The APP’s second major of the season, the New York City Open, takes over Flushing Meadows this week. Team Selkirk will be in full force with representation in all pro categories.
Rob Nunnery returns
After taking some time away from the tour for medical reasons, APP staple Rob Nunnery returns to pro play for the first time since the end of 2024. Nunnery will team up with William Sobek in men’s doubles as the No. 2 seed, and with Isabella Nelson in mixed doubles.
“That Pickleball Guy” looks to repeat
Last week, the Cincinnati APP saw a new face earn a spot on the podium. While new to the pro pickleball podium, Kyle Koszuta is far from new to the world of pickleball. He is the popular creator behind '@thatpickleballguy,' known for sharing pickleball tips and next-level content. Koszuta teamed up with pickleball veteran Casey Diamond to earn the silver medal last week and will partner with Patrick Kawka this week.
Susannah Barr aims to extend her medal dominance
APP all-time medal leader in women’s doubles and mixed doubles, Susannah Barr, will return to New York to compete. Barr, who holds an astounding 55 medals, will team up with Brandon Lane, with whom she shares a 14–8 win record. In women’s doubles, Barr will partner with Amanda Hendry, a teammate she has played with once before.
Talents from MLP Australia
Some of Team Selkirk’s rising stars competing in New York are Emilia Schmidt and Xiao Yi Wang-Beckvall. Both Schmidt and Wang-Beckvall competed in the inaugural season of MLP Australia, where Schmidt was selected as the No. 1 overall draft pick.
Schmidt has since moved to the U.S. to train and compete. She recently won the APP Next Gen event in San Antonio and reached the singles quarterfinals at the prestigious U.S. Open. This week, she will partner with Ryler DeHeart in mixed doubles and Leah Tauber in women’s doubles.
Wang-Beckvall has been making waves in pickleball, particularly on the international stage. The former tennis player from Hawaii began competing internationally with the launch of MLP Australia and has since earned medals in India, Japan, and Vietnam. This week, Wang-Beckvall will team up with Nicole Eugenio in women’s doubles and Len Yang in mixed doubles.
Tune in
The New York City Open will be streamed on ESPN+ from Wednesday, May 21, through Saturday, May 24. Tune in to catch all the action from Flushing Meadows!
