How Many Tournaments Are There and Who Can Register to Play?
The 2024 PPA Tour calendar includes 26 tournaments in 16 different states. Each tournament is categorized as either a Slam (2000), Cup (1500), or Open (1000), with the numbers representing the total number of PPA Points awarded to the 1st-place winners in men’s and women’s pro singles, men’s and women’s pro doubles, and mixed pro doubles.
There are three different professional brackets (also known as “draws”) played at each tournament: Qualifier, Main, and Points Draws. Anyone can register to play in the Pro Qualifier Draw. The winners of the Pro Qualifier Draw will be seeded in the Main Draw and the losers will be seeded in the Points Draw.
You don’t need to be a professional to play on the PPA Tour, however. There are amateur brackets for all ages and skill levels that will be played out alongside the professional brackets each day of a tournament.
How Do Player Rankings Work?
The PPA Rankings Presented by Southwest Rapid Rewards award professional players points based on their results at PPA Tour tournaments, with the most points being awarded at a Slam (2000). The deeper a player advances at a tournament, the more points they earn.
The PPA Rankings Presented by Southwest Rapid Rewards are updated after each tournament and reflect points earned during the past 52 weeks of play (52 Week) and points earned during the current calendar year (The Race).
At the end of each season, the eight professional players and teams who have compiled the most points will qualify to play in the PPA Finals and compete for the most coveted title in pickleball: PPA World No. 1.
PPA Points
How Are PPA Points Awarded?
PPA Points are awarded for men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles events as follows:
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place | Quarterfinalist | Round of 16 | Round of 32 | Round of 64 | Bonus Draw 1st | Bonus Draw 2nd | Points Draw 1st Place | Points Draw 2nd Place | Points Draw Entry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPA 2000 | 2000 | 1600 | 1200 | 800 | 400 | 200 | 100 | 50 | +100 | +50 | 50 | 25 | 10 |
| PPA 1500 | 1500 | 1200 | 900 | 600 | 300 | 150 | 75 | 37.5 | +75 | +37.5 | 40 | 20 | 7.5 |
| PPA 1000 | 1000 | 800 | 600 | 400 | 200 | 100 | 50 | 25 | +50 | +25 | 30 | 15 | 5 |
| PPA 500 | 500 | 400 | 300 | 200 | 100 | 50 | 25 | 12.5 | +25 | +12.5 | 15 | 7.5 | 2.5 |
PPA Tour Main Draw Process
The following order takes place in determining placement of players into the Main Draw. There are typically 40 spots available in the Main Draw leaving eight TBD spots to be filled by qualifiers. Those not placed in the Main Draw will compete in qualifying brackets for TBD spaces in the Main Draw.
- Top 10 Ranking
- These are the Top 10 PPA Points players over the last 52-week period.
- PPA Touring Players
- PPA Touring players in singles and PPA Touring players playing with other PPA Touring players will be given the next spots
- Doubles only: PPA Touring Players playing with a non-PPA Touring Player
- Committee Seed (Progressive Draw Only)
- The committee may select up two 2 Committee Seed to be placed in initial seedings of 13 and 14.
- PPA Points determine the rest of the field, if necessary.
- PPA Points are used to determine any other automatic entries into the Main Draw.
Sorting and seed randomization takes place after 40 spots have been filled. Randomization takes place as follows:
- 1 – 2: Stay the same
- 3 – 4: Randomize
- 5 – 8: Randomize
- 9 – 12: Randomize
- 13 – 16: Randomize
- 17 – 24: Randomize
- 25 – 32: Randomize
- 33 – 40: Randomize
- 41 – 48: Filled via Qualifier
Qualifying Draw Seeding Process
Qualifying players are seeded by the following process:
- PPA Touring Players
- Any PPA Touring player that did not get into the main draw will be seeded first by Points.
- PPA Points determine the next seeds.
- WPR is used to determine players with no points and players that have the same number of PPA Points.
Progressive Draws vs. Traditional Draws
Both types of draws are formatted and seeded as described above, but play is scheduled out differently. Progressive draws differ from traditional draws in that each day of play is devoted to a round of play (e.g., Wednesday is the round of 32) while traditional draws devote each day of play to a particular division (e.g., Thursday is men’s and women’s singles day).
