James Ignatowich grew up in Darien, CT, and now lives in Delray Beach, FL. Once ranked top 5 in the U.S. National High School Recruiting Rankings, Ignatowich attended Vanderbilt University to play collegiate tennis for two years. As his love for tennis dwindled, his passion for pickleball grew. Ignatowich stated that tennis was “too easy” and “really boring,” which is why he loved the challenge of learning a new sport like pickleball. He has quickly shot to the top of the pickleball rankings as well and won two gold medals in the 2023 Indoor National Championship on the PPA Tour. 

Ignatowich is sponsored by Selkirk, OS1st, and @pickleandsocial. He also runs his own podcast: The James Ignatowich Show, where he interviews fellow pickleball professionals.