Last weekend, the Selkirk PPA Red Rock Open, held in Brigham City, Utah, marked the final event of four consecutive PPA Tour tournaments in April. Top professionals like Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Rachel Rohrabacher, Thomas Wilson, and Riley Newman can not compete in the tournament. This created opportunities for new players to shine and make significant advancements in the tournament, offering fans a fresh and exciting experience.
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Men Single
Federico Staksrud’s remarkable 2024 season continues to soar, with four gold and five silver medals in men’s singles, a testament to his incredible talent and tireless work ethic. After a demanding stretch of four consecutive tournaments in April, where he made deep runs in all three disciplines, most players would opt for a well-deserved break.
Not Federico! He’s heading to Kansas City to fine-tune his game with his coach, showcasing an unbeatable dedication to improvement. His commitment to excellence is truly inspiring, and it will be exciting to see how this extra effort pays off at MLP Atlanta and beyond!
Federico Staksrud is doing great in men’s singles and plans to try a new partner in men’s doubles starting in May. This change could bring new success to his doubles game. His singles game is very strong, and fans are excited to see how the new partnership will affect his career.
Women Single
Mary Brascia won her first PPA Tour gold medal by defeating Lea Jansen 7-11, 11-4, 11-9. The top two seeds had a thrilling match, with each player performing best. Lea took a medical timeout in the third game due to blood sugar issues but came back strong. However, Mary rallied with impressive backhand shots to win the match.
Mary praised Lea’s determination, saying, “Lea’s a warrior for returning after that timeout.” This was their fifth singles match and their third three-game battle. Mary was prepared for a tough match and was thrilled to win.
Mixed Doubles:
Etta Wright and Ben Johns won their second mixed doubles title this month, beating Anna Bright and James Ignatowich in an exciting match. They lost the first game but played better and won the next three games: 11-7, 11-8, 11-1. Etta played more aggressively and won important points. Etta was happy to win in front of her home crowd and family. She said, “It’s great to play here and partner with Ben, the best pickleball player. I feel lucky and grateful.”
Men’s Doubles:
Dylan Frazier & JW Johnson defeated Daescu & Tardio 13-11, 11-1, 11-8 to claim the Men’s Doubles title.
Before this, Gabe Tardio and Andrei Daescu Beat the Johns Brothers for the Second Time This Year. This time, Tardio and Daescu beat the Johns brothers again at the PPA Red Rock event. They won even more convincingly than before, with a remarkable 11-0 win in the third game.
This is the first time the Johns brothers have been shut out (not scored a single point) in a game. Tardio and Daescu played extremely well together, showing their skill and teamwork.
Women Doubles:
Tina Pisnik and Lea Jansen claim the Women’s Doubles title with an 11-1, 11-7, 11-7 win over Bright & Smith. This is the 1st gold medal for Pisnik and Jansen’s first WD gold since 2022. Lea Jansen showed again on Sunday that she’s a very strong and determined competitor along with Pisnik. She had a tough singles match against Mary Brascia and had to take a break in the third game due to blood sugar issues from her Type 1 Diabetes. But she didn’t give up! She kept fighting and pushed through her physical struggles to keep playing her best, but unfortunately, she did not succeed in single. Lea’s strength and determination are truly inspiring!
Utah LOVES its Pickleball
Utah has many great pickleball players and very supportive fans. The recent tournament was busy all three days, showing how much Utah loves pickleball. Because of this, the PPA is returning to Utah in August with the PICKLR Utah Open. The community is excited to welcome top players again and enjoy more exciting matches. The Utah contingent dominated the courts, with top women players achieving impressive results:
- Allyce Jones: Bronze medal in women’s doubles with Hurricane Tyra Black
- Callie Smith: Silver medal in women’s doubles with Anna Bright
- Etta Wright: Gold medal in mixed doubles with Ben Johns
- Alix Truong: Bronze medal in mixed doubles with Connor Garnett
