Highlights:
- Ben Johns withdrew from men’s singles (due to an undisclosed injury) but still managed to secured gold in both men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
- Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu fell short to Johns/Tardio once again, taking their second consecutive silver in men’s doubles.
- Alshon bounced back with a commanding singles run, capturing gold for the first time since March at the PPA Cape Coral Open.
- Jade and Jackie Kawamoto shocked the field, outlasting Black and Johnson in a five-set final and upsetting Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright in the semifinals.
- The Kawamotos’ gold was their first since the 2023 Beer City Open.
- Anna Leigh Waters added another singles gold to her collection, eliminating Kate Fahey in straight games.
Mixed Doubles
Gold: Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns (11-2, 11-8, 11-9)
Silver: Andrei Daescu & Anna Bright
Bronze: JW Johnson & Jorja Johnson
Waters and Johns once again controlled the mixed draw, defeating Daescu and Bright in straight games. They remain the undisputed, #1 team in pickleball, improving their career record to 226-6. The silver for Daescu and Bright capped another strong run, while the Johnsons showed they are still elite, adding another Bronze Medal (6-11, 6-11).
Men’s Doubles
Gold: Ben Johns & Gabriel Tardio
Silver: Christian Alshon & Andrei Daescu
Bronze: Carson Klinger & JW Johnson
The Johns/Tardio pairing dominated, once again, overpowering Alshon and Daescu 11-2, 11-6, 11-9 in the final. For Alshon and Daescu, it marked their second consecutive silver in men's doubles, highlighting both their consistency and the roadblock they continue to face at the end of the bracket. CJ Klinger and JW Johnson rallied to take bronze over the 2 seeds Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin in straight-games.
Women’s Doubles
Gold: Jade Kawamoto & Jackie Kawamoto
Silver: Hurricane Tyra Black & Jorja Johnson
Bronze: Anna Leigh Waters & Anna Bright
The 6-seeded Kawamoto sisters delivered the story of the tournament. After ousting Waters and Bright in the semifinals, they clawed through a five-game marathon to claim their first gold in nearly two years. Black and Johnson pushed them to the brink, taking the first two games before the Kawamotos roared back. For the Anna’s, another bronze highlights another disappointing outing.
Women’s Singles
Gold: Anna Leigh Waters
Silver: Kate Fahey
Bronze: Catherine Parenteau
Waters looked sharp throughout the draw, as usual, sealing the title with a 11-7, 13-11 win over Fahey. It was a straight-games victory but far from easy, with Fahey pressing Waters deep into the second game. Parenteau rounded out the podium after defeating Lea Jansen in straight-games, who now holds a dominating 17-4 record over her.
Men’s Singles
Gold: Christian Alshon
Silver: Connor Garnett
Bronze: Hunter Johnson
Alshon dominated the singles bracket, defeating Garnett 11-8, 11-1 in the final for his first title since March. Garnett’s silver kept him in the conversation after a triple crown in Japan, while Staksrud claimed another disappointing bronze to round out the podium.
Coming Up Next
The PPA Tour now heads west to Sacramento for the first ever Vintage Open, where players will test their skills using wooden paddles in a throwback showcase. After that, the spotlight shifts to the Virginia Beach Cup, promising another weekend of high-stakes action as the race for year-end points intensifies.
Cincinnati delivered upsets, breakthrough wins, and resurgent champions. From the Kawamotos’ long-awaited gold to Alshon’s return to the singles throne, the storylines continue to show how deep and unpredictable the pro pickleball field has become.