Day 3 of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour North Carolina Open was an electrifying showcase of talent, as gender doubles teams competed fiercely for a spot in Championship Sunday. The women's doubles teams that went undefeated and advanced to the finals were top seeded Catherine Parenteau & Anna Leigh Waters and seventh seeded Yana Grechkina & Lauren Stratman. In the men's doubles, the top seeded Matt Wright & Riley Newman and second seeded Dylan Frazier & JW Johnson also remained undefeated, securing their places in the Championship.
Catherine Parenteau & Anna Leigh Waters demonstrated their top-seed superiority throughout the day, asserting their dominance by not dropping a single game to 11. Their synergy and strategy were evident as they skillfully controlled point patterns against Anna Bright & newcomer Vivian Glozman in the semifinal, ultimately winning 11-7, 11-8. Their impressive performance has set the stage for a thrilling women's doubles final.
In just their second tournament as a team, Yana Grechkina & Lauren Stratman turned heads by earning a spot in their first-ever final. Their aggressive playstyle, coupled with Stratman's remarkable patience at the kitchen line, proved to be a winning formula. They caused an upset by defeating second seeded Lucy Kovalova & Callie Smith and then triumphed over Jessie Irvine & new Selkirk signing Jackie Kawamoto in a nail-biting semifinal with a scoreline of 11-9, 6-11, 11-7. This up-and-coming duo is certainly one to watch in the women's doubles final.
Matt Wright & Riley Newman continued their excellent form from the PPA Newport Beach Open, where they won silver. Their experience and skill were on full display throughout the day, as they combined hand speed, defense, and tactical prowess to outperform their opponents. They didn't drop a single game to 11, including a commanding semifinal win against Steve Deakin & Travis Rettenmaier with a score of 11-6, 11-3. Wright & Newman's veteran partnership is expected to make the men's doubles final an intense battle.
Dylan Frazier & JW Johnson, the young and talented duo fresh off a Championship in Newport Beach, showcased their shot selection, pace, and precision as they remained unbeaten all day. Their stoic and composed presence on the court, along with their ability to adapt to their opponents' strategies, was apparent throughout the tournament. In a dominant performance in the semifinal, they won 11-2, 11-0 against sixth seeded Jay Devilliers & DJ Young. They are favored to win against Wright & Newman in the men's doubles final, but the latter will be seeking revenge, making for a riveting match.
Championship Sunday is set to be an exhilarating day of pickleball, featuring the following matches:
- Women's Singles Championship: (1) Anna Leigh Waters vs. (3) Lea Jansen
- Men's Singles Championship: (1) Federico Staksrud vs. (3) Tyson McGuffin
- Men's Doubles Championship: (1) Matt Wright & Riley Newman vs. (2) Dylan Frazier & JW Johnson
- Women's Doubles Championship: (1) Catherine Parenteau & Anna Leigh Waters vs. (7) Yana Grechkina & Lauren Stratman
- Mixed Doubles Championship: (4) Allyce Jones & Riley Newman vs. (6) Anna Leigh Waters & Jack Sock
Fans can catch all the action on the PPA Tour YouTube Channel, with the livestream beginning at 11:30am ET. Jack Sock's highly anticipated pickleball debut will be aired on the Tennis Channel from 4pm
