Rachael James
Pro pickleball player, coach and founder of Destination Pickleball.
Rachael James is a professional pickleball player and coach based in Durham, North Carolina, and the founder of Destination Pickleball. She reached a career-high world ranking of No. 17 in women’s singles and has appeared on ESPN2.
Before pickleball, Rachael spent more than two decades in tennis, playing collegiately at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and semi-professionally. She now teaches pickleball full-time and still competes professionally.
Player, coach and founder
From college tennis at UNC to the pro pickleball tour, and the business she built around the sport.
On the pro tour
Rachael still competes on the pro tour. Her results include a mixed doubles win at PPA Mesa with Erik Forsythe over DJ Young and Cass Hoag, and a women’s doubles win at APP Dallas with Kate Fahey over Shelby Bates and Allison Philips.
Coaching in the Triangle
Rachael is the highest professionally ranked coach in the Triangle. She has served as Pickleball Director at Pickles and Play and at Peak Sports in Apex, and now teaches full-time in Durham through Destination Pickleball, working with players of all levels.
Founder and community
Rachael founded Destination Pickleball to bring players together through tournaments, camps and pickleball travel, including corporate retreats in Cancun. She also founded Bull City Tennis and works with the Durham Police Department to provide tennis coaching for kids in the community.
Corporate retreats in Cancun →
About Destination Pickleball →