Sure, it’s good to know interesting player facts like unique drilling routines or how to master a backhand flick.

Honestly, though, what we really want to know is the hard-hitting information, the tea, the hobbies that keep pickleball's top athletes sane during their busy tournament travel schedules.

Some pros like Christian Alshon love to read classic tennis books, while Alex and Angie Walker enjoy the latest booktok bestseller, but there’s one series that has become a staple on reading lists aplenty: 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. 

This book was such a common answer from the pros when asked the question, “What are you currently reading?” I wonder if there’s a pro pickleball book club we don’t know about. Or perhaps Meghan Dizon bought the book, then passed it off to Rachel Rohrabacher, who passed it on to Brooke Buckner, who’s going to pass it on to somebody else. Perhaps Genie Bouchard is the perfect next reader. 

But this is no small, underground series that not enough people are talking about. This is a bestselling series that you’ll find in any bookstore worldwide. 

Also known as ACOTAR, this series is a fantasy romance or “romantasy” that begins as a simple retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but quickly evolves into a fantastical world with shocking plot twists and romance that absolutely captures the heart of the hopeless romantic in all of us. 

Yes, the pro girls are just like us. They’re reading the books we’re also obsessed with too. 

Rohrabacher and Dizon recently finished A Court of Thorns and Roses and both claimed they were in one major reading slump after finishing this beloved series. 

Most shockingly, Ben Johns even read this series, really enjoyed it, and went on to read the author’s other book series, Throne of Glass. And he’s probably the biggest fantasy reader on tour.

Fantasy literature with splashes of romance are all over the players' bookshelves. But what is it about fantasy that’s so alluring to them?

One would assume that the pros would be drawn to self-help and non-fiction books that keep them grounded or help develop their mental toughness. 

But many are diving into these fantastical stories with big adventures, magical creatures, and epic romances, which is kind of funny considering that the pros themselves are extremely well traveled and in healthy committed relationships.

Personally, I think it comes down to the escapism of fantasy. 

There’s truly nothing like the ability to take a break from the real world and run off into the forest to save the kingdom or rescue your lover. The life of a pro athlete is exciting and fun, but I can only imagine the stress, the intensity, and the discipline it takes to get to the elite levels that they’ve made it to. 

So, after a six-hour drilling session or a match that didn’t go their way, of course they want to escape to Prythian and hide in the night court with a super attractive fae. That’s simply the joy of reading. The ability to unwind and take a break. Give their thinking minds a break and enter into a world where the stress isn’t real and the stakes aren’t so high. 

This is a universal experience. It’s why we all love to watch movies or read books after we clock out of our 9-to-5. To get swept away by a good story. And while the pros have a little bit of a different work schedule, they simply want to escape to a fantastical realm too. 

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