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| Riley Newman |
Full Name: Riley Newman | Current Status: Active professional on the PPA Tour, competing in Men's Doubles and Mixed Doubles into the 2026–27 season
Riley Newman has reached World No. 1 in men's doubles, and he's done it with more partners than almost anyone on tour. Nearly every season brings a new name across the net from him — and somehow, he keeps ending up on Championship Sunday anyway.
Biography Summary
Riley Newman didn't pick up pickleball until his mid-twenties, and it barely slowed him down. Days into playing, he was already winning tournaments with his sister.
Since turning pro in 2018, he's reached World No. 1 in men's doubles and built one of the sport's most decorated résumés, even as he's cycled through more doubles partners than almost anyone else on tour.
That constant reshuffling has become part of his identity — proof that his game travels well no matter who's standing next to him at the net.
Early Life
Newman grew up on Whidbey Island, Washington, the middle child of seven siblings — five sisters and one brother — in a family that treated sports as a shared language.
He played basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis growing up, eventually earning scholarships in both basketball and tennis. He finished his college career at Seattle University, where by his senior year he held down the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles spots on the tennis team.
Professional Career
Newman's career is less a straight line than a series of partnerships — each one different, each one somehow ending up in medal contention. The constant across all of them has been his own game.
Newman Squared
Newman picked up a paddle for the first time in the summer of 2017. Within days, he entered a 5.0 mixed doubles tournament with his sister Lindsey and won gold. The pairing earned the nickname "Newman Squared" and carried him straight into the pro ranks by 2018.
In 2021, the siblings won gold together in mixed doubles at the USA Pickleball National Championships in Indian Wells, a career highlight that cemented Newman as more than just a curiosity in the sport.
Chasing the Johns Brothers
Newman's partnership with Matt Wright, formed in January 2022, turned into one of men's doubles' most feared teams — six gold medals together in an 18-month stretch. But eleven of their silver medals in that same window came in finals lost to Ben and Collin Johns.
Being the sport's most consistent runner-up wasn't nothing — Newman held the No. 2 world ranking in men's and mixed doubles for most of 2020 through 2023, chasing Ben Johns's teams almost every step of the way.
Life After Wright
Newman and Wright ended their partnership in July 2023, announced by Newman on Instagram without much explanation. What followed was a run of new pairings almost every few months: Julian Arnold, AJ Koller, Thomas Wilson, Christian Alshon, Dekel Bar, and Connor Garnett all took turns as his doubles partner.
In mixed doubles, he moved through a similar list — Parris Todd, Etta Wright, and Vivienne David among them — each pairing requiring him to rebuild chemistry from scratch, tournament by tournament.
Still in the Mix
Heading into the 2026–27 PPA Tour season, Newman lined up alongside Catherine Parenteau in doubles at the Veolia Pickleball National Championships in Cary, North Carolina — yet another new partnership, and yet another shot at a podium.
Career Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Discovers pickleball; wins first tournament (5.0 mixed doubles) with sister Lindsey |
| 2018 | Turns professional |
| 2020 | Rises to World No. 2 in men's doubles, behind the Johns brothers' teams |
| 2021 | Wins USA Pickleball National Championships mixed doubles gold with Lindsey Newman |
| 2022 | Forms men's doubles partnership with Matt Wright; reaches career-high World No. 1 |
| 2023 | Ends partnership with Wright after 23 medals together; cycles through multiple new partners |
| 2024–2025 | Competes with Vivienne David in mixed doubles; continues rotating men's doubles partners |
| 2026 | Opens the 2026–27 PPA Tour season paired with Catherine Parenteau |
Major Achievements
Newman's résumé spans nearly a decade of top-tier doubles pickleball:
- Career-high World No. 1 ranking in men's doubles
- Consistently ranked No. 2 in men's and mixed doubles from 2020 to 2023
- 20 career PPA Tour titles
- 85 career PPA Tour medals
- USA Pickleball National Championships gold in mixed doubles (2021, with sister Lindsey)
- Over $2.3 million in career PPA Tour prize money
Highlights & Video
Career Statistics
| Division | PPA Rank | Points | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Doubles | No. 12 | 4,912.5 | 14 | 24 | 11 |
| Mixed Doubles | No. 16 | 2,075 | 6 | 12 | 13 |
Records
Few players in pickleball have sustained top rankings across as many different partnerships as Newman. Holding the No. 2 world ranking for four straight years, across two divisions and multiple partners, is a rare feat of consistency independent of who he's playing next to.
