The APP Tour is back in Newport Beach this weekend. Qualifiers play Wednesday, followed by singles on Thursday, mixed doubles on Friday, gender doubles on Saturday, and then Championship Sunday.
Let’s get into the action.
Weather Outlook
The So Cal weather for this weekend's play couldn’t look much better!
How to Watch the OWL APP Newport Beach Open
I AM SO EXCITED!
It is very faux pas to type in all caps in journalism, but I can’t help my excitement. The APP Tour is streaming singles on Thursday! I have been waiting for this all year, and I am pumped to watch the action.
In another broadcast change from the norm, Championship Sunday will not be streamed live. Instead, these matches will be played on linear TV platforms in November. The app will keep us abreast of the outcomes on Championship Sunday via social media, but no live broadcast will happen.
Broadcast Schedule
- Thursday, Oct. 24 | 1 pm - 7 pm ET | APPTV on YouTube, Facebook, Court Sports Network
- Friday, Oct. 25 | 3 pm - 9 pm ET | APPTV on YouTube, Facebook, Court Sports Network
- Saturday, Oct. 26 | 3 pm - 9 pm ET | APPTV on YouTube, Facebook, Court Sports Network
Save the dates for all Championship Sunday action:
- Nov. 14 | 7 - 9 pm ET | CBSSN: Men’s Pro Singles Gold Medal Match, Women's Pro Doubles Gold Medal Match
- Nov. 17 | 8.30 – 10.30 pm ET | ESPN2: Mixed Pro Doubles Gold Medal Match
- Nov. 20 | 7 – 9 pm ET | CBSSN: Women's Pro Singles Gold Medal Match, Men's Pro Doubles Gold Medal Match
Women’s Singles
Top Seeds
- Yana Newell - 1 🥇 in APP Dallas, 1🥈in APP NYC, 1 🥉in APP Del Ray Beach
- Simone Jardim - 1🥇in APP Cincinnati, 1🥈 in APP Dallas
- Amanda Hendry - 1🥈in APP Cincinnati - Consistent top finisher
- Shelby Bates - Consistent top finisher, but yet to make the podium this year
Unseeded Players to Watch
- Nicole Eugenio - The lefty is very good in singles but hasn’t played a ton on the APP Tour - I expect a quarterfinal run or better out of Eugenio
- Nicole Pitts - I’ve never seen Pitts play, but betting against Hurricane Tyra Black’s half-sister seems like a bad idea.
- Courtney McIntosh - McIntosh doesn’t play a ton of tournaments, as she has a full-time job, but she has a VERY good singles game.
Prediction
Overall, Yana is the best singles player in the field. Does the best player always win? No, especially with rally scoring. I am still predicting Yana to win over Amanda Hendry in the finals.
Men’s Singles
Top Seeds
- Chris Haworth - 6🥇, 1🥉 - Haworth has four straight golds - can anyone stop him?
- Grayson Goldin - 1🥇, 3🥈, 1🥉- Goldin is probably the only player in the field with a decent chance at upsetting Haworth
- Jack Foster - 1🥈, 3🥉 - Foster earned a silver at the last event, APP Dallas. Can he turn that momentum into a win?
- Ronan Camron - Camron is a good singles player and finishes well, but he hasn’t cracked the podium yet this year.
Unseeded Players to Watch
- Patrick Kawka - The former BYU tennis star and former Padel pro has a ton of singles game - he has one of the hardest forehand drives in all of pickleball and probably a top five or ten overhead in the world.
- Lucian Goins—The sixteen-year-old five-star tennis recruit is making waves in pickleball, specifically in singles—be on the lookout.
- Max Manthou - He may not be the tallest player on tour, but Purple Jesus is definitely in the elite category in terms of groundstrokes and overall athleticism.
Prediction
Four in a row? Six total medals? Can I predict anything other than a Haworth win? I am going to do it. I think Grayson Goldin will find his way into the winner’s circle on Sunday.
Mixed Doubles
Top Seeds
- Jill Braverman/Rob Nunnery - Braverman has four medals in mixed doubles this year with four different partners. Can she make it 5 for 5 with Nunnery?
- Yana Newell/Erik Lange - 1🥇in the APP Cincinnati Open
- Ryler DeHeart/Daria Walczak—Walczak now has two 🥈in mixed doubles on the year—one with Patrick Kawka earlier this year and one in APP Dallas with Casey Diamond.
- Arielle Butler/Andre Mick - Both players are looking for their first podium finish in mixed doubles this year.
Unseeded Partnerships to Watch
- Christine Maddox/Max Manthou - Maddox is newer to the APP Tour this year, but brings a lot of athleticism and range to add to Manthou’s athleticism - I like this pairing a lot.
- Nicole Eugenio/Kyle Koszuta - I like righty/lefty combos in mixed doubles and I think both these players are playing high level pickleball right now.
- Simone Jardim/Jack Foster - I love this pairing and both players are looking for their first trip to the podium in mixed doubles this year.
Prediction
I think Nunnery and Braverman win this one for each player’s first gold medal in mixed doubles of the year.
Women’s Doubles
Top Seeds
- Amanda Hendry/Simone Jardim - Simone has won quite a bit in women’s doubles this year, but Hendry is a new partner. Can they capture some magic in Newport?
- Natalie Raney/Jill Braverman - Braverman is playing with her sister, who lives in California. I believe this duo will be highly entertaining.
- Rianna Valdez/Yana Newell - I really like this new partnership and the firepower they both bring.
- Daria Walczak/Riley Bohnert - Walczak has a ton of reach, which could complement the lefty Bohnert very well.
Unseeded Partnerships to Watch
- Arielle Butler/Christine Maddox - I really like this duo - I wonder who will play which side?
- Lauren Mercado and Brooke Revuelta - Is this the Arizona Pickleball League or the APP? This duo has played a lot together, and it would not surprise me at all if they made a deep run.
- Cass Hoag/Shelby Bates - Both playing some good pickleball right now.
Prediction
Yana and Rianna win this one, with Newell bringing too much firepower to the field.
Men’s Doubles
Top Seeds
- Erik Lange/Max Manthou - 2 gold and two bronze on the year - this is a tough team.
- Ryler DeHeart/William Sobek - This is a newer partnership on the tour. I expect a lot of drive and crash here.
- Etienne Blaszkewycz/Rob Nunnery - Nunnery has made the podium 3x in men’s doubles this year, all with different partners. Let’s see if he can make it four with Etienne.
- Andre Mick/Mario Barrientos - Barrientos earned a gold medal with Munro earlier in the year, while Mick is looking for his first medal in 2024.
Unseeded Partnerships to Watch
- Tanner Tomassi/Kyle Koszuta - “Team YouTube” is out of qualies and should be able to make a deep run in Newport.
- Jason Bock/Jack Foster - Bock is another guy that is on the shorter side, but is SUPER consistent and athletic. He is a perfect pairing for Foster.
Erik Tice
Prediction
Lange and Manthou make it two golds in a row, winning a tight one over Nunnery and Blaszkewycz.
