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LAPIPLASTY® PICKLEBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Selkirk Red Rock Open Championship Sunday Preview, from the Stats Desk.

Author: Jim Ramsey | April 28, 2024

=== MEN’S SINGLES ===

#1 Federico Staksrud (The new #1) did not lose a game in four matches Thursday. This is his ninth straight final this year (3 golds, 5 silvers). 

#11 Jack Sock is in his first PPA singles final. (He won Mixed Doubles in North Carolina last year). The Olympian beat Christian Alshon in the semis (11-1, 13-11) to set up this top-flight final with the game’s hottest singles player, Federico Staksrud.

Bronze: (3) Tyson McGuffin vs. (4) Christian Alshon.

=== WOMEN’S SINGLES ===

#1 Mary Brascia, enjoyed the rarified air of being the top seed, cruising through four matches Thursday. She has two silver medals this year (both losses to A.L. Waters) and is looking to break through with her first PPA gold medal.

#2 Lea Jansen was dominant Thursday, winning a game by an 11-0 “pickle” against three of her four opponents. She allowed a stingy 18 points while winning eight games. Because Jansen won the Houston Open two weeks ago, she can now win two out of three tournaments for the second time in her career.

Bronze: (6) Kaitlyn Christian vs (5) Jorja Johnson.

=== MIXED DOUBLES ===

#1 Etta Wright and Ben Johns needed three games in two of their four wins Friday. This team won the Houston Open two weeks ago. Johns’ 45 career mixed doubles titles are more than any other player’s career total, except for Anna Leigh Waters. Johns’ career-best streak of 18 tournaments played earning at least one gold medal is on the line here.

#2 Anna Bright and James Ignatowich did not allow more than six points in any of the eight games they won Friday. Bright and Ignatowich won their first title together in this tournament last year.

Bronze: (16) Alex Truong/Connor Garnett vs (19) Martina Frantova/Andrei Daescu.

=== MEN’S DOUBLES ===

#9 Andrei Daescu and Gabe Tardio authored one of the most astonishing line scores you will ever see, beating the Johns brothers in the semis, 1-11, 13-11, 11-0. Let that sink in. This team also beat the Johns brothers in the Round of 16 in Mesa in February, before earning silver medals.

#2 Dylan Frazier and J.W. Johnson are looking for their first title since winning at Mesa in February, when they beat Andrei Daescu and Gabe Tardio in three straight games. Frazier and Johnson also won five tournaments last year. 

Bronze: (1) Ben Johns/Collin Johns vs (4) Dekel Bar/Tyson McGuffin.

=== WOMEN’S DOUBLES ===

#1 Anna Bright and Callie Smith were down 1-7 in the third game of their semifinal but pulled out an 11-9 win. The new partners are fifth and sixth, respectively, for the most career PPA women’s doubles titles. Bright has won four of the last five tournaments, playing with Rachel Rohrabacher. Smith’s last title was a year ago in Newport Beach.

#4 Lea Jansen and Tina Pisnik allowed only ​17 points while winning eight games Saturday. They earned a bronze medal two weeks ago in Houston, and both players have been a part of Championship Sunday this month in different events. Jansen has five PPA gold medals; this would be Pisnik’s first.

Bronze: (3) Hurricane Tyra Black/Allyce Jones vs (7) Tamaryn Emmerich/Lina Padegimaite.

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