The US Open Championships started this past weekend and will finish this Saturday in Naples, Florida. The US Open has long been established as one of the biggest pickleball tournaments outside the professional tours. This year is expected to be the biggest yet, with 4,882 players registered for this tournament.
For context, 995 players are registered for the upcoming PPA Los Cab Open, and 1,400 were registered for one of the larger PPA tournaments, the Mesa Arizona Cup. The US Open is attracting 4-5 times more players than the PPA Tour.
A large part of that huge number of entries are amateurs. Impressive nonetheless.
The professional events started Sunday. Some players played in the PPA Houston Open and then jumped on a quick flight over to Naples to be able to play in this tournament.
Due to contract issues, rest, and travel schedules, the US Open doesn’t have as many big PPA Tour player names playing in it as in the past.
Jason Flamm
Who's in?
The biggest names playing in the US Open Championships include:
- Anna Leigh Waters
- Leigh Waters
- Andrei Daescu
- Gabe Tardio
- Jorja Johnson
- JW Johnson
- Dylan Frazier
- Chris Haworth
- Parris Todd
- Megan Fudge
- Susannah Barr
- Hunter Johnson
- Yates Johnson
- Simone Jardim
How to Watch the Minto US Open Championships
Tune into the Pickleball Channel every day of the tournament, starting at 2 p.m. ET for live streaming.
Results through Monday
Women’s Pro Singles
Jorja Johnson DOMINATED women’s singles on Sunday. On her way to winning gold, she beat the following players:
- Simone Jardim - 11-4, 11-4
- Jenna Hesser - 11-0, 11-1
- Finals: Megan Fudge - 11-2, 11-3
Johnson, 11th in our recent women’s singles power rankings, beat Megan Fudge (5th in our power rankings) in the finals.
Podium List
- Jorja Johnson
- Megan Fudge
- Jenna Hessert
Men’s Pro Singles
Jack Foster beat Chris Haworth for the men’s singles win on Sunday. He won by a comfortable margin (11-5, 11-4). He showed quite the mental fortitude after losing 5-11, 1-11 to Ben Johns three days earlier. On his way to his first gold medal, Foster beat JW Johnson and Yates Johnson (no relation).
Podium List
- Jack Foster
- Chris Haworth
- JW Johnson
Upcoming Events and Predictions
Split Age Men’s Doubles
First, if you are newer to pickleball you may have just read "Split Age Men’s Doubles" and said, "huh?" The concept is simple: The team must consist of a player 49 or younger and another player who is 50 or older.
The favorite going into the draw is Dylan Frazier and Altaf Merchant because Merchant has the results to be the best senior pro on tour this year and last year, and Dylan is, well, Dylan. Merchant is known for his crazy antics, like screams and hip thrusts after winning points.
Split Age Women's Doubles
The favorites in this event are Megan Fudge and Karin Ptaszek-Kochis. The former Danish tennis star has 6 ITF titles and a 23-16 record in the Fed Cup. Fudge is easily among the top five females in the US Open.
Ptaszek-Kochis won the AARP Champions Pro Women’s Singles title in the APP Delray Beach.
Other teams to look out for:
- Sheri Courter/Mari Humberg
- Suzanne Leblang/Milan Rane
- Ryann Foster/Lee Whitwell
Split Age Mixed Doubles
Returning winners from 2023 – Jamie Oncins and Simone Jardim – will be favored again this year.
Other teams to look out for:
- Mari Humberg/Dave Weinbach
- Allison Harris/Altaf Merchant
- Megan Fudge/Dayne Gingrich
- Jorja Johnson/Mircea Morariu
- Andrei Daescu/Lee Whitwell
Watching these matchups – which we don’t get to see every day – will be highly entertaining. This event has 64 teams registered, so it should be high-level competition throughout.
On Wednesday we have the Senior Pro and Amateur Skill Groups - No Pro Matches.
Jason Flamm
On Thursday there is the Men’s Pro Doubles Qualifier — eight Qualifiers advance — and the Mixed Pro Qualifier, with eight qualifiers advanced.
On Friday, April 19th, we get back to the pros.
Men’s Doubles Pro
Favorites
- JW Johnson/Dylan Frazier
- Andrei Daescu/Gabe Tardio
- Ryler DeHeart/Will Howells
- Hunter Johnson/Yates Johnson
Underdogs to Look Out For
- Brandon Lane/Ross Whittaker
- William Sobek/Kyle Yates
- Jack Munro/Andre Mick
- Jack Foster/Rob Davidson
Predictions
- I can’t see any other team winning other than the four favorites listed above
- Finals: Daescu/Tardio beat JW Johnson/Frazier for the gold
Women’s Doubles Pro
Favorites
- Susannah Barr/Bobbi Oshiro
- Simone Jardim/Allison Harris
- Milan Rane/Jorja Johnson
- Parris Todd/Yana Newell
- Alix Truong/Megan Fudge
- Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters
Anna Leigh and her mom, Leigh Waters, haven’t played together since Leigh’s ACL tear over a year and a half ago. It will be very exciting to see them playing together again. This draw is wide open, with any of these six teams capable of making the finals.
Predictions
- When I can pick the best female player in the world, I do it. ALW and her mom beat Truong and Fudge in the finals.
Mixed Doubles Pro
Favorites
- Megan Fudge/Andrei Daescu
- Jorja Johnson/Gabe Tardio
- Milan Rane/Dylan Frazier
- Parris Todd/Hunter Johnson
- JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters
- Susannah Barr/Will Howells
Without Ben Johns playing in this event, it'll be cool to see ALW play with JW Johnson for a tournament. They should be the top seed and be heavy favorites to make it to the finals.
Prediction: ALW and JW Johnson beat Jorja Johnson and Gabe Tardio in the finals.
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