Lea’s Story

A former collegiate tennis player at Coastal Carolina University, Lea Jansen found pickleball after Tyson McGuffin introduced her to the sport. She quickly made the transition and established herself as a consistent top-tier professional, known for her expressive personality and competitive intensity.

Lea has competed on tour with Type 1 diabetes since 2021. After her diagnosis, managing blood sugar through long tournament days, travel, and match-day adrenaline took trial and error. Working with her care team, she developed a routine that brings together nutrition, training, mental performance support, and treatment.

That process also deepened Lea’s interest in the connection between body and mind. Her signature pre-serve routine began as a grounding technique and has since become a familiar part of her game. Beyond competition, Lea uses her platform to support the T1D community, especially children living with the condition. Her long-term goal is to run summer camps where kids with T1D can learn pickleball in a safe environment and simply be kids.

Introducing the Lea Jansen Hyperion Pro V Signature Pickleball Paddle

The JOOLA Hyperion Pro V by Lea Jansen brings the best elements of her paddle journey together in one versatile shape. Built to balance control and power while generating plenty of spin, it gives Lea the adaptability she wants across both singles and doubles.

Debuting in Lime Green and Light Purple, the design is inspired by Lea’s iconic tap-centric pre-serve routine. A lime green bleed at the top left marks the spot where she taps the paddle against her body, a personal detail transformed into a defining visual signature.

The launch also celebrates Lea’s commitment to the Type 1 diabetes community. In honor of Lea Jansen, JOOLA is making a $10,000 charitable donation to Breakthrough T1D, regardless of paddle sales, to support its mission to cure, prevent, and better treat Type 1 diabetes.

Lea's Paddle Journey

Lea has been with JOOLA since January 2023, and her game has evolved alongside an unusually wide range of JOOLA signature paddle shapes. In her words, Lea describes her paddle journey:

Scorpeus: “Scorpeus was my first introduction to JOOLA, and that was before I joined JOOLA. My defense evolved with Scorpeus; I wasn’t very good from the back court, and it helped my drops, my resets, and my overall play in the mid-court. When you hit a good counter with the frying-pan (Scorpeus), you can hear it a mile away.”

Perseus: “Next in my journey, because I love to play singles, is the Perseus. An all-around paddle that still has a decent hitting zone, but it’s more elevated. My favorite part about using the Perseus was the extra reach for my stretch volleys in singles.”

Agassi: “I switched to Agassi strictly for singles because singles is becoming tennis, especially with the change of the ball. Helps me gain a lot of spin. I love the rounded top, and the Agassi has a higher and bigger hitting zone.”

Hyperion: “Now I’m moving on to the Hyperion. It’s a good blend of a singles and doubles paddle, and it’s like the Perseus and the Agassi. Gaining control without giving up a lot of power but getting a lot of spin.”

Play with Purpose

Lea’s newest signature paddle is more than the next step in her equipment journey. It brings together the shape she trusts, a design rooted in her unmistakable routine, and a cause central to her story.

Shop Now: Lea Jansen Hyperion Pro V Signature Pickleball Paddle