2026 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships Tournament Preview

The last Slam of the 2025-2026 PPA Tour season is here. There are 2,000 PPA Tour Points on the line for the winners of each event. 

Being a Slam, this event has every signed pro player attending. There are a ton of amateurs playing, with just over 1,900 total players. The Life Time Peachtree Corners is once again hosting this event, and is known as one of the nicest venues on tour. Of note, the venue has 17 permanent outdoor courts and 12 dedicated indoor courts.

The big storyline of the entire event is that it is the last one before the PPA Finals in San Clemente next week. The top eight teams earn spots in this exclusive event. There are still spots on the line and the play in Atlanta will either make or break some players’ abilities to qualify for the Finals. 

How to Watch the Atlanta Pickleball Championships

Tuesday, April 28 - Round of 128 & Round of 64

• 10am - 6pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 10am - 6pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Wednesday, April 29 - Round of 32

• 10am - 6pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 10am - 6pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Thursday, April 30 - Round of 16

• 10am - 6pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 10am - 6pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Friday, May 1 - Quarterfinals

• 10am - 6pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 10am - 6pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Saturday, May 2 - Semifinals

• 10am - 6pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv
• 12:30pm - 2:30pm ET - Championship Court - CBS
• 9am - 6pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv

Sunday, May 3 - Championship Sunday

• 10am - 4pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 9am - 1pm ET - Grandstand Court (Bronze Matches) - pickleballtv

Weather Outlook

It looks like there will be a lot of rain on Wednesday during the Round of 32, and a good chance of rain on Saturday, during the semis. Wind shouldn’t cause any problems in Georgia, so other than the aforementioned days, play should be very high level. 

Let’s get into the action

Women’s Singles

Top Storylines

• If Anna Leigh Waters wins this event, she will officially go over two years without a singles match loss (last match loss was May 30, 2024 - Salome Devidze in Texas Open)
• Aussie Sahra Dennehy is in the US getting ready for Major League Pickleball and is the 12 seed - her first big test will be in the Round of 16 against Catherine Parenteau
• Local Peachtree Corners unsigned pro, Helen To, just won the PPA Challenger in Opelika a couple of weeks ago and she is in the qualifiers

PPA Finals Storylines

• 8th - Judit Castillo - 4,000 points
• 9th - Parris Todd - 3,900 points (not playing in Atlanta, so she cannot make the finals)
• 10th - Liz Truluck - 3,775 points
• 11th - Genie Bouchard - 3,600 points

Judit is sitting in the driver’s seat for that last spot. Castillo’s first big test will be in the Round of 16 against Lea Jansen. Truluck’s first big test will be in the Round of 16 against Kiora Kunimoto. Bouchard would face Zoey Wang in the round of 16. I would put the odds in favor of Castillo nabbing that last spot.

Prediction

• Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters, (4) Brooke Buckner, (2) Kate Fahey, and (3) Kaitlyn Christian
• Finals: Anna Leigh beats Kate in the finals in three games

Men’s Singles

Top Storylines

• Only three players have won a men’s singles title in 2026 - (1) Chris Haworth, (2) Federico Staksrud, and (3) Hunter Johnson - that is eight events with only three winners
• There are 90 qualifiers vying for 12 main draw spots - 90! 
• (12) Zane Ford just earned a silver medal in Sacramento, but has a tough draw in Atlanta - he could face Rafa Lenhard, Jack Sock, Hunter Johnson, and Federico Staksrud, if he makes the finals again

PPA Finals Storylines

• 8th - Jack Sock - 4,950 points
• 9th - Gabe Joseph - 4,900 points
• 10th - Noe Khlif - 3,750 points

This is a two horse race for the eighth and final spot in the finals. Khlif has too many points to make up, although he has an easy draw up until the Round of 16, when he could face Roscoe Bellamy. Gabe Joseph could face John Lucian Goins in the Round of 16, while Jack Sock has JW Johnson in the Round of 32, Zane Ford in the Round of 16, and Hunter Johnson in the quarters. The adds are slightly in Joseph’s favor just because of the opponents each player is facing.

