The PPA Tour kicked off its 2026-2027 season at the Veolia National Championships in Cary, North Carolina, where Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters headlined the event by each securing double gold. Amidst sweltering temperatures, the tournament served as the first Slam of the season, awarding 2,000 points to the victors and introducing several structural changes to the professional circuit.
Key PPA Tour Operational Updates
The 2026-2027 season marks a shift in how the PPA Tour operates, with four major developments implemented at the Cary Tennis Center:
- Automated line calls: The tour has integrated Owl AI technology to handle line calls on eight side courts.
- Side switch adjustments: Players will now switch sides at six points during every game.
- Elimination of bronze matches: The tour has officially removed bronze medal matches from the event schedule.
- World Pickleball Rankings: The PPA has moved to implement the World Pickleball Rankings system for its players.
On the court, Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters demonstrated their dominance in women’s doubles, winning the event with an average score of 11-2.55 per game and extending their unbeaten streak to a full calendar year. While Waters fell short of a triple crown after a mixed doubles semifinal loss to Jorja and JW Johnson, she remained untouchable in singles, winning her second gold of the tournament. Bright also found success in mixed doubles, securing gold alongside Hayden Patriquin by defeating the Johnsons in the finals.
In the men’s divisions, Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio continued their impressive run, remaining undefeated as a pair for over 300 days. Despite a challenging path that included a grueling semifinal against Patriquin and Federico Staksrud, they ultimately defeated Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu to take the title. Meanwhile, Hunter Johnson claimed the men’s singles gold, overcoming an early scare in the Round of 64 to eventually dismantle top-seeded Chris Haworth and second-seeded Federico Staksrud.
The tournament also featured notable storylines regarding rising talent and on-court tensions. Sofia Sewing made a successful PPA Tour debut, qualifying and fighting her way to the quarterfinals in singles, earning 400 ranking points in the process. Additionally, the event saw a brief moment of friction when Christian Alshon exchanged heated words with Hayden Patriquin and Anna Bright following their mixed doubles semifinal match, an interaction that drew significant attention during the broadcast.
