Some of the biggest names in pro pickleball were missing in action today including Riley Newman, Tyson McGuffin, Catherine Parenteau and JW Johnson but Saturday’s gender doubles in the mile high city still delivered some great pickleball so let’s dive into all the action starting with our final’s matchups.
Men’s Final:
(1) Ben Johns/Collin Johns vs (3) Pablo Tellez/Federico Staksrud
The Johns brothers will be looking for their 9th gold medal and 46th win of the year together Sunday as they ran into no trouble on Saturday. They were pushed by both (16) Yates/Alshon and (4) Patriquin/Dawson but neither team was able to take a game off the #1 seeds.
Pablo Tellez and Federico Staksrud had to battle their way through the draw with hard fought wins over (11) Garnett/Cassidy in 3 games and (2) Frazier/Wright in 3 games. This will be the 2nd final of the year for the lefty righty combo as they look to take their first gold medal of the season in men’s doubles.
Women’s Final
(1) Anna Leigh Waters/Anna Bright vs (6) Lacy Schneemann/Vivienne David
It was a nice easy Saturday for the team of Bright/Waters as they lost just 15 total points. They will be looking for their 5th gold medal of the season together on Sunday and Waters will be looking for her 10th gold medal in women’s doubles where she remains unbeaten.
On the other side Lacy Schneemann and Vivienne David is a partnership we aren’t used to seeing but they played lights out all day upsetting both (3) Wright/Irvine and (2) Jansen/Kovalova both in 3 games en route to Sunday’s final. Both David and Schneemann have made finals this year in women’s doubles so they are no strangers to the big stage.
In Case You Missed it
Callan Dawson and Hayden Patriquin took home their first medals of the PPA season in men’s doubles defeating Dylan Frazier and Matt Wright in the men’s doubles bronze medal match. The 17-year-old Patriquin is getting better by the minute and it is also interesting to note that Dawson was not one of the top 48 males selected for the Major League Pickleball season 2 draft.
Sunday’s Schedule
Men’s Singles
Ben Johns vs Christian Alshon: Alshon won their last meeting in Atlanta.
Women’s Singles
Anna Leigh Waters vs Irina Tereschenko: Waters only loss on the year is to Parenteau in Florida.
Men’s Doubles
Johns/Johns vs Tellez/Staksrud: The Johns only loss of the year came in Newport back in April.
Women’s Doubles
Waters/Bright vs Schneemann/David: Waters is undefeated in women’s doubles in 2023.
Mixed Doubles
Johns/Waters vs Kovalova/Wright: This is rematch of the Desert Ridge Open final back in February which saw Johns/Waters win in straight games 11-2, 11-8, 11-9.