Prediction

• Semifinalists: (1) Chris Haworth, (4) Christian Alshon, (2) Federico Staksrud, and (3) Hunter Johnson
• Finals: Haworth beats Fed in the finals in three games

Mixed Doubles

Top Storylines

• It has now been over two months since Ben and Anna Leigh have lost a match - can anyone stop them?
• (2) Jorja & JW Johnson haven’t won in 2026 and seem to be in a bit of a slump when it comes to the late round matches - can they get gold in Atlanta?
• After winning Sacramento, Eric Oncins and Tyra Black have new partners for Atlanta: Oncins is playing with Tina Pisnik, and could face Ben and Anna Leigh in the quarters, while Tyra is playing with Will Howells, who is coming off an ankle injury from February
• There are nine qualifiers spots in this draw, with 56 entrants

PPA Finals Storylines

Men’s Mixed Doubles

• 8th - Eric Oncins  - 5,000 points
• 9th - Noe Khlif - 4,650 points

With the previously mentioned win last week in Sacramento, Eric Oncins overtook Noe Khlif for hte eighth and final spot in the Finals, with a 350 point lead. Noe is with Jessie Irvine in Atlanta while Eric is with Tina Pisnik. This one looks like it is Eric’s to lose. 

Women’s Mixed Doubles

• 8th - Parris Todd  - 5,000 points
• 9th - Rachel Rohrabacher - 4,650 points

THIS is where it gets interesting. Parris is 350 points ahead of Rachel for the last spot. However, Rachel and Christian Alshon are the four seed. Parris and Andrei Daescu are the five seed. IF they both make to the quarters, they would face each other. The winner of that matchup will be in the driver’s seat for the last spot. 

Prediction

• Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns (4) Rachel Rohrabacher/Christian Alshon, (2) Jorja & JW Johnson, and (3) Anna Bright/Hayden Patriquin
• Finals: Anna Leigh and Ben beat Anna and Hayden in four

Women’s Doubles

Top Storylines

• It has now been 226 days since Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters lost - this could be the toughest draw they have had in a while, considering the Kawamotos are in their quarter of the bracket, but they are firing on all cylinders
• The Aussies, Danni Townsend and Sahra Dennehy are facing their first US based competition in a long time and will get thrown into the fire early against the 3 seed Rachel Rohrabacher and Catherine Parenteau
• There are five qualifiers spots in this draw, with 21 entrants

PPA Finals Storylines

• 16th - Alix Truong - 4,600 points
• 17th - Mari Humberg - 4,000 points
• 18th - Jamie Wei - 3,975 points
• 19th - Jessie Irvine - 3,950 points

Truong is the overwhelming favorite to keep the 16th, and final spot in the Finals. She has 600 points on Mari Humberg, who she would actually face in the Round of 16. Humberg is with Liz Truluck, while Truong is with Zoey Wang. If Truong/Wang win that matchup, Truong would lock up the spot for sure.

Prediction

• Semifinalists: (1) Anna Bright/Anna Leigh Waters, (3) Rachel Rohrabacher/Catherine Parenteau, (6) Tina Pisnik/Meghan Dizon, and (4) Kate Fahey/Parris Todd
• Finals: Anna and Anna Leigh beat Kate and Parris in the final in three

Men’s Doubles

Top Storylines

• Undefeated - Ben and Gabe just keep finding ways to win, even when they don’t have their best stuff - they have not lost a match in 2026
• (2) Hayden Patriquin and Christian Alshon skipped Sacramento - can they work their way back to the finals against Ben and Gabe?
• (6) Noe Khlif and Matt Wright is a fun partnership - we haven’t seen Wright nearly as much this year, but when he plays it is highly entertaining

PPA Finals Storylines

• 16th - Riley Newman  - 3,912.5 points
• 17th - Augie Ge - 3,475 points

This race doesn’t feel like it is that close. Riley would have to have an early round catastrophe and Augie would have to make a deep run. Riley is the 9 seed and playing with Armaan Bhatia, while Augie is the 10 seed, playing with Dekel Bar. 

Prediction

• Semifinalists: (1) Gabe Tardio/Ben Johns (4) Federico Staksrud/Andrei Daescu, (2) Christian Alshon/Hayden Patriquin, and (3) CJ Klinger/JW Johnson
• Finals: Gabe and Ben beat Christian and Hayden in five