In a thrilling women’s singles final, Lea Jansen defeated Salome Devidze in three games (9-11, 11-7, 11-2) to claim the gold medal at the CIBC Texas Open powered by TIXR. This marks Jansen’s second singles title of 2024, following her victory at the Veolia Houston Open in April.
The match was closely contested, with both players having faced off twice before in bronze medal matches earlier in the year. Devidze came out strong in the first game, racing to a 9-4 lead and eventually taking it 11-9. She dominated the early stages, pushing Jansen to the back of the court with her powerful drives.
However, Jansen adapted and began to find her footing in the second game. She started to absorb the pace of Devidze’s shots and change direction with her own, taking the game 11-7. This momentum carried into the third game, where Jansen dominated 11-2, securing the gold medal.
Jansen credits her success to her new partnership with coach Mike Wolf, who also coaches the New York Hustlers in Major League Pickleball. After spending a week in Kansas City with Wolf and his wife Ashley, Jansen’s game was “completely reformed,” and she is grateful for their guidance.
“Mike is my MLP coach, and I secretly really wanted to hire him to help me out with singles, and here we are,” she shared. “I spent a week in Kansas City, and he and his wife Ashley completely reformed my game, and I’m just really thankful for them. [Mike’s] the one coach that has been able to deal with me.”
This victory marks a significant milestone in Jansen’s career, and she looks forward to continued success with Wolf’s coaching. With her game on the rise, Jansen is sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of pickleball.
