Headline: “Pickleball Star Jordan Miles Announces Sudden Retirement Following Devastating Injury”
June 16, 2025 — Naples, FL
In a heartbreaking turn of events for the pickleball community, world-ranked No. 3 and fan-favorite Jordan Miles announced their sudden retirement on Monday after suffering a severe Achilles tendon tear during a pro tour match in California last week.
Miles, 29, collapsed during the second set of a highly anticipated doubles semifinal, their screams silencing the crowd. The injury was confirmed as a full rupture, requiring immediate surgery and an extended recovery period of 9-12 months — a timeline Miles emotionally acknowledged would “effectively end my professional career.”
“It’s not the way I wanted to go out,” Miles said through tears at a press conference in Naples, the city they’ve called home for the past five years. “But I’ve given everything I have to this sport, and now my body is saying it’s time.”
Often called the “face of modern pickleball,” Miles rose from modest beginnings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to become a national champion, inspiring a new generation of players with their intensity, grace, and signature backhand flick. In 2023, Miles led Team USA to a gold medal at the Pan American Pickleball Invitational and was widely regarded as a likely future Hall of Famer.
Tributes poured in across social media Monday night, with fellow pros and fans sharing clips of iconic moments and heartfelt messages. Rival and longtime friend Ava Kim wrote, “There would be no me without Jordan. This is a loss for all of us.”
Though retiring from competition, Miles hinted they’ll stay involved in the game — possibly through coaching or commentary — but said they first need time to heal emotionally and physically.
“I always thought I’d leave on my terms,” Miles said, pausing to compose themself. “But maybe this is my story. Maybe it’s just a different ending than I imagined.”
For now, the courts feel a little quieter. A little emptier. And the game — though it goes on — just lost one of its
brightest lights.
