Comebacks, Upsets, Injuries, and ‘The Girlies’ Take Over the PPA Atlanta Slam - Recap

Life Time Peachtree Corners is often hailed as one of the best tour stops in the world, and this weekend, it proved why once again.

Rain from Hurricane Francine threatened to disrupt the CIBC PPA Atlanta Slam, particularly on Friday and Saturday, when many amateur divisions were canceled. However, thanks to Life Time’s recent renovation of several indoor courts, matches could continue as scheduled, and fans enjoyed uninterrupted streaming.

This was made possible by the hard work of the PPA staff, Life Time staff, and Close Call Replay, which made its first appearance this year. By Championship Sunday, the weather had cleared, allowing the finals to take place outdoors, creating a memorable end to the event.

Now, let’s dive into the action!

Top Plays and Moments

Here's a look at some of the top plays from the week.

Ben Johns doing GOAT things against Noe Khlif in the Rd of 32. I am confident my wrist cannot move that way.

Parris Todd exacted some revenge on Kate Fahey, making her way to Championship Sunday.

Hayden Patriquin hits a crazy shot that leaves Dave Fleming and Sam Querrey dumbfounded.

Anna Leigh Waters just wins hands battles and goes from defense to offense in a flash.

The match between Hunter Johnson/Julian Arnold and Fed Staksrud/Matt Wright was MUST SEE TV. To watch the entire match, click here.

Another great men’s doubles match between Loong/Garnett and Alshon/Newman.

Not to be outdone by his brother, Yates Johnson hits a CRAZY ATP in singles against Connor Garnett.

MLP Team Medals

Carolina Pickleball Club - 🥇🥇🥇

LA Mad Drops - 🥇🥈🥈

New Jersey 5s - 🥇🥇🥈

St. Louis Shock - 🥇

D.C. Pickleball Team - 🥇

Orlando Squeeze - 🥈🥈🥉

Dallas Flash - 🥉🥉🥉

Utah Black Diamonds - 🥈

Texas Ranchers - 🥈

Atlanta Bouncers - 🥈

NY Hustlers - 🥉🥉

AZ Drive - 🥉🥉

Top Storylines

Pickleball TV added a studio with Kamryn Blackwood and Matt Manasse 

Between matches on Championship Court, Kamryn Blackwood and Matt Manasse provided expert commentary, discussing strategies, previewing upcoming matches, sharing results from other courts, and interviewing winners.

This added broadcast element was a surprise hit—something I didn’t realize I needed until I saw it. Instead of the usual 15 minutes of commercials, Kamryn and Matt kept the momentum going with engaging pickleball talk, ensuring the action never felt interrupted.

Personally, I loved this addition. Blackwood excelled in the play-by-play role, allowing Manasse to dive deep into detailed strategies and insights. It was a dynamic combination, and I hope the PPA Tour continues to include more of this moving forward.

The Girlies beat Catherine Parenteau and ALW again

Most people predicted this finals matchup (myself included). It was the fifth showdown between Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright vs. Catherine Parenteau and Anna Leigh Waters.

Rachel Rohrabacher was on fire throughout the match, which didn’t unfold as many expected. Rachel and AB were relentless from start to finish, with no signs of letting up. At this high level of play, players rarely speed up cross-court shots, as it can leave their partner exposed to a potential counter.

But Rohrabacher didn’t care about what’s typically done—she targeted Catherine Parenteau and kept pressing. To be clear, Parenteau didn’t play poorly or even close to mediocre; she played well. But Rohrabacher and Bright clearly had a game plan to speed up every shot they could at her, and on Sunday, it paid off.

Anna and Rachel secured the win in four games: 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5. This marks their second victory this year in five matchups against Anna Leigh and Catherine.

This means that Catherine and Anna Leigh remain the top-ranked women’s doubles team. However, Bright and Rohrabacher are steadily closing the gap, firmly establishing themselves as the clear number two team in the world.

Earlier in the year, Dizon/Wright were competing for that second spot, but with these recent results, Bright and Rohrabacher have pulled ahead. In my view, the gap between ALW/CP and Bright/Rohrabacher is now slightly smaller than the gap between Rachel and Anna and the rest of the field.

