Virginia Beach Pickleball Tournament Recap
The inaugural visit of the PPA Tour to Virginia was a resounding success. After a rainy Tuesday, the weather turned perfect, drawing large crowds on Saturday and Sunday. The Stratusphere Gin PPA Virginia Beach Cup marked the fourth-to-last event before the CIBC Finals.
The Johns Brothers in the Spotlight
The weekend started with a heated men’s doubles quarterfinal match featuring the Johns brothers against Hunter Johnson and Dekel Bar. After losing the first game 11-7, the tension mounted in the second game. At 7-3 in favor of Hunter and Dekel, a drive flew past Collin, prompting him to walk to the bench with Ben. Confusion ensued, as the duo claimed that the lighting was inadequate, leading Head Referee Don Stanley to halt the match until the following morning. This decision sparked controversy, as Hunter and Dekel had just played from the same side without issue.
When play resumed, the Johns brothers struggled initially, losing the second game 11-3. However, they rebounded in the third game, decisively winning and moving on to the finals.
Championship Sunday Drama
The championship match on Sunday featured the Johns brothers facing Hayden Patriquin and Federico Staksrud. After dropping the first game 11-9, Ben and Collin rallied to take games two and three 11-6 and 11-3. However, the match turned dramatic in game four. With the score at 9-3 in favor of the Johns, Ben and Collin walked to their bench without signaling a timeout, despite having been warned earlier by Stanley to properly indicate timeouts. This led to a delay-of-game penalty, deducting a point and making the score 8-6. Capitalizing on the momentum shift, Hayden and Fed rallied to win game four 11-8, ultimately taking game five 11-2.
This marked Hayden and Fed’s impressive run, maintaining an undefeated record together at 10-0 with two championships in 2024.
Women’s Division Dominance
On the women’s side, Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau showcased their superiority, winning every match without dropping a single game. Anna Leigh’s relentless fitness and mental resilience shone through, as she secured her second triple crown of the season.
Upsets and Rising Stars
The tournament was not without its share of upsets. Julian Arnold and Lauren Stratman stunned the third-seeded duo of Anna Bright and Andrei Daescu in the Round of 16, while in women’s singles, 47th-seeded Maria Klokotzky knocked out 20th-seeded Alix Truong. Notably, several qualifiers made waves in men’s singles, with 16-year-old John Lucian Goins defeating higher-seeded players to reach the Round of 16.
Final Results
Women’s Singles
🥇 Anna Leigh Waters
🥈 Brooke Buckner
🥉 Kate Fahey
Men’s Singles
🥇 Ben Johns
🥈 Hunter Johnson
🥉 Jaume Martinez Vich
Mixed Doubles
🥇 Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns
🥈 Jorja Johnson/JW Johnson
🥉 Jackie Kawamoto/Riley Newman
Women’s Doubles
🥇 Catherine Parenteau/Anna Leigh Waters
🥈 Rachel Rohrabacher/Anna Bright
🥉 Jorja Johnson/Mari Humberg
Men’s Doubles
🥇 Hayden Patriquin/Federico Staksrud
🥈 Collin Johns/Ben Johns
🥉 Dylan Frazier/JW Johnson
As the season progresses, the competitive landscape in pickleball continues to evolve, with new partnerships forming and players pushing the limits of the game. Keep an eye on these emerging stars and seasoned veterans as they battle for supremacy in upcoming tournaments!