This scheduling difference means that progression draws require an additional day of play and start on Tuesday, while traditional draws start on Wednesday.
Progression draws are used at Slams and Cups, while traditional draws are used at Opens.
Slams and Cups (progression draw)
Each day includes all five pro divisions
Tuesday: Qualifiers
Wednesday: Round of 32
Thursday: Round of 16
Friday: Quarterfinals
Saturday: Semifinals
Sunday: Finals
Opens (traditional draw)
Each day includes all rounds of play up until the final
Wednesday: Qualifiers
Thursday: Men’s and Women’s Singles
Friday: Mixed Doubles
Saturday: Men’s and Women’s Doubles
Sunday: Finals
PPA Tour Prize Money Breakdown
PPA Slam: Total = $125,260
| Men’s Doubles | Women’s Doubles | Mixed Doubles | Men’s Singles | Women’s Singles | |
| Round 16 | $688 | $688 | $688 | $254 | $254 |
| Quarterfinalists | $1375 | $1375 | $1375 | $509 | $509 |
| Semifinalists | $2750 | $2750 | $2750 | $1018 | $1018 |
| Runner-up | $5500 | $5500 | $5500 | $2035 | $2035 |
| Champion | $10000 | $10000 | $10000 | $3700 | $3700 |
| 3rd Place Bonus | $500 | $500 | $500 | $165 | $165 |
| Bonus Draw Champion | $1000 | $1000 | $1000 | $370 | $370 |
| Total Payout | $33504 | $33504 | $33504 | $12374 | $12374 |
PPA Cup: Total = $113,298
| Men’s Doubles | Women’s Doubles | Mixed Doubles | Men’s Singles | Women’s Singles | |
| Round 16 | $619 | $619 | $619 | $229 | $229 |
| Quarterfinalists | $1238 | $1238 | $1238 | $458 | $458 |
| Semifinalists | $2475 | $2475 | $2475 | $916 | $916 |
| Runner-up | $4950 | $4950 | $4950 | $1832 | $1832 |
| Champion | $9000 | $9000 | $9000 | $3330 | $3330 |
| 3rd Place Bonus | $500 | $500 | $500 | $165 | $165 |
| Bonus Draw Champion | $1000 | $1000 | $1000 | $370 | $370 |
| Total Payout | $30304 | $30304 | $30304 | $11193 | $11193 |
PPA Open: Total = $101,322
| Men’s Doubles | Women’s Doubles | Mixed Doubles | Men’s Singles | Women’s Singles | |
| Round 16 | $550 | $550 | $550 | $204 | $204 |
| Quarterfinalists | $1100 | $1100 | $1100 | $407 | $407 |
| Semifinalists | $2200 | $2200 | $2200 | $814 | $814 |
| Runner-up | $4400 | $4400 | $4400 | $1628 | $1628 |
| Champion | $8000 | $8000 | $8000 | $2960 | $2960 |
| 3rd Place Bonus | $500 | $500 | $500 | $165 | $165 |
| Bonus Draw Champion | $1000 | $1000 | $1000 | $370 | $370 |
| Total Payout | $27100 | $27100 | $27100 | $10011 | $10011 |
- Players are compensated according to what round they lose in.
- Non-PPA players will receive half of the listed amounts.
Senior Pro
Senior pros receive compensation determined by the number of participants in each division. The payout is calculated by multiplying the total number of players in a division by the event fee. 52.5% of this sum constitutes the overall prize money for the division. The distribution of this prize pool is as follows: the first-place finisher receives 55%, the second-place finisher receives 30%, and the third-place finisher receives the remaining 15
You Don't Have to Be a Pro to Play the PPA Tour
Whether you play singles or doubles, are new to the sport of pickleball or have been playing for years, the PPA Tour allows you to compete in brackets against players your same age and skill level at the nation’s most prestigious venues and alongside the top professionals in the game. Don’t miss your chance to Play Where the Pros Play™️ and experience the most electrifying professional tour in the sport of pickleball!