Storylines: Select Medical Orange County Cup Presented by Intralinks

OVERALL TOP 5:

• WHAT A BREAK: After taking April off, ALW has not lost a match since her return. 
• FIRE SINGLES: Texas Open Championship singles matches were fire – will that continue in Cali?
• RESERVATION FOR BEN: Ben Johns did not play in this event last year – in all 3 draws this week. 
• COOL BREEZE: San Clemente highs expected to be in the 60s, well down from the stifling heat of Texas.   
• ALLYCE JONES IS BACK: In singles, mixed with Collin Johns, and women’s with Jorja Johnson

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS: 

• FS1 for singles semifinals on Thursday from 8-10pm ET. 
• PPA YouTube coverage all weekend long.  

MEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: JW Johnson, Tyson McGuffin, James Ignatowich
• Singles prep for MLP – loaded field includes Alshon, Koller, Loong, and all of the other usual suspects. 
• Can Fed get back to Championship Sunday?
• WATCH OUT FOR: Jaume Martinez Vich – made it to a HUGE Championship Sunday last week, will the flair, spicy interview moments, and strong play continue?

WOMEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Parris Todd, Anna Leigh Waters, Callie Smith
• ALW’s last loss in a singles final was on this court last year to Parris Todd. 
• Lea Jansen notably NOT in the singles field – perhaps saving the body after a grueling three events in Texas just a few days before.
• WATCH OUT FOR: Anna Bright – doesn’t play a lot of singles but can do serious damage. 

MIXED DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Waters/Johnson, Kovalova/Wright, Smith/Koller
• Trading in Pioneers – Fed Staksrud played very well with Meghan Dizon last week and is now paired with Etta Wright (Meghan and Etta are MLP teammates on the Seattle Pioneers). 
• Newmans made the TX final and are playing together again this week. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Andrea Koop and Dylan Frazier – that’s a dangerous team right there. Koop was nursing a rib injury and missed the last couple of tourneys, but she’s back.

WOMEN’S DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Kovalova/Smith, Waters/Waters, Jansen/Parenteau
• AL with CP – first back-to-back pairing, had been flip-flopping partners previously (AL’s other partner Bright is playing with Megan Fudge). 
• Jessie Irvine looking to get back to Sunday – this week with Andrea Koop. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: The Brascias were this close to getting to Championship Sunday in Atlanta – can they get it done at home?

MEN’S DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Newman/Wright, Koller/Collin Johns, Frazier/Johnson
• Collin gets his “usual” partner back after medaling here last year with AJ. The Johns boys have just one loss in 2023. 
• Fun pairing alert: It’s Tyler Loong’s and Jay Devilliers’ 2^nd event together, played one event in 2020. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Tellez/Staksrud who really pushed the Johns brothers in Texas over three epic games.