STORYLINES: OS1ST NORTH CAROLINA OPEN PRESENTED BY INTRALINKS

OVERALL TOP 5:

• SOCK IT TO ME: Tennis star Jack Sock makes his PPA Tournament debut.
• NOT YOUR USUAL 1st TOURNEY PARTNERS: Sock will play with AL Waters in mixed and Tyson McGuffin in men’s – not too shabby!
• MIXED TV: ESPN2 will show the mixed final at 6pm Eastern on Sunday, May 7
• TRIPLE REPEAT?: Catherine Parenteau was a triple crown winner in NC in ’22 – can she back that up this year with different partners (Waters for Jansen, McGuffin for Newman)
• SHER-BEAR 2.0: Can Ryan Sherry defend his crown in a men’s singles draw that features over 80 players, including local favorite Collin Shick?

VENUE/EVENT:

• LARGEST TOURNEY IN NC HISTORY: 920 players in ’23 up 15% from 2022.
• Life Time Charlotte hosts this tourney for a 2 nd consecutive year.
• Standing room-only crowds are expected.

MEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Ryan Sherry, Julian Arnold, Tyson McGuffin
• James Ignatowich and Dylan Frazier are back in the singles draw – Ben Johns is not (or in any event).
• WATCH OUT FOR: Collin Shick – he rocked the PPA with his run from the “quallies” all the way to the finals at Daytona.

WOMEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Catherine Parenteau, Lea Jansen, Callie Smith
• Anna Leigh Waters returns from a month off.
• Judit Castillo has been making some noise in singles.
• WATCH OUT FOR: Catherine Parenteau – she wants to prove that she is truly the queen of these courts.

MIXED DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Parenteau/Newman, Kovalova/Wright, Irvine/Arnold
• What does tourney #2 for Riley Newman and Allyce Jones look like?
• Interesting pairing of Callie Smith and Dekel Bar – how will they fare?
• WATCH OUT FOR: Jorja and JW Johnson – coming in hot after winning in Newport.

WOMEN’S DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Parenteau/Jansen, Kovalova/Smith, Jones/Dizon
• AL Waters is undefeated in women’s doubles in ’23 and is paired with Parenteau.
• Anna Bright takes the court with newcomer and fellow Cal Bear teammate Vivian Glozman.
• WATCH OUT FOR: Meghan Dizon and Jorja Johnson – both players are at the top of their games and will be an offensive force.

MEN’S DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Newman/Wright, Loong/McGuffin, Dawson/Taylor
• No Johns – JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier come in confident having won at Newport.
• Lots of interesting partnerships: Dawson/Bar, Koller/Arnold, and Hewett/Alshon
• WATCH OUT FOR: the lefty/righty pairing of Loong and Ignatowich – will they find some chemistry?