Opinion: Ben Johns Won't Win Another PPA Singles Title

"The game has passed Ben by when it comes to singles," says PicklePod co-hot Nico the Lefty

Nico the Lefty has officially made it to episode #2 as co-host of the PicklePod... and the dude is coming out hot with a few spicy takes.

As part of a segment looking at PPA predictions for 2026 (based off Erik Tice's deep-dive article on the topic), Nico wonders whether the era of total dominance in the singles bracket is coming to a close for the GOAT himself, Ben Johns.

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'The Game Has Passed Ben By'

Nico stated flatly that Ben has likely seen his last singles gold medal, a statement that would have been unthinkable just a year ago.

"The game has passed Ben by when it comes to singles," Nico said.

It is a wild claim considering the history of the sport and Ben's stamp on it.

However, the conversation suggests that the landscape of professional pickleball is shifting so rapidly that even the best men's player ever might be feeling the pressure.

After all, new players are coming in all the time, many of whom are singles specialists. Think Alex Crum, Grayson Goldin, John Lucian Goins, Chris Haworth, and more.

And that doesn't even consider the wave of juniors joining the pro ranks every day.

Ben is not playing singles in PPA Masters, the first tournament of the year that's currently underway. His last singles gold came at PPA Atlanta back in May.

A Focus on Longevity?

According to Nico the Lefty, the evolution of the sport is leaving the legend behind in the singles category.

While Ben remains a top-tier competitor who can still beat almost anyone on a given day – he's still on the team to beat in both mixed doubles and men's doubles, let's not forget – the sheer athleticism and pace of the new generation of singes players are creating a new reality.

The PicklePod crew highlighted a few specific points about what the future might hold for Ben in the singles bracket:

• He is still good enough to compete at the highest level but may no longer be the favorite to win it all
• 2026 could be his final season attempting to capture gold in the singles category at all
• A full transition to focusing on doubles could begin as early as 2027 to preserve his longevity

Riding Into the Sunset

Whether you agree with Nico the Lefty or think Ben has a few more singles golds left in him, the debate is officially open.

As the 2026 season approaches, every singles match featuring Ben will now carry an extra layer of intrigue. Fans will be watching closely to see if he can prove the doubters wrong or if we truly are witnessing the end of an era.

The question for this year, says Zane, comes down to how many events Ben chooses to play singles in. If he played every single one, he'd certainly capture gold.

But he's not. So will he win any singles golds in 2026?

Watch the latest PicklePod for this debate, plus lots more: