The US Open Championships started this past weekend and will finish this Saturday in Naples, Florida. The US Open has long been established as one of the biggest pickleball tournaments outside the professional tours. This year is expected to be the biggest yet, with 4,882 players registered for this tournament.

For context, 995 players are registered for the upcoming PPA Los Cab Open, and 1,400 were registered for one of the larger PPA tournaments, the Mesa Arizona Cup. The US Open is attracting 4-5 times more players than the PPA Tour.

A large part of that huge number of entries are amateurs. Impressive nonetheless.

The professional events started Sunday. Some players played in the PPA Houston Open and then jumped on a quick flight over to Naples to be able to play in this tournament.

Due to contract issues, rest, and travel schedules, the US Open doesn’t have as many big PPA Tour player names playing in it as in the past.

Who's in?

The biggest names playing in the US Open Championships include:

Anna Leigh Waters
Leigh Waters
Andrei Daescu
Gabe Tardio
Jorja Johnson
JW Johnson
Dylan Frazier
Chris Haworth
Parris Todd
Megan Fudge
Susannah Barr
Hunter Johnson
Yates Johnson
Simone Jardim

How to Watch the Minto US Open Championships

Tune into the Pickleball Channel every day of the tournament, starting at 2 p.m. ET for live streaming.

Results through Monday

Women’s Pro Singles

Jorja Johnson DOMINATED women’s singles on Sunday. On her way to winning gold, she beat the following players:

Simone Jardim - 11-4, 11-4
Jenna Hesser - 11-0, 11-1
Finals: Megan Fudge - 11-2, 11-3

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A post shared by Jorja Johnson (@jorjajohnson_pb)

Johnson, 11th in our recent women’s singles power rankings, beat Megan Fudge (5th in our power rankings) in the finals.

Podium List

Jorja Johnson
Megan Fudge
Jenna Hessert

Men’s Pro Singles

Jack Foster beat Chris Haworth for the men’s singles win on Sunday. He won by a comfortable margin (11-5, 11-4). He showed quite the mental fortitude after losing 5-11, 1-11 to Ben Johns three days earlier. On his way to his first gold medal, Foster beat JW Johnson and Yates Johnson (no relation).

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Podium List

Jack Foster
Chris Haworth
JW Johnson

Upcoming Events and Predictions

Split Age Men’s Doubles

First, if you are newer to pickleball you may have just read "Split Age Men’s Doubles" and said, "huh?" The concept is simple: The team must consist of a player 49 or younger and another player who is 50 or older.

The favorite going into the draw is Dylan Frazier and Altaf Merchant because Merchant has the results to be the best senior pro on tour this year and last year, and Dylan is, well, Dylan. Merchant is known for his crazy antics, like screams and hip thrusts after winning points.

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A post shared by Altaf Merchant (@altaf_merchant_pb)

Split Age Women's Doubles

The favorites in this event are Megan Fudge and Karin Ptaszek-Kochis. The former Danish tennis star has 6 ITF titles and a 23-16 record in the Fed Cup. Fudge is easily among the top five females in the US Open.

Ptaszek-Kochis won the AARP Champions Pro Women’s Singles title in the APP Delray Beach.

Other teams to look out for:

Sheri Courter/Mari Humberg
Suzanne Leblang/Milan Rane
Ryann Foster/Lee Whitwell

Split Age Mixed Doubles

Returning winners from 2023 – Jamie Oncins and Simone Jardim – will be favored again this year.

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A post shared by Simone Jardim (@simonep_jardim)

Other teams to look out for:

Mari Humberg/Dave Weinbach
Allison Harris/Altaf Merchant
Megan Fudge/Dayne Gingrich
Jorja Johnson/Mircea Morariu
Andrei Daescu/Lee Whitwell

Watching these matchups – which we don’t get to see every day – will be highly entertaining. This event has 64 teams registered, so it should be high-level competition throughout.

On Wednesday we have the Senior Pro and Amateur Skill Groups - No Pro Matches.

On Thursday there is the Men’s Pro Doubles Qualifier — eight Qualifiers advance — and the Mixed Pro Qualifier, with eight qualifiers advanced.

On Friday, April 19th, we get back to the pros.

Men’s Doubles Pro

Favorites

JW Johnson/Dylan Frazier
Andrei Daescu/Gabe Tardio
Ryler DeHeart/Will Howells
Hunter Johnson/Yates Johnson

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A post shared by Yates Johnson (@yatesjohnson8)

Underdogs to Look Out For

Brandon Lane/Ross Whittaker
William Sobek/Kyle Yates
Jack Munro/Andre Mick
Jack Foster/Rob Davidson

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Predictions

I can’t see any other team winning other than the four favorites listed above
Finals: Daescu/Tardio beat JW Johnson/Frazier for the gold

Women’s Doubles Pro

Favorites

Susannah Barr/Bobbi Oshiro
Simone Jardim/Allison Harris
Milan Rane/Jorja Johnson
Parris Todd/Yana Newell
Alix Truong/Megan Fudge
Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters

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A post shared by Leigh Waters (@waters_pb)

Anna Leigh and her mom, Leigh Waters, haven’t played together since Leigh’s ACL tear over a year and a half ago. It will be very exciting to see them playing together again. This draw is wide open, with any of these six teams capable of making the finals.

Predictions

When I can pick the best female player in the world, I do it. ALW and her mom beat Truong and Fudge in the finals.

Mixed Doubles Pro

Favorites

Megan Fudge/Andrei Daescu
Jorja Johnson/Gabe Tardio
Milan Rane/Dylan Frazier
Parris Todd/Hunter Johnson
JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters
Susannah Barr/Will Howells

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A post shared by Engage Pickleball (@engagepickleball)

Without Ben Johns playing in this event, it'll be cool to see ALW play with JW Johnson for a tournament. They should be the top seed and be heavy favorites to make it to the finals.

Prediction: ALW and JW Johnson beat Jorja Johnson and Gabe Tardio in the finals.

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