Andrei Daescu most likely plays the CRBN¹ TruFoam Barrage 14mm, though his PPA Tour profile and CRBN's own roster list shapes 2 and 3. His exact current shape, playing weight, added weight, tape placement, grip build and overgrip are pending; his last sourced setup is a July 2026 CRBN³ experiment.
Andrei Daescu is a Romanian professional on the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball who moved to pickleball after competing in college tennis and on the professional tennis circuit. On September 20, 2026, he and Christian Alshon won the Veolia Arizona Open men's doubles title after saving seven championship points.
Current equipment
What is on the record now?
A sponsor deal or product page tells you the brand and model, not the exact match paddle, weight, or tape. Each field below shows its own source and date.
It is named by the newest dated source (Pickleball.com, September 17, 2026), and in his July 8, 2026, interview Daescu said he was testing shape 1 in practice. The PPA Tour profile and the CRBN roster carry no update date.
One of three unresolved current paddle candidates for Andrei Daescu. A September 17, 2026 paddle roundup lists shape 1, while the live PPA Tour and CRBN pages list shapes 2 and 3.
Three current-facing sources name three different Barrage shapes. The September 17 source is dated, but the live PPA Tour and CRBN pages have no equipment update date, so the exact current shape remains Pending.
The shoe family documented on Andrei Daescu at the Atlanta event in May 2026. The report did not identify the outsole variant or establish continued use at the September Arizona event.
Documented Color
Black and Glowing Apple at Atlanta in May 2026
Outsole Variant
Pending; the event report names the shoe family but not the outsole variant
Retail Reference
The manufacturer page describes the Wave Exceed Tour 7 AC all-court version
Where does Andrei Daescu put lead or tungsten tape?
Pending for Andrei Daescu's current paddle (checked Sep 22, 2026). The most recent sourced tape setup is from the earlier CRBN³ experiment, July 2026. It is shown here for reference and is not carried over. See the full earlier setup.
Tape placement (CRBN³ experiment, July 2026)
Added weight had been tested at the sides, then moved lower near the throat in July 2026; material and final placement Pending
14mm retail core across all three current paddle candidates. This is a shared factory specification, not a measurement of Daescu's individual paddle.
Model specifications describe the retail paddle. A player may use a custom build; we have not measured their paddle.
It is named by the newest dated source (Pickleball.com, September 17, 2026), and in his July 8, 2026, interview Daescu said he was testing shape 1 in practice. The PPA Tour profile and the CRBN roster carry no update date.
Three current-facing sources name three different Barrage shapes. The September 17 source is dated, but the live PPA Tour and CRBN pages have no equipment update date, so the exact current shape remains Pending.
Retail shape 1: elongated long-handle shape, 16.5 x 7.35 in, 14mm TruFoam core, Toray T700 carbon face, 7.9 oz average stock weight plus or minus 0.2 oz, 117-119 swingweight and 5.88 twistweight
Retail shape 2: square shape, 16 x 7.85 in, 14mm TruFoam core, Toray T700 carbon face, 8.0 oz average stock weight plus or minus 0.2 oz, 110-112 swingweight and 6.90 twistweight
Retail shape 3: elongated shape, 16.5 x 7.5 in, 14mm TruFoam core, Toray T700 carbon face, 8.0 oz average stock weight plus or minus 0.2 oz, 118-120 swingweight and 6.54 twistweight
The candidates share their core and face construction but differ in shape, dimensions, balance and stock performance measurements. None of the retail figures establishes a personal playing build.
Checked Sep 22, 2026
Handle
Conflicting reports
CRBN¹ factory handle
Shape 1 factory handle: 5.75 in long and 4.125 in circumference; Daescu's personal handle build is Pending
No current source reports Daescu's September 2026 playing weight. The approximately 9.3 oz figure belongs only to the July 2026 historical setup below.
Checked Sep 22, 2026
Weight added
Pending
No current source reports how much weight is added, the material used or whether his September setup retains the July experiment.
Checked Sep 22, 2026
Grip build
Pending
No current source identifies Daescu's base grip, wrap count, grip size or retained handle weighting.
Checked Sep 22, 2026
Overgrip
Pending
No current player, brand, tour or interview source found in this pass names his overgrip model, color or wrap method.
Checked Sep 22, 2026
Previous-era setup
Earlier setups, with dates
These setups are sourced but belong to an earlier paddle or sponsor, so they are not carried over to the current setup above.
July 2026 CRBN³ experimental setup
Setup described in an interview published July 8, 2026; exact start and end dates were not published
Historical report
The original CRBN Pickleball episode page establishes the episode identity and publication date. The setup details below come from Pickleball Radio's syndicated automated transcript, which was checked against the timestamp sequence but not independently verified by listening to the recording. Clear statements were retained, while the transcript's uncertain wording was paraphrased conservatively.
Official history lists gold in Men's Doubles with Gabriel Tardio; Finals date 2024-08-25.
Window: Nov 9, 2023 to Nov 9, 2026. Selected verified results, ordered by finish and then date. This record may not cover every tournament appearance. Tournament results do not establish which paddle was used.
Questions fans ask
Andrei Daescu setup FAQs
What paddle does Andrei Daescu use?+
Pending at the exact shape level. A September 17, 2026, roundup lists the CRBN¹ TruFoam Barrage 14mm, his live PPA Tour profile lists the CRBN², and CRBN's live pro roster lists the CRBN³.
His current playing weight is Pending. In a July 8, 2026, interview setup, he described a CRBN³ built to approximately 9.3 oz, but he was actively changing both shape and weight placement, so that number is retained only as historical evidence.
A May 4, 2026 Atlanta event report identifies the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7 in Black and Glowing Apple. His shoe model and outsole variant at the September Arizona event are Pending.