Daria Walczak: Her Journey to the Top of Professional Pickleball
DARIA WALCZAK
Her Journey to the Top of Professional Pickleball
Stay tuned, because this is only the beginning. Daria’s journey is one to watch. And this is what she shared, exclusively, with Dink Authority Magazine.
I first heard about Daria Walczak through the buzz surrounding the APP circuit — her name kept coming up, and it didn’t take long to understand why. Her journey from Poland to the United States, from tennis courts to pickleball podiums, is as inspiring as it is impressive.
What stood out most was her grit, her steady growth, and the way she has carved out her own path in a sport she only recently began playing at the professional level. She is humble, focused, and relentlessly driven. In her own words, Daria shared her story exclusively with Dink Authority Magazine.
Hi! My name is Daria Walczak, and I’ve been playing professional pickleball for about a year and a half. I was introduced to the sport nearly four years ago, between my junior and senior years of college, but I didn’t have the opportunity to truly start playing until the summer of 2022, after I graduated.
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
I came to the United States to play tennis at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa — that’s where my pickleball journey truly began. I met some local 3.0-level players who taught me the fundamentals of the game and helped me understand its nuances. After about a year of learning and improving, they encouraged me to travel for my first out-of-state PPA amateur tournament.
I went in with no expectations — I didn’t even meet my partner until the day of competition — but somehow, we won the 5.0 gold medal in women’s doubles. It was a fun and eye-opening experience that showed me what was possible.
Over the next few months, I competed in several local 5.0 events, but they quickly became less and less challenging. Later that year, in 2023, I signed up for my first professional tournament — APP St. Louis — and it went far better than expected. I walked away with more wins than losses, even though my initial goal was simply to win a single match.
Instead, I ended up winning seven.
Shortly after, my husband and I moved to Arizona, and that’s when my game truly began to evolve. I made the decision to go all in and fully commit to pursuing professional pickleball. At the beginning of 2024, I registered for several APP events, and by my third professional appearance — APP Sacramento — my partner Patrick Kawka and I reached the mixed doubles pro final after battling our way through the qualifiers.
Along the way, we managed to defeat some of the sport’s top names, including Simone Jardim, Megan Fudge, Jill Braverman, Gabe Tardio, and Andrei Daescu, earning our place on Championship Sunday. There, we ultimately fell to the Johnson siblings — but by that point, something had shifted.
That match marked the moment I truly realized that I can compete at this level.
Since then, I’ve played almost every APP event and have earned a total of eight medals: three silver medals in mixed doubles, two silver medals in women’s doubles, one silver medal in singles, and two bronze medals in women’s doubles.
I’m thrilled about what’s coming in 2025 — new partnerships, new opportunities, and new challenges. Up next are the US Open and APP Cincinnati in May.
When I’m not on the court, I work full-time as an actuary in a remote position, which gives me the flexibility to travel for tournaments. I’m grateful for that balance — it allows me to pursue both my professional career and my athletic goals at the same time.
For me, pickleball is still just beginning. And I’m excited to see how far this journey will go.
DARIA WALCZAK
Her Journey to the Top of Professional Pickleball
Stay tuned, because this is only the beginning. Daria’s journey is one to watch. And this is what she shared, exclusively, with Dink Authority Magazine.
I first heard about Daria Walczak through the buzz surrounding the APP circuit — her name kept coming up, and it didn’t take long to understand why. Her journey from Poland to the United States, from tennis courts to pickleball podiums, is as inspiring as it is impressive.
What stood out most was her grit, her steady growth, and the way she has carved out her own path in a sport she only recently began playing at the professional level. She is humble, focused, and relentlessly driven. In her own words, Daria shared her story exclusively with Dink Authority Magazine.
Current Issue
Dink Authority Magazine – April 2026
Read Now →
Hi! My name is Daria Walczak, and I’ve been playing professional pickleball for about a year and a half. I was introduced to the sport nearly four years ago, between my junior and senior years of college, but I didn’t have the opportunity to truly start playing until the summer of 2022, after I graduated.
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
I came to the United States to play tennis at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa — that’s where my pickleball journey truly began. I met some local 3.0-level players who taught me the fundamentals of the game and helped me understand its nuances. After about a year of learning and improving, they encouraged me to travel for my first out-of-state PPA amateur tournament.
I went in with no expectations — I didn’t even meet my partner until the day of competition — but somehow, we won the 5.0 gold medal in women’s doubles. It was a fun and eye-opening experience that showed me what was possible.
Over the next few months, I competed in several local 5.0 events, but they quickly became less and less challenging. Later that year, in 2023, I signed up for my first professional tournament — APP St. Louis — and it went far better than expected. I walked away with more wins than losses, even though my initial goal was simply to win a single match.
Instead, I ended up winning seven.
Shortly after, my husband and I moved to Arizona, and that’s when my game truly began to evolve. I made the decision to go all in and fully commit to pursuing professional pickleball. At the beginning of 2024, I registered for several APP events, and by my third professional appearance — APP Sacramento — my partner Patrick Kawka and I reached the mixed doubles pro final after battling our way through the qualifiers.
Along the way, we managed to defeat some of the sport’s top names, including Simone Jardim, Megan Fudge, Jill Braverman, Gabe Tardio, and Andrei Daescu, earning our place on Championship Sunday. There, we ultimately fell to the Johnson siblings — but by that point, something had shifted.
That match marked the moment I truly realized that I can compete at this level.
Since then, I’ve played almost every APP event and have earned a total of eight medals: three silver medals in mixed doubles, two silver medals in women’s doubles, one silver medal in singles, and two bronze medals in women’s doubles.
I’m thrilled about what’s coming in 2025 — new partnerships, new opportunities, and new challenges. Up next are the US Open and APP Cincinnati in May.
When I’m not on the court, I work full-time as an actuary in a remote position, which gives me the flexibility to travel for tournaments. I’m grateful for that balance — it allows me to pursue both my professional career and my athletic goals at the same time.
For me, pickleball is still just beginning. And I’m excited to see how far this journey will go.
Gallery
