OVERALL TOP 5:
- 1ST TIMERS: This is the first Carvana PPA Tour event in California’s capital city.
- MATCH.COM: So many new partnerships in this one – some will flourish, some will fail.
- BEN & JIMMY: First time partnership for Johns/Ignatowich, with Collin Johns out of the country.
- FEEL THE HEAT: Excessive heat warning with triple digit temps will greet the players on Wednesday, with highs in the 90s expected throughout the weekend.
- OPENING ACT: Traditional format: singles Thursday, mixed Friday, women’s and men’s doubles Saturday, then Championship Sunday.
VENUE/TOURNEY/TV:
- Event #12 of the year – an Open, with 1000 points up for grabs for the winners.
- No defending champions.
- Life Time Roseville will be the host site, with over 900 players participating.
- Broadcast start times are 11am Pacific Thursday through Sunday.
- Coverage on PickleballTV all week long (Prime Video, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, and many more).
WOMEN’S SINGLES:
- Anna Leigh Waters (1) looks to get back to her winning ways after dropping her first singles match of the year to Salome Devidze in Texas (Devidze is not in this draw).
- Lea Jansen (3) owned Texas winning 2 of the 3 titles (Houston and Dallas, not Austin).
- Catherine Parenteau (2) still hasn’t hit the win column in ’24.
- WATCH OUT FOR: Parris Todd (8) – she made a huge run in ATL and came up just short to ALW in the final – the challenge ahead is she would be in Anna Leigh’s quarter.
MEN’S SINGLES:
- Staksrud’s (1) run of 10 consecutive finals ended in the Lone Star State with a loss to Chris Haworth (who is not in the draw). Fed did win the bronze.
- Johns is not playing singles but is playing both doubles events.
- Jack Sock returns as the 7 seed – he would run into Staksrud in a potential quarterfinal.
- WATCH OUT FOR: Martinez Vich (4) is due for a big singles run full of showtime shots.
MIXED DOUBLES:
- Bright/Ignatowich (2) back together after James skipped mixed in Texas.
- Todd/McGuffin (11) – MLP Orlando Squeeze teammates are capable of beating anyone.
- Dizon/Yates Johnson (15) – Johnson jumps in to take the suspended Daescu’s place with Dizon.
- WATCH OUT FOR: Etta Wright/Riley Newman (6) – so much talent and such different personalities, will they thrive or struggle to survive?
WOMEN’S DOUBLES:
- Top two teams primed for another showdown? Waters/Parenteau (1) and Bright/Rohrabacher (2) are both looking for a California gold rush.
- MLP Teammates 1: Callie Smith/Alix Truong (4) – Utah Black Diamonds
- MLP Teammates 2: Jessie Irvine/Andrea Koop (5) – Seattle Pioneers
- MLP Teammates 3: Jorja Johnson and Hurricane Tyra Black (7) – Dallas Flash
- WATCH OUT FOR: MLP Teammates 4, Parris Todd/Vivienne David (6) – Orlando Squeeze, a perfect, complementary duo that could make a big run.
MEN’S DOUBLES:
- Frazier and Johnson (1) look to make it a 4peat, carrying 3 consecutive wins into Sacramento.
- 4 straight wins would match the record held by the Johns brothers in men’s doubles.
- NEW TEAM WATCH: Ben Johns/Ignatowich is the 2 seed in their first ever event together.
- NEW TEAM WATCH: Staksrud/Patriquin (4) – swag for days with these two.
- NEW TEAM WATCH: Martinez Vich/Tellez (5) – lefty/righty duo could be lethal.
- NEW TEAM WATCH: Newman/Tardio (6) – wow potential off the charts.
- NEW TEAM WATCH: Sock/Wilson (8) – forehands and athleticism for days.
- WATCH OUT FOR: All of the new teams – this is one of the most entertaining men’s doubles draws in the history of the Carvana PPA Tour.
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*article is courtesy of PPA Tour