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PPA Masters Recap: Thrills, Transitions, and Triumphs in Rancho Mirage

PPA Masters Recap: Thrills, Transitions, and Triumphs in Rancho Mirage

The picturesque Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, hosted a weekend of exhilarating pickleball at the PPA Masters. The tournament delivered unforgettable matches, unexpected results, and a few bittersweet farewells.

Men’s Doubles: 

The Men’s Doubles bracket brought its share of surprises, upsets, and powerhouse performances. The weekend began with Noe Khlif and Rafa Hewett delivering a shocking upset over the fourth-seeded Gabe Tardio and JW Johnson, 11-7, 11-7, in the Round of 16. However, Khlif and Hewitt’s run was halted in the quarterfinals by Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu, who cruised to an 11-4, 11-3 victory.

Meanwhile, the semifinal rounds delivered high-stakes drama. Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin continued their impressive form with a nail-biting 11-5, 8-11, 13-11 win over Augustus Ge and Jaume Martinez Vich. On the other side of the bracket, the top-seeded Ben and Collin Johns advanced to the final after a hard-fought 11-6, 5-11, 11-5 victory over Alshon and Daescu.

In the final, the Johns brothers showcased their unmatched chemistry one last time, defeating Staksrud and Patriquin in straight sets, 11-5, 12-10, 11-3. Their dominant performance served as a fitting conclusion to their partnership.

Men’s Singles: 

The Men’s Singles competition featured intense battles and standout individual performances. Tyson McGuffin fought his way through a grueling quarterfinal against Gabriel Joseph, narrowly prevailing 11-9, 11-13, 14-12. In the semifinals, McGuffin pushed top-seeded Federico Staksrud to three games but ultimately fell 11-4, 7-11, 11-8.

Jaume Martinez Vich emerged as a surprise finalist, defeating second-seeded Connor Garnett in straight sets, 11-7, 11-9, in his semifinal. However, the final was all about Staksrud, who delivered a commanding 11-7, 11-2 victory to secure the title.

In the bronze medal match, McGuffin displayed his trademark tenacity, rallying from a game down to defeat Garnett 9-11, 11-5, 11-8.

Women’s Doubles: 

The Women’s Doubles bracket offered thrilling matches and breakout performances. Vivian Glozman and Jackie Kawamoto, seeded 21st, stunned fourth-seeded Lacy Schneemann and Meghan Dizon in the quarterfinals, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2, before falling to top-seeded Catherine Parenteau and Anna Leigh Waters in the semifinals, 5-11, 11-2, 11-2.

The other semifinal saw Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher overcome a slow start to defeat Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black, 2-11, 11-6, 11-8. In the final, Parenteau and Waters showcased their resilience, edging out Bright and Rohrabacher in four games, 11-4, 11-6, 5-11, 12-10.

Women’s Singles: 

In Women’s Singles, Anna Leigh Waters once again proved why she is the top player in the division. Waters stormed through the bracket, defeating Parris Todd in the semifinals, 11-4, 11-1, and sweeping past Kaitlyn Christian in the final, 11-0, 11-6.

Christian’s run to the final included an impressive semifinal victory over Catherine Parenteau, where she recovered from an early deficit to win 7-11, 11-5, 11-5. However, Waters’ unmatched precision and speed proved too much to handle in the championship match.

Mixed Doubles: 

The Mixed Doubles competition saw fierce battles throughout the bracket. In the quarterfinals, Christian Alshon and Tyra Black delivered a notable upset over third-seeded Hayden Patriquin and Anna Bright, 11-9, 11-9. Meanwhile, the top-seeded team of Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters breezed past Gabe Tardio and Jessie Irvine, 11-2, 11-2.

The semifinals brought more drama, with Federico Staksrud and Catherine Parenteau narrowly defeating James Ignatowich and Rachel Rohrabacher, 13-11, 11-5, while Johns and Waters rallied to overcome Alshon and Black, 7-11, 11-5, 12-10.

In the final, Johns and Waters solidified their status as the premier Mixed Doubles team, defeating Staksrud and Parenteau in four games, 10-12, 11-5, 11-3, 11-3.

A Weekend of Shifts and Milestones

The PPA Masters not only showcased exceptional talent but also marked key transitions in the sport. With Ben and Collin Johns playing their final tournament together and Federico Staksrud closing his chapter with Team JOOLA, the tournament hinted at a new era for pickleball.

As players prepare for the 2025 season, the performances in Rancho Mirage leave fans eagerly anticipating what’s next in this dynamic and rapidly growing sport.

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