STORYLINES FOR THE VEOLIA DESERT RIDGE OPEN PRESENTED BY OH SNAP!

OVERALL TOP 5:

• 17K Gold – Anna Leigh Waters turned 17 on Jan 26 and has grabbed gold in every event she has entered since August. 
• ONE A DAY: Traditional pickleball format (one event per day for the players until the Finals)
• DOUBLE DESERT: First of two February events in the Phoenix area. 
• YOU’VE BEEN SERVED: Modified serve rule test will continue.  
• SINGLED OUT – Is the men’s field too deep for consistent winners? 

VENUE/TOURNEY:

• Event #2 of the year – one of 15 Opens in 2024, with 1000 points up for grabs for the winners. 
• Year 4 at JW Marriott Desert Ridge
• Over 1,000 players participating.  

MEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Ben Johns, Federico Staksrud, Julian Arnold. 
• Masters Champ Dylan Frazier not in the draw. 
• Federico Staksrud (2) was two points from a Masters title, how does he rebound? 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Ben Johns (1) – lost his first singles match of 2024, he will be focused. 

WOMEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Lea Jansen
• Parenteau is playing doubles events only.  
• Singles specialist Salome Devidze is back and will be a factor. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Brooke Buckner– can the new mom back up her great Masters performance?

MIXED DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Waters/Johns, Kovalova/Wright, Bright/Newman 
• With Jack Sock not playing, Catherine Parenteau pairs with Christian Alshon (6) 
• Youngster Jack Munro gets a big opportunity playing with Lea Jansen (16)
• WATCH OUT FOR: Meghan Dixon and Tyson McGuffin (5) – great first tourney, how will second act go?

WOMEN’S DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Waters/Parenteau, Jansen/Jones, Bright/David
• Bright and Rohrabacher were a force at the Masters – the field has been warned
• Sister act 2: Brascias and Kawamotos could battle again in the round of 16
• WATCH OUT FOR: How do Kovalova and Smith (2) respond to their one-sided loss to Bright and Rohrabacher at the Masters? 

MEN’S DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Johns/Johns, Newman/Wright, Johnson/Frazier
• Team new Joola: Is this the week Bar and McGuffin (5) make a run?
• Donald Young teams up for tournament #2 with Brandon French. 
• Dylan Frazier and JW Johnson are not in the draw. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Pablo Tellez and Federico Staksrud (4) look to hit the podium.