World top-ranked players Anna Leigh Waters, and Ben Johns lead the pro-player field in the 2023 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships powered by Invited and the PPA Tour.
The tournament, the largest in pickleball history, will take place from November 5-12 at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, an inner-ring suburb of Dallas.
Unprecedented Record
Ben Johns, at age 24, holds an unprecedented record as the first player to secure 100 career titles on the PPA Tour. This achievement solidifies his position as the most successful player, regardless of gender, in PPA history, boasting 104 career gold medals.
The 16-year-old phenom Anna Leigh Waters is snapping at his heels with 83 PPA titles. Waters shares the all-time record for career Triple Crowns on the PPA Tour with Johns.
Notable Dallas participants in the Nationals include pickleball veterans Riley and Lindsey Newman, as well as former professional soccer player Ivan Jakovljević, originally from Croatia and now a Dallas resident.
Pickleball Luminaries
Alongside Johns and Waters, a notable roster of pickleball luminaries will compete. Men’s participants feature Federico Staksrud, Tyson McGuffin, Jay Devilliers, Collin Johns, Julian Arnold, Dylan Frazier, JW Johnson, and former ATP star Sam Querrey.
Women’s notables include Catherine Parenteau, Anna Bright, Hurricane Tyra Black, Irina Tereschenko, Lauren Stratman, Callie Jo Smith, Jorja Johnson, and others.
A Record Prize Purse
The pro players will vie for a record prize purse exceeding $200,000. Winning teams in pro gender and mixed doubles will each receive $18,000, while the victorious singles players will receive $6,660 each.
The overall prize purse, encompassing senior pro and split payouts, surpasses $275,000.
An Electrifying Competition
Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the PPA Tour, anticipates an electrifying competition:
“Brookhaven Country Club will soon be the center of the pickleball universe.
“Nationals is one of the crown jewel tournaments, and with pickleball’s best athletes going head-to-head and a record prize purse at stake, the competition promises to be fierce and electrifying,” he said.
“Led by Ben and Anna Leigh, the pro player field is exceptionally deep, so the brackets in every discipline will be hotly contested.
“From singles to doubles to mixed doubles, anything can happen. That’s the beauty of this event; winning and etching your name in the history books means everything.”
Highly Competitive
Mike Nealy, USA Pickleball Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are thrilled to welcome such a highly competitive group of pro players to be vying for that coveted title of national champion and a record prize purse in just a few weeks’ time.
“Nationals gets more exciting each year as the best talent in pickleball square off at this event, and I know this year’s competition will not disappoint. We cannot wait to see who lifts that Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championship trophy this year.”
Strong Amateur Field
The amateur field at Nationals will comprise over 3,500 competitors from 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Noteworthy entrants include Hank Haney, Tiger Woods’ former golf coach, former World No. 13 ranked tennis player and collegiate tennis coach Alice Tym, former NCAA Basketball Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, big wave surfer Kelson Lau, Rubik’s Cube world record holder Chris Olson, and mother-daughter duo, Angie and Ella Cosma.
Significant Highlight
A significant highlight for fans will be the Deep Eddy Vodka Celebrity Pickleball Showdown on Tuesday, November 7, at 7 p.m. CT on Championship Court.
This exhibition will showcase top pickleball pros alongside sports stars such as Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Romo, Jason Kidd, Scottie Scheffler, Tyler Seguin, and John Isner, providing an engaging spectacle for both the live audience at USAP Nationals and viewers on ESPN.
Schedule
Here is the pro competition and broadcast schedule (subject to change):
Tuesday, November 7
7pm CT: Deep Eddy Vodka Celebrity Pickleball Showdown featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Romo, Jason Kidd, Scottie Scheffler, Tyler Seguin and John Isner
Where to Watch: ESPN: 7 to 8 p.m. CT; pickleballtv: 8 to 9 p.m. CT
Wednesday, November 8
10am CT Start: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles – Round of 32
Where to Watch: Tennis Channel: 3:30 to 7 p.m. CT; pickleballtv: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT
Thursday, November 9
10am CT Start: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles – Round of 16
Where to Watch: Tennis Channel: 3:30 to 7 p.m. CT; pickleballtv: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT
Friday, November 10
10 a.m. CT Start: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinals
Where to Watch: Tennis Channel: 3:30 to 7 p.m. CT; pickleballtv: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT
Saturday, November 11
10am CT Start: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles – Semifinals
Where to Watch: Tennis Channel: 3:30 to 7 p.m. CT; pickleballtv: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT
Sunday, November 12 – Championship Sunday
10am CT Start: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles – Gold Medal Matches
Where to Watch: ESPN: 3 to 5 p.m. CT; pickleballtv: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT
Comprehensive Renovations
Over 20,000 attendees are expected to witness the action and take part in the festivities at Brookhaven, a venue that recently underwent $5.3 million in comprehensive renovations and enhancements.
Tickets for Nationals, including individual passes and week-long access, as well as tickets for pickleball clinics and select on-site events at Brookhaven, are presently available for purchase.
The event schedule commences on November 5 with clinics and various activities, followed by official tournament competitions starting on November 6.
For those unable to attend in person, the broadcast of the event can be followed from November 7-12 on ESPN, Tennis Channel, and pickleballtv.
