Early look at the second PPA Tour Slam of the season – the Atlanta Pickleball Championships
Last Edited
Apr 15 2025
Category
News
The PPA Tour Atlanta Pickleball Championships are still about a month away, but already there are several interesting storylines that have developed ahead of the second Slam of the season.
Through the first 9 tournaments -- about halfway through the PPA Tour schedule -- there have been a few shakeups to the normal order of things, as Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters have been beaten multiple times already in mixed doubles and gender doubles.
And don't look now, but the last time Anna Leigh Waters won a triple crown was at the Cape Coral Open at the beginning of March -- four tournaments ago -- which for her is a long drought.
But Atlanta offers an opportunity for both to send a message to the rest of the field that they are still the top dogs and the ones to beat in the biggest tournaments.
It is the second of four Slams on the season, offering 2,000 ranking points to the winners. It will be held at Life Time Peachtree Corners (which has 40 courts) for the fourth consecutive year.
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For Waters, it will be her first tournament in 2025 playing without Catherine Parenteau by her side. Instead, she'll team up with Anna Bright -- a partnership that is expected to continue through the remainder of the season -- after Waters and Parenteau surprisingly split up after losing in the women's doubles final at the PPA Tour North Carolina Open earlier this month.
For Johns, it's a chance to reclaim his spot at the top of the men's doubles rankings. He's currently 1,100 points behind Federico Staksrud in "The Rank" (the 52-week rolling point total) and 500 points behind Andrei Daescu in "The Race" (the 2025 season-long point total).
Current 2025 season standings in each division
Men's doubles
- Andrei Daescu - 7,300
- Ben Johns - 6,800
- Christian Alshon - 6,500
- Federico Staksrud - 6,000
- Hayden Patriquin - 5,800
Men's mixed doubles
- Ben Johns - 6,700
- JW Johnson - 5,500
- Christian Alshon - 3,950
- Federico Staksrud - 3,600
- Dekel Bar - 3,600
Men's singles
- Federico Staksrud - 5,500
- Hunter Johnson - 4,100
- Jaume Martinez Vich - 3,750
- Christian Alshon - 3,700
- Connor Garnett - 2,550
Women's doubles
- Anna Leigh Waters - 8,500
- Catherine Parenteau - 7,500
- Tyra Black - 6,400
- Rachel Rohrabacher - 5,800
- Anna Bright - 5,800
Women's mixed doubles
- Anna Leigh Waters - 6,700
- Jorja Johnson - 5,700
- Anna Bright - 4,400
- Catherina Parenteau - 3,950
- Tyra Black - 3,475
Women's singles
- Anna Leigh Waters - 6,500
- Kaitlyn Christian - 5,800
- Kate Fahey - 4,300
- Parris Todd - 3,900
- Lea Jansen - 3,700
Notable Atlanta Pickleball Championships partnerships
The PPA Tour updated the list of entries recently, and here are a few pairings that stand out. Note: Pairings can still change up until one week before the event.
Men's doubles
Dekel Bar/Dylan Frazier: They made the semifinals at the Red Rock Open in March ... can they get over the hump and make the final in Atlanta?
Andrei Daescu/Christian Alshon: They have three titles together this season, making them one of the favorites, if not THE favorite.
Rafa Hewett/Eric Oncins: Team energy should be off the charts, and they can both get hot for stretches. But can they get hot at the same time?
Ben Johns/Gabe Tardio: After a silver in their first tournament together at the Mesa Cup, they've won their last two -- the Texas Open and the North Carolina Open. Are they just getting started?
CJ Klinger/JW Johnson: They have made it to at least the quarterfinals in all four tournaments together, with a bronze at the Red Rock Open. But each time they've been beaten by either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Can they get past the top teams?
Federico Staksrud/Hayden Patriquin: They have made three finals appearances this year but are 0-for-3 in those matches. Can they get there again and cash in this time?
Matt Wright/Riley Newman: This is their second tournament together this season -- they made the quarterfinals at the Tucson Open and lost to Johns/Patriquin 11-3, 11-1. What's their ceiling together in 2025?
Women's doubles
Anna Leigh Waters/Anna Bright: They played together in seven tournaments in 2023 and won all of them. They're the clear favorites.
Catherine Parenteau/???: Parenteau is currently listed without a partner. I suspect conversations are happening daily on that front.
Rachel Rohrabacher/???: Ditto for Rohrabacher.
Tyra Black/Parris Todd: They've played together three times this season and have a gold and a bronze to show for it. One of the main challengers to Waters and Bright.
Jorja Johnson/Jade Kawamoto: Johnson has been a regular on the medal stand in women's doubles and mixed doubles this season. She certainly could get there again with Kawamoto.
Mixed doubles
Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters: They've lost twice this season and have survived multiple other close calls. If they don't win in Atlanta, there could be some serious rumblings about their partnership, given that Waters already dropped Parenteau after two recent losses.
Tyra Black/James Ignatowich: Ignatowich hasn't been able to get back to his early 2024 form so far this season, but mixed is his best event and Black is a top-notch partner.
Hayden Patriquin/Kate Fahey: The St. Louis Shock teammates can't be overlooked.
Jorja Johnson/JW Johnson: They've been the clear No. 2 team and have won two golds this season, including a win over Waters and Johns at the North Carolina Open. Can they go back-to-back?
Federico Staksrud/Catherine Parenteau: They've played well together this season but haven't gotten over the hump.
Andrei Daescu/Tina Pisnik: Daescu is having a great season in men's doubles, but is still looking for his first win in mixed this year. He and Pisnik played Waters/Johns very close at the Tucson Open (losing 11-9, 9-11, 11-8), so it could be just a matter of time before they break through.
Christian Alshon/Etta Tuionetoa: Alshon is a top-3 mixed doubles player and he and Tuionetoa have plenty of experience together as Texas Ranchers teammates. Expect them to make a deep run.
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