We had a very exciting Major League Pickleball Kansas City this past weekend in Overland Park, Kansas.
Now the PPA Tour is taking over the Elite Tennis and Wellness Center for the Kansas City Open, which gets underway Thursday.
It feels like forever since we had a PPA Tour event, but it’s only been a month. The PPA Orange County Cup finished up on July 7th. After a bit of a hiatus, the PPA Tour is going to Bristol, Tennessee, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas in three straight weeks.
How to Watch the PPA Kansas City Open
Thursday, August 8th - Singles
- Championship Court - Noon - 8pm ET - PickleballTV
- Grandstand Court - Noon - 6pm ET - PPA YouTube
Friday, August 9th - Mixed Doubles
- Championship Court - Noon - 8pm ET - PickleballTV
- Grandstand Court - Noon - 6pm ET - PPA YouTube
Saturday, August 10th - Gender Doubles
- Championship Court - Noon - 8pm ET - PickleballTV
- Grandstand Court - Noon - 6pm ET - PPA YouTube
Sunday, August 11th - Championship Sunday
- Championship Court - Noon - 4pm ET - PickleballTV
- Championship Court - 4pm - 6pm ET - ESPN2
- Grandstand Court (Bronze Medal Matches) - 11am - 3pm ET - PPA YouTube
Weather Outlook
It was brutally hot for MLP Kansas City, but it seems to be cooling off a little bit for the PPA Tour this week. Conditions should be ideal unless the wind picks up.
Women’s Singles
Top Storylines
- Anna Leigh Waters is playing in Kansas City, but she is not playing singles.
- Catherine Parenteau is the No. 1 seed, despite not having a win on tour this year.
- Mari Humberg and Kate Fahey are both Premier Level players who are playing in qualifiers and could make a run.
Players to Watch
- Zoey Wang (No. 11 seed) – Has been playing well in MLP recently, but can she break out in singles in Kansas City?
- Alix Truong (No. 18 seed) – Truong has been working her way up the rankings on the PPA Tour, but she has a tough first-round matchup against Ava Ignatowich.
Predictions
- Semifinalists: (5) Kaitlyn Christian, (6) Judit Castillo, (2) Lea Jansen, (7) Lacy Schneemann
- Finals: Lea Jansen beats Kaitlyn Christian for her third title this year
Men’s Singles
Top Storylines
- Ben Johns is not playing singles in Kansas City, only doubles.
- Jack Sock (7) is in his hometown at his home tennis club, which could help him make a deep run.
- Chris Haworth (9) is coming off his first win on the PPA Tour at the Orange County Cup, can he make it two straight?
Players to Watch
- Hunter Johnson (No. 29 seed) – He continues to get ridiculously tough matchups, facing Tyson McGuffin in the second round.
- Todd Fought (No. 42 seed) – Todd doesn’t play much singles on the PPA Tour, but he is good and probably practicing for MLP Dreambreakers. He could make some noise.
Predictions
- Semifinalists: (1) Federico Staksrud, (6) Quang Duong, (7) Jack Sock, (4) Christian Alshon
- Finals: Federico Staksrud beats Jack Sock in the finals
Mixed Doubles
Top Storylines
- (5) Jessie Irvine, who won silver last year with Riley Newman, is playing with Hayden Patriquin.
- (7) Collin Johns and Tina Pisnik are teaming up - Collin has been coaching Tina the last few months.
- (10) Jack Sock and Lea Jansen, teammates on the NY Hustlers of MLP, are teaming up on the PPA Tour.
- (4) Federico Staksrud and Catherine Parenteau are teaming up for the first time and could make a deep run.
Players to Watch
- Martin Emmrich/Kaitlyn Christian (No. 32 seed) – They are teaming up for the first time. They get Viv David and Yates Johnson in the second round.
- Andrei Daescu/Meghan Dizon (No. 12 seed) – The Proton-sponsored pair are teaming up together and have a pretty favorable draw.
Predictions
- Semifinalists: (1) Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters, (5) Jessie Irvine/Hayden Patriquin, (2) JW & Jorja Johnson, (4) Federico Staksrud/Catherine Parenteau
- Finals: Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters defeat Fed Staksrud and Catherine Parenteau
Women’s Doubles
Top Storylines
- Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright are not playing in PPA Kansas City.
- Outside the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, there are a lot of new partnerships, which we love to see:
- (4) Lucy Kovalova/Jackie Kawamoto
- (5) Lacy Schneemann/Jade Kawamoto
- The Kawamotos could face each other in the quarterfinals
- (6) Lea Jansen/Tina Pisnik
- (9) Hurricane Tyra Black/Vivian Glozman
Players to Watch
- Bobbi Oshiro/Milan Rane (No. 14 seed) – They are partnered together on the PPA Tour and are also teammates on the Miami Pickleball Club in MLP.
- Tammy Emmrich/Kaitlyn Christian (No. 15 seed) – They make for a very interesting partnership – Christian is drive and crash while Emmrich is super steady. I like it.
Predictions
- Semifinalists: (1) Catherine Parenteau/Anna Leigh Waters, (6) Lea Jansen/Tina Pisnik, (2) Meghan Dizon/Etta Wright, (5) Lacy Schneemann/Jade Kawamoto
- Finals: Catherine and Anna Leigh defeat Lacy and Jade in the finals
Men’s Doubles
Top Storylines
- Color me surprised: After the Collin Johns MLP grievances fiasco, Travis Rettenmaier and Zane Navratil both spoke out against Collin and the way he handled things. Travis and Zane are partnered up in Kansas City and could face off against the Johns brothers in the quarterfinals.
- Ben and Collin Johns haven’t won a PPA Tournament since April – over three months ago.
- This is the first time JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier are the No. 1 seeds in an event where Collin and Ben are partnered up.
Players to Watch
- Connor Garnett/Tyler Loong (No. 8 seed) – They are teaming up on the PPA Tour after playing very well together on the Utah Black Diamonds in MLP.
- Tyson McGuffin/Jaume Martinez Vich (No. 3 seed) – They are playing together in the second half of 2024 – this is the first time in a while.
Predictions
- Semifinalists: (1) JW Johnson/Dylan Frazier, (6) Hayden Patriquin/Christian Alshon, (2) Ben & Collin Johns, (4) Federico Staksrud/Gabe Tardio
- Finals: Ben and Collin get their first win in over three months over JW and Dylan
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