DALLAS, TX - She’s back, folks. Lea Jansen will make her return to the singles court at the PPA Masters in January.

The Type 1 diabetic has not competed in a singles draw since the PPA Seattle Open in July, where she announced she would be retiring from the discipline going forward for health reasons.

Having already qualified thanks to her stellar play during the first half of 2023, Jansen had planned to compete in singles at December’s PPA Tour Finals, but was forced to withdraw that morning due to a spike in her blood sugar. 

In a Tweet announcing her withdrawal, the former collegiate tennis player mentioned that she would be adding a specialist to her team in 2024 in hopes of making a full comeback.

It’s still unknown whether Jansen will commit to a full-time singles schedule or compete only at select tournaments, but she told PPA Tour reporter Hannah Johns in an October interview that any potential singles comeback would be limited to just a few events.

“If there is a comeback, it’s only going to be six or seven tournaments,” she shared.

Regardless of what this comeback looks like, having Jansen back in singles draws will only contribute to the continuous rise in the level of play across the sport.

Since she began playing pro pickleball in 2021, Jansen has been a staple on the singles podium, claiming 27 of her 46 career medals from that event alone.

We’ll see if she adds more to her collection during the upcoming campaign.