Ben Johns is the best male player.

Anna Leigh Waters is the best female player.

Today I had the opportunity to see them play in person as they are in Seattle for the Professional Pickleball Association Seattle Open tournament.

What is striking is how good these two pickleball players are.  Their quality of play is something to behold.

Whether it is their court coverage, their ability to drive the ball, their amazing quickness in their volleying, their tactical smartness, their ability to remain cool even when under tremendous pressure, their unbelievable focus and concentration, their ability to hit drop shots from almost any position on the court, to name a few of their qualities.

Pickleball has come a long way since it was first invented on Bainbridge Island, just a short 30 minute ferry ride from Seattle, some 58 years ago.  It is the fastest growing sport in America today.  Some 48 million American adults, some 20% of the population, are playing the game.

Today’s matches that I saw in person were watched by millions live on ESPN.  There is now Major League Pickleball with 12 teams in its Premier level.  Well known athletes including Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, LeBron James and Drew Brees have become owners of pro pickleball teams.

The irony of today for me was that I was watching in person the best players in the world, but the whole reason pickleball was created was to be a game that everyone could play.  In fact, the game deliberately was designed to ensure that the best and strongest players would not be that much better than the other players.

There are three rule changes from tennis, each designed to take away the power game.

• You must serve underhand.

• You cannot serve and volley. You must let the return of serve bounce before you hit it.

• You cannot stand at the net and volley. You must stand back 7 feet to hit a volley,.

These three changes are designed to level the playing field for all the participants.

But what I witnessed today was a level of play that was truly phenomenal.  So much for leveling the game.