The Professional Pickleball Association Veolia Austin Open, hosted once more at the Elevation Athletic Club, a former tennis-only establishment, further proved the growing acceptance of pickleball among Invited clubs. Veolia, the PPA’s sustainability partner, recently inked a deal to become the title sponsor for several upcoming events within the PPA roster.
Steve Kuhn Back In The News
Austin is recognized as one of the premier Pickleball hubs nationwide, owing much of its prominence to Dreamland’s and local resident Steve Kuhn’s pioneering vision. This thriving community boasts a formidable array of professional players, including the renowned Johns brothers, Julian Arnold and Lauren Stratman, Dekel Bar, Stefan Auvergne, and many others.
The Austin leg of the tour, designated as a 1,000-point-level event, adheres to the traditional format of completing an entire division in a single day. However, rain showers disrupted Saturday’s matches, necessitating rescheduling and even postponement of some finals to Monday.
Notably, a portion of the matches over the weekend found refuge at Steve Kuhn’s Dreamland, marking a significant development considering the historical tensions between the tour and Kuhn, who resigned from MLP last September.
As forbes.com observed, amidst the atmospheric uncertainties or perhaps stirred by Austin’s unique energy, the tournament unfolded with a series of unexpected outcomes and made for utterly compelling watching.
Women’s Pro Singles
The absence of #1 ranked Anna Leigh Waters due to injury at the onset of the event significantly altered the dynamics of the Women’s Pro Singles draw (she did participate in the women’s and mixed doubles, however). This unforeseen development provided opportunities for players like #16 Kaitlyn Christian, who capitalized on the situation to advance into the semifinals and claim the unlikely scalp of Parris Tood.
The top half of the draw witnessed intense battles, with players like #21 Parris Todd and #10 Jorja Johnson showing exactly why they are so successful. However, it was Judit Castillo who emerged as the dark horse, clinching victory in the final and ending Christian’s fairy tale run to claim her maiden PPA Singles gold.
Men’s Pro Singles
Qualifying for the Men’s singles was intense, with 61 players vying for only eight spots. Notable among the qualifiers was U-Texas star Jack Munro, who demonstrated his promise by advancing into the main draw. However, he succumbed quickly to #10 Quang Duong after a fierce battle in only the second round.
#1 Ben Johns, despite facing initial challenges, including a tight match against #28 Phuc Huynh, showed his mettle by securing victories against formidable opponents like #23 Wyatt Stone and #5 JW Johnson. His semifinal clash against Jack Sock provided some thrilling moments, with Johns ultimately emerging victorious after a hard-fought encounter. Sock is definitely one to watch for the future.
The lower half of the draw unfolded predictably, with #9 Collin Shick advancing to the quarters before encountering the #2 Federiko Staksrud, who dominated the match to secure a spot in the semifinals. Straksrud then took care of up-and-coming star #4 Christian Alshon with a convincing 5,7 win to set up an electrifying final showdown against Ben Johns. In a contest of terrific skill and determination, Johns prevailed over Staksrud to reclaim his dominance and secure the gold.
Women’s Pro Doubles
The Women’s Pro Doubles draw unfolded largely according to expectations, with the top seeds demonstrating their prowess. However, the final witnessed a surprising upset, as #3 Anna Bright & Rachel Rohrabacher emerged victorious over #1 Anna Leigh Waters & Catherine Parenteau, securing the gold medal.
Men’s Pro Doubles
The Men’s Doubles draw saw favorites dominate, with notable upsets adding plenty of intrigue to the competition. The pair of Daescu and Wright delivered a stellar performance, clinching victory in the final to claim the gold medal.
Mixed Pro Doubles
In the Mixed Pro Doubles category, early rounds witnessed surprising upsets, setting the stage for thrilling encounters. Notably, #4 Anna Bright and Andrei Daescu made a statement by overcoming some formidable opponents to secure a spot in the final. In a stunning upset, Daescu & Bright emerged victorious over the formidable top pairing of Waters and Johns.
It is worth noting the last time Waters failed to secure a gold medal in a PPA tournament was the Las Vegas PPA Championships in October 2021!
Senior 50+ Pro Competition
The Senior 50+ Pro Competition saw Craig Bobo, Altaf Merchant, and Steve Deakin emerge victorious in Men’s Pro Singles and Pro Doubles, respectively. However, the Mixed Champions Pro Doubles division was canceled midway due to the adverse weather conditions.
