The World Championships are here. The LAPIPLASTYⓇ World Championships are descending on the Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas from Monday, November 4th - Sunday, November 10th. This will be the largest event in pickleball history!
There are over 3,500 players participating in the event, including amateurs and pros. In addition to the actual pickleball, there are many other festivities taking place throughout the week in Farmers Branch.
Among the festivities is a 'star'-studded concert series.
Thursday night is an epic celebrity showdown, featuring John Isner, Dirk Nowitzki, Jenna Bandy, Golden Tate, Kris Humphries, Terrell Owens, and Jason Kidd
Tournament Preview
Worlds is a Slam level event, meaning the winner of each event captures 2,000 PPA points toward year-end standings.
Because it is a Slam, Worlds is also a progressive draw. Pro qualifiers take place on Monday. Each day, one round of every event takes place. So Tuesday, the Round of 64 matches take place in women’s singles, men’s singles, mixed doubles, women’s doubles and men’s doubles. Wednesday is the Round of 32, etc.
Worlds is the second to last pro PPA Tour stop before the CIBC Finals in San Clemente, December 4th-8th. The Veolia Milwaukee Open is taking place November 14-17.
In order to qualify for the CIBC Finals, players need to finish the year in the top eight in Race Points in singles and mixed doubles. In gender doubles, the top 16 qualify.
How to Watch the LAPIPLASTYⓇ World Championships
*All times are Eastern
Tuesday, November 5th - Round of 64
- Noon - 6pm - Championship Court - PickleballTV
- 10am - 8pm - Grandstand Court - PPA YouTube
Wednesday, November 6th - Round of 32
- Noon - 6pm - Championship Court - PickleballTV
- 10am - 8pm - Grandstand Court - PPA YouTube
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Thursday, November 7th - Round of 16
- Noon - 6pm - Championship Court - PickleballTV
- 10am - 8pm - Grandstand Court - PPA YouTube
- 7pm - 9pm - Celebrity Showdown - PickleballTV
Friday, November 8th - Quarterfinals
- Noon - 6pm - Championship Court - PickleballTV
- 10am - 8pm - Grandstand Court - PPA YouTube
Saturday, November 9th - Semifinals
- Noon - 6pm - Championship Court - PickleballTV
- 1:30pm - 5:30pm - Grandstand Court - Tennis Channel - This is concurrent with PickleballTV coverage
Sunday, November 8th - Championships
- Noon - 6pm - Championship Court - PickleballTV
- 11am - 3pm - Bronze Medal Matches - PPA YouTube
Weather Outlook
The PPA Tour has gotten extremely unlucky with some weather issues this year and Worlds doesn’t look to be much different.
The good news? Saturday and Sunday are expected to be mostly clear for the semifinals and finals.
The bad news? Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday look like rain could cause issues, and that is during the Round of 32, Round of 16, and Quarterfinals.
Let’s get into the action!
Women’s Singles
Top Storylines
- (8) Parris Todd and (9) Kate Fahey could face each other in an early Round of 16 matchup with a lot on the line. Fahey is currently in 9th place in The Race, and needs 600 points to catch Mary Brascia.
- (4) Catherine Parenteau has been the 2 seed throughout the year, but since she hasn’t won on tour in 2024, she has slipped to the 4 seed. Can she make a run in Dallas?
- (17) Genie Bouchard made a semifinal run in the last PPA in Vegas. She would go up against Lacy Schneemann in the Round of 32 if she wins her first match. Be on the lookout for an upset there.
Tice’s Takes
- (18) Samantha Parker is in her hometown and when she plays in Texas, she usually does well. I expect her to win her first round matchup and then upset (15) Ava Ignatowich.
- (10) Judit Castillo started the year hot, but hasn’t really put up the results she would want. I think she bounces back in Dallas, beating Mary Brascia in the Round of 16.
Prediction
- Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters, (6) Kaitlyn Christian, (2) Brooke Buckner, and (9) Kate Fahey
- Finals: Anna Leigh beats Brooke in the finals for her first win on her way to a triple crown.
Men’s Singles
Top Storylines
- Christian Alshon is in 9th place in The Race, but he is not playing singles for the remainder of the year, due to a nagging knee issue.
- (9) Jack Sock is in 10th place in The Race and is 250 points behind eighth place Hunter Johnson. Can he make up those points and overtake Johnson in year end points standings?
- (1) Federico Staksrud hasn’t missed a top four finish ALL YEAR. Can he keep the streak alive?
Tice’s Takes
- (6) Dylan Frazier will have a tough RD32 matchup against either Spartak Rahachou, if he can beat Brandon French. I think Spartak upsets Dylan early.
