The PPA Tour rolls on with this week’s tournament being hosted in Bristol, Tennessee. Some surprising news got announced on the women’s side early in the day as Anna Leigh Waters withdrew with an apparent leg injury. That left the top half of the draw wide open. Let’s see who was able to jump through it.
Men’s Singles Championship: (1) Federico Staksrud vs (2) Ben Johns
Styles often make fights and that has been the case in men’s singles this year between the top 5-6 players. Quang Duong has given Ben Johns some trouble but has struggled against Federico Staksrud. Facing the same players week in and week out it’s common to get better reads on certain players than others. Duong couldn’t find his rhythm today against a completely focused Federico Staksrud who took the match 11-0, 11-0 to secure his spot in the final.
On the other side, Ben Johns has been in the pro pickleball headlines recently but not for all the right reasons. Effort has been a big question for Johns but today he look more engaged than he has in the past few events. He was able to win a tight quarterfinal over Grayson Goldin 11-9, 11-8 (good run for Goldin who came through qualifying and beat Jack Sock in the round of 16). In the semifinals, he split games with Tyson McGuffin before running away in game 3. Johns has had the edge over Staksrud in finals this year, with a record of 4-0. We’ll see if the Argentine can turn the tide on Sunday,
Women’s Singles Championship: (5) Brooke Buckner vs (6) Kaitlyn Christian
With Anna Leigh Waters withdrawing, the favorites heading into the day had to be Catherine Parenteau, Lea Jansen and wildcard Anna Bright but it was Kaitlyn Christian and Brooke Buckner who emerged victorious. Buckner had the tougher path as she faced Parenteau in the quarterfinals, who she defeated 11-7, 11-8. In the semifinals she took down the hard-hitting Salome Devidze 11-1, 11-7. That’s back-to-back finals appearances for Buckner who is playing some of her best pickleball right now.
On the top half of the draw, Kaitlyn Christian snuck by the feisty Anna Bright 12-10 in the 3rd in the round of 16 and didn’t look back. It felt like the winner of the match knew they had a really good chance of making a finals run and Christian ran with the opportunity. In the semifinals she took down Chao Yi Wang 11-4, 13-11. Wang had defeated Judit Castillo and Lea Jansen earlier in the day to make the semifinals. Christian will be looking for her first PPA gold on Sunday.
On the Horizon
Mixed doubles action kicks off on PickleballTV and the PPA’s YouTube channel beginning at 11AM EST. Jack Sock will be running it back with MLP teammate Lea Jansen while Catherine Parenteau will be playing with Andrei Daescu.
