The PPA Tour continued their tournament schedule in Fountain Valley, California with the PPA Takeya Showcase. In one of the most thrilling tournaments of the year, the draws saw many upsets of the top-seeded players, with newcomers making their first podium appearances.

Thursday- Men's Singles:

The first bracket to experience a big upset was Men’s Singles. In the Round of 16, an intense match took place between Yates Johnson (seeded 16th) and Ben Johns (seeded 1st). Johnson showed exceptional skill and determination, defeating Johns in two hard-fought sets, with scores of 11-7 and 11-6. Moving on to the Quarterfinals, Gabriel Joseph (seeded 24th) faced off against Yates Johnson. Johnson put up a valiant fight, and the match went to three sets, but in the end, Joseph managed to secure his spot in the Semifinals with a final score of 11-9, 6-11, and 11-7. In the Semifinals, Gabriel Joseph continued his impressive run, facing off against Tyson McGuffin (seeded 4th). Joseph showcased his skills and tenacity, turning the tide after dropping the first set and winning the match with scores of 2-11, 11-5, and 11-4, earning his place in the Finals. In the other Semifinal match, Federico Staksrud (seeded 2nd) and JW Johnson (seeded 6th) battled it out. It was a closely contested match, but Staksrud managed to prevail, securing his spot in the Finals with a score of 11-8, 6-11, and 11-2. In the Finals, the spectators were treated to an exciting showdown between Gabriel Joseph and Federico Staksrud. Joseph's underdog journey continued, and he proved his worth by defeating the higher-seeded Staksrud. The Final match ended with scores of 11-6 and a close 12-10, crowning Gabriel Joseph as the tournament champion.

Thursday- Women's Singles:

In Women’s Singles, one of the biggest upsets of the year took place early in the draw. In the Quarterfinals of the tournament, Hurricane Tyra Black (seeded 9th) faced Anna Leigh Waters (seeded 1st). Despite Waters' top seed status, newcomer Tyra Black won the match in three exciting sets, with scores of 11-8, 2-11, and 11-3. Moving on to the Semifinals, Yana Newell (seeded 6th) faced off against Mary Brascia (seeded 2nd) and emerged victorious with scores of 6-11, 11-3, and 11-4, securing her spot in the Finals. In the other Semifinal match, Hurricane Tyra Black was back in action, this time against Lauren Stratman (seeded 5th). Black continued to showcase her exceptional talent, defeating Stratman with a convincing scoreline of 11-5 and 11-6, earning her place in the Finals. Championship Sunday witnessed an intense battle between Hurricane Tyra Black and Yana Newell. Both players fought hard for the title, and the match went down to the wire. In a thrilling three-setter, Black ultimately emerged as the champion, narrowly defeating Newell with scores of 11-13, 11-8, and 11-3.

Friday- Mixed Doubles:

Friday was the one of the only days of the tournament where we saw dominance continuing to prevail among the other teams. Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns continued their undefeated streak as they made their way into the finals past Riley and Lindsey Newman, 11-3, 11-5. In the other semifinals, Anna Bright and James Ignatowich battled against JW Johnson and Jorja Johnson, but ultimately dropped with scores of 6-11, 8-11. In the finals, Waters and Johns continued their dominance by defeating the sibling duo in straight sets, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8. Bright and Ignatowich went on to secure bronze.

Saturday: Men's Doubles

Men’s Doubles started the day on Saturday, with the two strongest teams making it out of their side of the bracket. On the top half of the bracket, Ben and Collin Johns made their way to Championship Sunday, defeating Connor Garnett and Matt Wright in the semifinals. On the other side of the draw, JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier continued their dominance from PPA Seattle, taking out Julian Arnold and Thomas Wilson in a tight three-set battle in the semifinals. In the pickleball tournament finals, the team of Dylan Frazier and JW Johnson emerged victorious, defeating the formidable duo of Ben Johns and Collin Johns. The final match showcased an intense battle, with Frazier and Johnson claiming the title in four thrilling sets, with scores of 11-6, 11-4, 10-12, and 11-4. In the bronze medal match, Connor Garnett and Matt Wright faced off against Julian Arnold and Thomas Wilson. It was a closely contested match, with Wilson and Arnold ultimately prevailing in three hard-fought sets. The final scores were 11-3, 10-12, and 11-6, securing the bronze medal for Garnett and Wright.

Saturday: Women's Doubles

Women’s Doubles was another draw that remained unfazed by the series of upsets on the weekend, with the top two seeds making their way into the finals. Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright remained undefeated as a partnership, not dropping a game as they made their way into Championship Sunday. In the semifinals, Waters and Bright took out the new partnership of Allyce Jones and Hurricane Tyra Black, 11-4, 11-4. On the other half of the draw, Callie Smith and Lucy Kovalova defeated Etta Wright and Lacy Schneemann in straight games, 11-5, 11-7. Bright and Waters remained undefeated as they defeated Smith and Kovalova in an intense matchup on Sunday, 11-5, 11-9, 11-6. Jones and Black secured the bronze over Wright and Schneemann in a tightly contested matchup, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4.Overall, the tournament witnessed some thrilling matches and surprising upsets, showcasing the incredible skill and determination of the players on the court. The PPA Tour travels next to Brigham City, Utah for the Tournament of Champions Aug 15-19.

Equipment List:

Ben Johns: Ben Johns Perseus CFS 16Collin Johns: Collin Johns Scorpeus CFS 16Federico Staksrud: Ben Johns Perseus CFS 16Anna Bright: Anna Bright Scorpeus CFS 14Allyce Jones: Anna Bright Scorpeus CFS 14Lacy Schneemann: Ben Johns Perseus CFS 14Etta Wright: Ben Johns Perseus CFS 16

Medal List:

Ben Johns: Gold - Mixed Doubles, Silver - Men's DoublesCollin Johns: Silver - Men's DoublesFederico Staksrud: Silver - Men's SinglesAnna Bright: Gold - Women's Doubles, Bronze - Mixed DoublesAllyce Jones: Bronze - Women's Doubles