desert backdrop, creating a cooling visual effect that felt appropriate for the setting and season.
The addition of the structured cap was a detail that elevated the entire outfit. Caps serve obvious practical purposes in outdoor sports—sun protection being the most important—but they also contribute significantly to an athlete’s overall aesthetic. A well-chosen cap can tie an outfit together, add a casual-cool element, and even become part of a player’s signature look. Johnson’s cap choice showed that he understands these multiple dimensions of accessorizing.
What I appreciate most about Johnson’s approach to tournament fashion is its accessibility. While some of the outfits featured in this roundup include high-end or hard-to-find pieces, Johnson’s look could be easily replicated by amateur players looking to upgrade their court style. This democratization of pickleball fashion is important—it sends the message that looking good on the court isn’t reserved for professionals with sponsorship deals and unlimited budgets. Anyone can put together a clean, classic outfit that makes them feel confident and ready to compete.
Ashley Griffith: Floral Finds from Target
Ashley Griffith has become a regular feature on best-dressed lists, and her appearance at the Greater Zion Cup demonstrated exactly why. She wore the All in Motion Everyday Soft Active Court Dress from Target, proving definitively that style doesn’t require a luxury budget.
The bright blue floral print was perfect for spring, bringing a sense of joy and vitality to the court. Floral patterns in athletic wear can be tricky—too small and they read as generic; too large and they can overwhelm. Griffith’s dress
