Enjoying our coverage?
The March 2026 issue of World Pickleball Magazine is now live, featuring global league developments, tournament analysis, exclusive interviews, and stories from across the international pickleball community.
Follow @worldpickleballmagazine on Facebook and Instagram for daily pickleball news, and listen to the World Pickleball Podcast on Spotify, iTunes, and other major podcast platforms.
In this episode of the World Pickleball Podcast, host Chris Beaumont speaks with Ben Cawston, one of the most dominant players in the sport today and the current standard-setter in European pickleball.
Still only 23, Ben has built one of the most unusual and impressive crossover stories in modern racket sport. A former World No. 1 in rackets and the youngest Rackets World Champion in more than a century, he has transferred that extraordinary hand speed and court craft into pickleball with startling effect.
The conversation begins with Ben’s current grip on the European game. Now the RTA European No. 1 in men’s doubles, unbeaten in Europe alongside Théo Platel, and already loaded with 17 European pro gold medals, he explains what sits behind that run, from chemistry and tactical clarity to the standards required to stay ahead of the field. For readers tracking the elite end of the sport, Ben Cawston’s rise is exactly the sort of story that belongs inside the wider rankings and players conversation.
Chris and Ben also dig into the significance of his 5.807 doubles DUPR, the highest of any player residing and competing in Europe, and what that figure says about consistency, level, and validation. You can explore how the rating system works through DUPR.
From there, the episode widens out to Ben’s global ambitions. He reflects on competing in Asia, earning medals in Vietnam and Dubai, stepping into the pressure of franchise pickleball in Mumbai, and testing himself against top American players on the international tournament circuit. His narrow loss to Connor Garnett and Blaine Hovenier at the Hangzhou Open becomes a useful lens through which to assess just how close Europe’s best are to breaking through consistently on the world stage.
What makes the discussion especially compelling is the sporting backstory. Ben talks about growing up in Winchester, excelling in a private-school dominated sport while coming through state education, and how learning to react to a ball travelling at 185 miles per hour shaped the fearless, fast-handed style that now defines his pickleball identity.
Whether you follow professional doubles, transatlantic player development, or the future architecture of the global game, this episode offers a revealing look at an athlete who is no longer simply dominating a region, but pushing into a bigger international conversation.
Topics covered
- Ben Cawston’s unbeaten run in European men’s doubles
- His 17 European pro gold medals and recent 2026 titles
- The meaning of his 5.807 doubles DUPR
- How a rackets world champion became a pickleball force
- Competing in Asia, Dubai, Mumbai, and on the wider global stage
- How close Europe’s top players are to the best Americans
Stay ahead of the global game by signing up for the World Pickleball Report.
Further Reading
- Latest pickleball news from around the world
- Tournament coverage and results
- Rankings and player profiles
- Regional pickleball coverage
Chris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at all levels of pickleball. Chris is also an avid player, currently struggling to make the breakthrough from 4.0 to 4.5.