The 2026 PPA Finals, presented by JOOLA, are set to take place from May 6-10, 2026, at the breathtaking Life Time San Clemente venue, with over 1,500 players participating, including a 500-point full pro event. The tournament features a unique format, with players competing in pool play from Wednesday to Friday, followed by Semifinal Saturday and the finals on Sunday.
Key Storylines and Players to Watch
The tournament has several interesting storylines, including the absence of Anna Leigh Waters in the singles event, but she will participate in the doubles events. The top 2 players or teams from each pool will advance to the semifinals, with the winner of Pool A playing the second-place team in Pool B, and vice versa. The final standings in each pool will be determined by the greatest number of wins, head-to-head results, and point differential.
Some players and teams to watch include:
- Kate Fahey: With Anna Leigh Waters out of the singles event, Fahey has a chance to shine, bringing confidence from her impressive final against Waters in Atlanta.
- Chris Haworth: As the number 1 ranked player, Haworth is a favorite to win, having handled the hype and pressure of previous tournaments with ease.
- Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin: This mixed doubles team made the final in Atlanta but were swept by Waters and Johns; they will look to find their previous form and make a deep run in the tournament.
- Parris Todd and Rachel Rohrabacher: This women's doubles team won in Sacramento and showed great chemistry and versatility; they will look to bring that level of play to the southern part of the state.
- Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio: As the undefeated team in 2026, they are the standard to beat in the men's doubles event; it will be interesting to see if anyone can match their level of play.
The tournament will be covered on PickleballTV, with exclusive windows on FS1 and FOX, including a national audience on Sunday at 5 pm Eastern. The points awarded in each discipline are as follows: 300 points per round-robin win, 400 points for a semifinal win, and 700 points for a finals win. With the FINALS counting as an extra event to add to players' points and ranking, the stakes are high, and the competition is expected to be fierce.
