Starting this Thursday, February 16th, the 2023 Carvana PPA Tour arrives in Arizona for the PPA Carvana Arizona Grand Slam. The four-day tournament marks the third official PPA Tour stop of the year, and there’s a lot to get excited about!
The JW Marriott Desert Ridge Open at the beginning of this month saw two triple-crown performances from Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters, making it their second triple crown performance in a row.
Will they be able to do it again this week and secure a “triple double triple” together?
This weekend, over 900 amateur and professional pickleball players will compete on the courts at Bell Bank Park Pickleball Center in Mesa, AZ.
The professional competitive level of the PPA Tour this year has been next level, seeing some incredible performances from the sport’s best athletes. Expect big performances from the following pros at the Arizona Grand Slam!
Player Spotlight
The top spot on this list has to go to both Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns. Working together as a team and playing individually their respective singles divisions, Waters and Johns have been unstoppable.
Everyone will be watching to see if they can both achieve yet another triple crown by once again winning in all three categories: Men’s/Women’s Pro Singles, Men’s/Women’s Pro Doubles, and Mixed Pro Doubles.
Is an upset really possible? Let’s take a look at a few players who will be in the spotlight alongside Waters and Johns.
Catherine Parenteau
Despite Waters’ dominance in women’s singles with 12,400 points in the PPA this year, the number 2 seed Catherine Parenteau has a real chance to take home the gold in Women’s Singles at this week’s Grand Slam.
Parenteau took first place with Waters in Women’s Doubles at PPA Desert Ridge, and in fact beat Waters in one of their games during the Women’s Singles Finals.
While Waters will be pairing up with Anna Bright for this tournament in Women’s Doubles, Parenteau might have what it takes to win an upset over her former teammate on Championship Sunday.
Julian Arnold
With the number 2 seed Tyson McGuffin out this week due to a foot injury, all eyes are on rising star Julian Arnold.
Arnold has started 2023 off strong in not only the PPA, but also in Major League Pickleball (MLP). In the MLP’s first tournament of the year, MLP Mesa, Arnold was declared the tournament MVP after leading the Los Angeles Mad Drops to victory.
Arnold played strong all weekend at MLP Mesa, and went on to take the bronze medal at the PPA Desert Ridge Open. If Arnold’s hot streak continues into this weekend, there’s a good chance we’ll see him in the finals.
Tournament Schedule
Each day of the event will be filled with amateur and professional brackets. Here’s a closer look at the tournament’s schedule!
Thursday, February 16th
- Men’s Pro Singles
- Women’s Pro Singles
- Amateur Doubles (Ages 50+)
- Senior Pro Singles
Friday, February 17th
- Mixed Pro Doubles
- Amateur Men’s Singles
- Amateur Women’s Doubles (Ages 8-49)
- Amateur Mixed Doubles (Ages 50+)
- Senior Pro Doubles
Saturday, February 18th
- Men’s Pro Doubles
- Women’s Pro Doubles
- Amateur Women’s Singles
- Amateur Men’s Doubles (Ages 8-49)
- Mixed Senior Pro Doubles
Sunday, February 19th
- Pro Championships
How to Watch
If you‘re in the Mesa area and want to attend the event in person, there are tickets available through the PPA Tour website. Grounds Pass tickets will allow you access to the tournament grounds starting at $25/day, with add-on Courtside and VIP packages also available.
You can also watch the tournament from the comfort of your own home! Each day of the tournament will be streamed live over on the PPA Tour Youtube Channel.