Injuries are starting to stack up in the latter half of the year

Several notable injuries occurred at the CIBC Atlanta Slam. Dylan Frazier and Christian Alshon both withdrew from singles due to lingering injuries. Ben Johns also had to retire from his match against Grayson Goldin after losing the first game 5-11, visibly hobbling on his right foot.

It was later revealed that Ben had rolled his ankle while kicking around a pickleball. For the remainder of the tournament, he was seen wearing an ASO brace on that ankle, and despite the injury, he moved well during Championship Sunday.

On Quarterfinal Friday, Yates Johnson faced Connor Garnett in singles. He won the first game convincingly, 11-6. However, on the final play of that game, he moved awkwardly and appeared to tweak his left groin.

In games two and three, Yates hobbled around the court, still hitting some incredible passing shots despite being unable to move to his right. His perseverance and toughness in his eventual loss to Garnett were truly commendable.

In a long season, injuries are inevitable, but Atlanta seemed to have more than its share. Hopefully, this was just a one-off, and the field remains healthy for the rest of 2024.

Hunter Johnson wins his first ever medal on the PPA Tour - and it’s GOLD

Speaking of the Johnson twins and Connor Garnett—what a match! Hunter had to go through Gabe Joseph, Tyson McGuffin, and Naveen Beasley to reach the semifinals.

Hunter delivered one of the strangest scorelines I’ve seen in the semis in a while. He defeated JW Johnson with a score of 11-3, 0-11, 11-1. That’s not a typo—that was the actual score. After being pickled in game two, Hunter turned it around in game three, dominating 11-1 with a stunning display of resilience.

On Championship Sunday, Hunter Johnson had to dig even deeper for mental fortitude. Connor Garnett, already a two-time gold medalist this year, is known for his slow starts, and Hunter took full advantage, dominating game one with an 11-2 win.

In game two, Garnett found his rhythm and fought back, winning 11-8 in a tightly contested match. He carried that momentum into the decisive game three.

This is where Hunter truly showed his grit. Down 7-0 after the mid-game sideout, with many players likely throwing in the towel, Hunter refused to back down. He went on an incredible 11-2 run, turning the match around to win the third game 11-9 and clinch the victory.

Hunter Johnson has been unfairly under-seeded for much of the year, but with his recent 2,000 points, he’s jumped from the 20th seed at this event to the 11th seed in men’s singles.

Collin and Ben Johns are BACK

147 days—that’s how long it’s been since the Johns brothers last claimed a men’s doubles gold medal. This latest victory marks their sixth gold of the year on tour. Meanwhile, Dylan Frazier and JW Johnson are close behind with five PPA Tour wins in 2024.

This weekend, Ben and Collin looked like a different team, partly due to Ben’s ankle injury. Collin had to step up and cover more of the right side than usual, playing a more significant role.

The brothers started by defeating their nemesis, Gabe Tardio and Andrei Daescu, in the quarterfinals with a scoreline of 5-11, 11-6, 11-3. In the semis, they faced Christian Alshon and Riley Newman, a team they had recently lost to, but this time, they had no trouble, winning 11-9, 11-2.

In the finals, Ben and Collin took on Jaume Martinez Vich and Tyson McGuffin, winning 11-4, 11-0, 6-11, 11-4. Collin played a more aggressive game throughout, with excellent speedups, counters, and several backhand Ernes that really threw Jaume off. It was a dominant performance from the Johns brothers.

This new-look Johns team seems here to stay. The brothers don’t take kindly to losing, and it was clear this win meant a bit more to them after such a long break between golds. You could see the determination in their play—they were hungry for this victory.

Full Results

Women’s Singles

🥇 Anna Leigh Waters

🥈 Parris Todd

🥉 Lea Jansen

Men’s Singles

🥇 Hunter Johnson

🥈 Connor Garnett

🥉 Federico Staksrud

Mixed Doubles

🥇 Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns

🥈 Catherine Parenteau/Christian Alshon

🥉 Jorja Johnson/JW Johnson

Women’s Doubles

🥇 Rachel Rohrabacher/Anna Bright

🥈 Catherine Parenteau/Anna Leigh Waters

🥉 Jackie Kawamoto/Lacy Schneemann

Men’s Doubles

🥇 Collin Johns/Ben Johns

🥈 Tyson McGuffin/Jaume Martinez Vich

🥉 Dylan Frazier/JW Johnson