- (18) Donald Young is playing better and better every event. He could face (3) Connor Garnett in the Round of 16. With Donald playing a heavy groundstroke game and Garnett looking to play more cat and mouse, I think Donald pulls off the upset.
Prediction
- Semifinalists: (1) Federico Staksrud, (8) Hunter Johnson, (2) Ben Johns, and (19) Grayson Goldin
- Finals: Ben gets some revenge and beats Grayson in the semis and then beats Fed in the finals for his eighth win this year.
Mixed Doubles
Top Storylines
- There are a ton of new partnerships for Worlds. Here are a few of the most important ones:
- (3) Vivienne David and James Ignatowich
- (4) Anna Bright and Quang Duong
- (9) Jessie Irvine and Hayden Patriquin
- (12) Lacy Schneemann and Gabe Tardio
- (13) Hurricane Tyra Black and Jaume Martinez Vich
- (14) Callie Smith and Jack Sock
- (17) Lea Janson and Noe Khlif
- (19) Dylan Frazier and Viv Glozman
- (26) Kate Fahey and Rafa Hewett
- (7) Dekel Bar and Tina Pisnik had a bunch of success early in the year and have faded just a little bit. They literally just played AGAINST each other in the first round of the MLP playoffs this past weekend, so can they get back to their winning ways?
- We could see partners for this event, James Ignatowich and Christian Alshon, face each other in the quarterfinals in mixed.
Tice’s Takes
- (20) Alix Truong/Connor Garnett have been playing well. I think they upset (10) Meghan Dizon/Andrei Daescu in the RD32.
- (42) Samantha Parker/Michael Loyd are a very dangerous 40 something seed. If they want to make a big run in Dallas they are going to have to beat the Brascia sisters in back to back matches.
Prediction
- Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns, (4) Anna Bright/Quang Duong, (2) Jorja and JW Johnson, and (5) Etta Wright/Christian Alshon
- Finals: Anna Leigh and Ben win the finals over Etta and Christian.
Women’s Doubles
Top Storylines
- In the last six months, (1) Catherine Parenteau/Anna Leigh Waters and (2) Rachel Rohrabacher/Anna Bright have faced each other five times, with CP/AL winning four of the five. It feels like Worlds will make it a sixth showdown.
- Jackie and Jade Kawamoto are in 16th and 17th respectively in The Race and they are not playing Worlds, due to their full-time jobs with the NCAA. Allyce Jones is 125 points behind Jackie and she is the 7 seed with Hurricane Tyra Black. Can Allyce leapfrog over the Kawamotos and steal that last spot in women’s doubles?
- Anna Bright and Kate Fahey, teammates on the St. Louis Shock, could face each other in the Round of 16.
Tice’s Takes
- (19) Alli Phillips and Olivia McMillan have a favorable draw, and I expect them to upset Alex and Angie Walker in the Round of 32.
- I am most excited for the (4) Lucy Kovalova/Callie Smith vs. (5) Lea Jansen/Tina Pisnik matchup in the quarterfinals because they have all played with each other this year. This will be a show.
Lucy easily won every Halloween contest with this gem
Prediction
- Semifinalists: (1) Catherine Parenteau/Anna Leigh Waters, (4) Lucy Kovalova/Callie Smith, (2) Rachel Rohrabacher/Anna Bright, and (11) Brooke Buckner/Zoey Wang
- Finals: Anna Leigh and Catherine beat AB and Rachel in four games.
Men’s Doubles
Top Storylines
- After just playing against each other in the MLP Playoffs, James Ignatowich and Christian Alshon are playing together in men’s doubles and they got the 8 seed.
- (7) Riley Newman and Hayden Patriquin is a first time pairing, I believe. They have their work cut out for them, because they could face Garnett/Loong in the RD16, and then Dylan/JW in the quarters.
- The Johns brothers have been known this year to be kicked out early, and their Round of 16 matchup is Quang Duong and CJ Klinger.
Tice’s Takes
- (23) Blaine Hovenier and Noe Khlif are teaming up and I expect them to upset (15) AJ Koller and Todd Fought.
- (11) Julian Arnold and Augie Ge are a dangerous duo and could face (6) Jaume Martinez Vich and Tyson McGuffin in the Round of 16 - I expect this upset as well.
Prediction
- Semifinalists: (8) James Ignatowich/Christian Alshon, (11) Julian Arnold/Augie Ge, (7) Riley Newman/Hayden Patriquin, and (5) Gabe Tardio/Andrei Daescu
- Finals: Hayden and Riley beat Ignatowich and Alshon in the finals - this marks Riley's first gold medal on the year.
