Louisville native Casey Diamond turns tennis background into fast-rising pro pickleball career

Casey Diamond, a Louisville native and University of Kentucky alumnus, is making a growing name for himself on the professional pickleball circuit after transitioning from competitive tennis to a new sport and a full-time training routine, according to WLKY. The report traces Diamond’s path from returning to the courts in a different form to traveling for tournaments as a pro, eventually reaching higher visibility through Major League Pickleball (MLP) and ESPN’s SportsCenter.

WLKY reported that following his graduation from the University of Kentucky, Diamond left a full-time job in medical sales and began pursuing pickleball more seriously. He spent time working as an instructor while building connections in the sport, and he said those local pro relationships helped lead to opportunities that expanded his tournament schedule. “I started meeting some of the local pros and that's how it all started with me traveling for pro pickleball,” Diamond said in the WLKY interview.

According to the WLKY account, Diamond described a difficult early pro period that began with qualifying for events at multiple locations while earning little, “barely paying rent,” and then gradually shifting toward match wins and traveling with more success. He also said the progression allowed him to compete more broadly, with the report stating that he has traveled to seven different countries to compete.

Diamond turned professional in 2023, WLKY reported. Since then, he has been positioning himself with major pickleball organizations and sought greater stability in a demanding tournament cycle. This year, the report said, Diamond signed a three-year agreement with the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, a move intended to support his continued participation at a higher level of competition.

The WLKY story also said Diamond has gained additional attention recently after back-to-back appearances on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays in his MLP debut. In the interview, Diamond pointed to the reach of those national highlights, describing how viewers across Kentucky and beyond were contacting him after seeing the clips. “It was just cool to see all the people text me and say, 'Oh, like I was watching a bar. I was watching at a pickleball complex in Lexington. I was watching like all over Kentucky' and just texted me and saying they saw it was it was awesome,” he said.

For his next competition, WLKY reported that Diamond’s next tournament is scheduled in Grand Rapids, Florida. The Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament begins on July 8, and Diamond’s first match is scheduled for July 9 at around 3 p.m., according to the report. The outcome of that first matchup will be among the next milestones in his summer schedule as he continues under his current league agreement.

While the story centers on an athlete’s personal career path, the WLKY reporting also highlights how local athletic backgrounds can translate into participation in national sports circuits that draw widespread media attention. For Kentucky-based fans, Diamond’s Louisville roots and UK connection remain a prominent part of the narrative as his travel-heavy schedule ramps up for mid-season events, with the next televised window tied to MLP’s July dates.