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This week, the Carolina Hogs were back in action with their freshly revamped roster, while Collin Johns made his Challenger League debut. The pickleball community was abuzz as word got out about the punishments facing Jessie Irvine and Genie Bouchard after their San Clemente saga. Plus, we have the exciting news of four teams clinching their spots in the playoffs.
The APP was a whirlwind of surprises in Newport Beach. Rafa Lenhard pulled off victories against Ben Johns, myself, and Noe Kliff but stumbled out of qualifiers—a testament to the deep talent pool in men’s singles. Controversy brewed with Arman Bhatia’s seeding, as he defied his #13 ranking to clinch the title, having been seeded as the #4 player. Elsewhere, Patrick Kawka and Kyle Koszuta upset Will Howells and Jack Munro but fell to Tanner Tomassi and Richard Livornese in the finals. In women’s play, Max Manthou and Christine Maddox claimed their maiden title triumph, and Katerina Stewart secured her first APP title.
The PPA event in Malaysia piqued interest but lacked detailed coverage. Key highlights include Yufei Long's victory in women’s singles and the doubles win by Jamie Wei and her partner. They notably defeated Lacy Schneeman and Jorja Johnson at the recent San Clemente event.
The MLP event in NYC didn’t fail to entertain. Major trades occurred with Eric Roddy leaving the Bay Area Breakers for the Atlanta Bouncers, and Collin Johns rejoining the league after being picked up from waivers. In player discipline, Genie Bouchard and Jessie Irvine were ordered to forfeit their pay for missed matches—a move that some, including myself, found lenient, especially in light of Quang Duong’s hefty fine.
The action kicked off on Thursday with the Sliders sweeping the Hustlers, while the Squeeze overcame the Miami Pickleball Club. Major congratulations to Jay and Aleksandra Devilliers on their newest family addition! Friday saw history with Yuta Funemizu, the first Japanese-born player to win an MLP match. An exciting debut from the Carolina Hogs laid the groundwork for potential playoff qualification.
Saturday wrapped up without much fanfare, but Sunday delivered drama with Brooklyn clinching a dreambreaker win over the Hogs. Clinching playoff berths due to weekend efforts were the Shock, Flash, Brooklyn Pickleball Team, and Columbus Sliders. Collin Johns shone with the Bay Area Breakers, and the Smash remained lodged in last place.
Stay tuned for the highly anticipated Mid-Season Tournament at the Beer City Open. Reigning champions gear up to defend their title, with $100,000 and critical standings points at stake.
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