Expect Some Fireworks This Week at the APP Tour Newport Beach Open

The APP OWL Newport Beach Open is taking place this week at The Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach. Play starts Wednesday, July 3rd for the qualifiers and concludes on Championship Sunday, July 7th.

This is a 'major,' so the points are worth more this week. Points are worth 150 percent of the normal point layout. The APP is using the "Points $150k" column below for Newport Beach:

There are a few updates from the APP Tour at this event:

• Paddle Testing Updates
  • Paddles must be tested at the following times:
    • Beginning of every tournament 
    • Main Draw Semifinal Matches
    • Main Draw Bronze Medal Matches
    • Main Draw Championship Matches
• Video Review
  • Players are no longer allowed to challenge their own calls
• Clothing, Logo, Appearance Policy
  • CC Court and/or live streamed court players - main draw and shuffle players MUST wear color-matching apparel
    • It is anticipated in the future this will be required on all courts in the near future
  • Items listed as Not Permitted:
    • Logos that are 6 square inches - this could affect some players

Weather Forecast

It’s summer in SoCal! How bad could it be? Gorgeous 65-75 degree weather during the entire event, with no real chance of inclement weather.

How to Watch the APP Owl Newport Beach Open

The event will be aired on the ESPN family of networks. I still don’t understand the decision to never televise singles on Thursday, but I digress.

All times Eastern

• Friday, July 5 - Mixed Doubles - 3-9 pm - ESPN+
• Saturday, July 6 - Gender Doubles - 4-8 pm - ESPN+
• Saturday, July 6 - Men’s and Women’s Doubles Championships - 9-11 pm - ESPN2
• Sunday, July, 7 - Singles & Mixed Doubles Championships - 2-4 pm - ESPN2
• Sunday, July 7 - Bronze Medal Matches - 4-6 pm - ESPN+

Women’s Singles

• There are 26 qualifiers playing on Wednesday for a chance at the main draw - four spots are on the line.
• Christine Maddox and Kate Fahey (normally PPA Tour players) are playing this tournament and received Wild Card bids into the main draw.
• Megan Fudge is coming back from her Asian Tour and is the top seed in singles.

Players to watch

• Yana Newell (No. 8 seed) – She has been playing really well lately and has finished 3rd, 5th, and 2nd, in her three events this year. She went down in NYC against Megan Fudge in the finals. She will get the opportunity at revenge in the quarterfinals.
• Courtney McIntosh – She doesn’t play all of the tournaments but has a ton of game. I expect her to make a big run and record at least one big upset.

Predictions

• Semifinalists: (8) Yana Newell, (2) Judit Castillo, (6) Mari Humberg, (4) Jenna Hessert
• Judit Castillo beats Yana Newell for her third gold medal on the APP Tour

Men’s Singles

• There are 55 qualifiers in Newport Beach in men’s singles – they are vying for four spots.
• Chris Haworth, coming off a win at APP NYC and most recently at the PPA Orange County Cup, is the top seed.
• Will Howells, the No. 7 seed, hasn’t medaled in singles in nearly three months – is Newport the place he gets back on track?

Players to watch

• Naveen Beasley is unseeded, but if he wins his first-round matchup he will play Chris Haworth. Beasley is a beast and played extremely well this past weekend at the PPA Orange County Cup. Haworth will need to be on his game.
• Wil Shaffer is a qualifier and has a really good singles game. We're rooting for him.

Predictions

• Semifinalists: (1) Chris Haworth, (4) Ryler DeHeart, (3) Grayson Goldin, (7) Will Howells
• Finals: Chris Haworth beats Will Howells for his fourth gold medal on the APP Tour in 2024

Mixed Doubles

• There are 52 qualifying teams to try to get the last four spots in the main draw in mixed doubles.
• (4) Will Howells and Bobbi Oshiro won the APP NYC at the last event and are in the mix to win in Newport as well.
• (2) Megan Fudge is playing with Jack Munro – a first-time pairing. They should be an interesting team to watch.

Teams to watch

• There are two qualifying teams I'm interested in watching:
  • Kate Fahey and Casey Diamond
  • Rianna Valdez and Erik Pailet 
• (11) Jill Braverman and Eric Oncins looks like a great team on paper.
• (20) Kyle Yates and Lauren Mercado got a Wild Card into the main draw. Yates hasn’t been playing a ton lately, but this is a fun team.

Predictions

• Semifinalists: (1) Susannah Barr/Rob Nunnery, (2) Megan Fudge/Jack Munro, (6) Mari Humberg/Erik Lange, (4) Bobbi Oshiro/Will Howells
• Finals: Bobbi Oshiro and Will Howells beat Mari Humberg and Erik Lange for the gold medal

Women’s Doubles

• There are 22 qualifiers fighting for the four main draw spots.
• (6) Bobbi Oshiro and Rianna Valdez are playing together, which is interesting because the Miami Pickleball Club dropped Valdez in the most recent Waiver Wire in favor of Oshiro.
• (1) Simone Jardim and Allison Harris have won gold and two silvers in the last three events on the APP Tour.
• (3) Megan Fudge and Jill Braverman won the APP Delray Beach earlier this year.

Teams to watch

• (15) Nicole Eugenio is partnered with Christine Maddox. These are two extremely good singles players partnering up in doubles.

Predictions

Semifinalists: (1) Allison Harris/Simone Jardim, (2) Susannah Barr/Mari Humberg, (3) Megan Fudge/Jill Braverman, (5) Emily Cederquist/Yana Newell

Finals: Megan Fudge and Jill Braverman beat Emily Cederquist and Yana Newell

Men’s Doubles

• A total of 44 men’s doubles qualifiers are playing on Wednesday for four spots in the main draw.
• (1) Rob Nunnery and Erik Pailet are partnering up for the first time in 2024 as the top seed.
• (5) Will Howells and Patrick Kawka are teaming up for the first time and I don’t think they will be dinking much. Howells probably has the best two-handed backhand drive on the APP Tour and Kawka hits his forehand drive as hard as anyone.

Players to watch

• I am labeling them the "influencer team," but Kyle Koszuta (That Pickleball Guy) and Tanner Tomassi are teamed up and have to go through qualifiers.
• (9) Erik Lange and Max Manthou are representing the SoCal Hard Eights from MLP – the last time they played together was APP Miami, where they got a bronze medal.

Predictions

• Semifinalists: (1) Rob Nunnery/Erik Pailet, (2) Andre Mick/Jack Munro, (6) Ryler DeHeart/Eric Oncins, (5) Will Howells/Patrick Kawka
• Finals: Rob Nunnery and Erik Pailet beat Ryler DeHeart and Eric Oncins