Net Worth
Riley Newman's net worth has not been officially disclosed. His confirmed career PPA Tour prize money stands at roughly $2.4 million, but that figure does not account for sponsorships, coaching income, or other earnings, so any total net worth estimate should be treated as unconfirmed.
Gear & Equipment
Newman is sponsored by Paddletek as part of Team Paddletek, one of the sport's longer-running paddle manufacturers.
Playing Style
Newman's tennis background shows up in his court coverage and shot anticipation. He's known for his long reach at the net, patient shot selection, and the calm demeanor that's let him slot into so many different partnerships without disrupting the chemistry.
Training, Diet & Fitness
Beyond competing, Newman runs his own coaching business, the Pickleball Accelerator Programs, teaching the same footwork and net-control principles that carried him to World No. 1.
Personal Life
Newman's most documented family connection is his sister and former doubles partner, Lindsey Newman, who remains a pro on tour in her own right. He grew up in a large, athletic family of seven siblings on Whidbey Island before eventually settling in the Phoenix area.
Official Social Media Profiles
Legacy
Newman's place in pickleball history isn't tied to one signature partnership the way some of his peers' are. It's tied to durability — the fact that whoever he plays with next tends to end up competing for gold.
That adaptability may be a bigger legacy than any single title: proof that a great doubles player can be the constant in an equation with a lot of changing variables.
Interesting Facts
- Grew up as the middle child of seven siblings on Whidbey Island, Washington.
- Played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles in tennis by his senior year at Seattle University.
- Won his first-ever pickleball tournament within days of picking up a paddle.
- Nicknamed "Newman Squared" alongside sister and doubles partner Lindsey Newman.
- Reached career-high World No. 1 in men's doubles.
- Held the No. 2 world ranking in men's and mixed doubles for four straight years.
- Won 23 medals with former partner Matt Wright in an 18-month span.
- Has partnered with at least ten different players across men's and mixed doubles since 2020.
- Has earned more than $2.3 million in career PPA Tour prize money.
- Runs his own coaching business, the Pickleball Accelerator Programs.
- Opened the 2026–27 PPA Tour season partnered with Catherine Parenteau.
- Was a multi-sport athlete growing up, also playing basketball, soccer, and baseball.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Riley Newman?
He was born on June 3, 1993, making him 33 years old as of September 2026.
Where is Riley Newman from?
He was born and raised on Whidbey Island, Washington, and currently lives in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
Who is Riley Newman's doubles partner?
He has partnered with many players over the years, most notably Matt Wright and his sister Lindsey Newman, and opened the 2026–27 season paired with Catherine Parenteau.
Has Riley Newman ever been ranked No. 1?
Yes, he reached a career-high World No. 1 ranking in men's doubles.
Is Riley Newman related to Lindsey Newman?
Yes, Lindsey Newman is his sister and was his first pickleball doubles partner, giving the pair the nickname "Newman Squared."
How many titles has Riley Newman won?
He has won 20 career PPA Tour titles and 85 career PPA Tour medals.
What is Riley Newman's net worth?
His net worth has not been officially disclosed, though his career PPA Tour prize money totals roughly $2.4 million.
The Final Verdict
Riley Newman's career makes a case that consistency, not chemistry with one specific partner, is what actually separates the best doubles players in pickleball. He's proven it over and over, with a rotating cast of teammates.
Whether he ends this season with Catherine Parenteau or someone else entirely next year, the safe bet is that Newman finds his way back to Championship Sunday regardless.
Did you catch Newman's run with Matt Wright, or do you think one of his newer partnerships has more upside? Let us know your pick in the comments below.