SXY.com Newport Beach Open Preview

Just eight days after the Carvana Mesa Cup ended, the SXY Newport Beach Open is taking place at the Tennis Club at Newport Beach. This marks the fifth event of the 2026 year on the PPA Tour, with five more remaining in the 2025-2026 PPA Tour schedule. 

The fight to make the PPA Tour Finals in San Clemente, California in May is heating up. Friendly reminder, the top eight players (singles) and top 16 players (doubles) make the Finals. This marks the first year the finals are in May, as they have traditionally been in December. However, the PPA and Major League Pickleball (MLP) have created a schedule where MLP runs in the summer, while PPA runs August through May.

Catherine Parenteau has decided to skip this event, and Ben Johns and Parris Todd are only playing doubles, not singles.

How to Watch the SXY Newport Beach Open

Of note - all PPA Tour stops this year are Progressive Draws, but for Open level tournaments, coverage on pickleballtv begins on Thursdays. Tuesdays and Wednesdays have been streamed on the PPA Streamed Courts YouTube channel.

Thursday, March 4 - Round of 16

• 1 - 9pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 1 - 9pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Friday, March 5 - Quarterfinals

• 1 - 9pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 1 - 9pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Saturday, March 6 - Semifinals

• 1 - 9pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 1 - 9pm ET - Grandstand Court (Juniors) - pickleballtv

Sunday, March 7 - Championship Sunday

• 1 - 9pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
• 1 - 9pm ET - Grandstand Court (Bronze) - pickleballtv

Weather Outlook

Just like Mesa last week, Newport Beach has picturesque weather throughout the tournament. Temperatures are in the high 50s as the low and high 70s as a high. Additionally, the wind doesn’t seem like it will cause any issues, other than on Thursday, perhaps.

Let’s get into the action.

Women’s Doubles

PPA Tour

Top Storylines

• Anna Leigh Waters remains the prohibitive favorite in 2026 to win gold when she plays singles
• Parris Todd is not playing in this event, so Kate Fahey, Kaitlyn Christian, Brooke Buckner, and Lea Jansen make up the other top seeds
• Newly signed (and drafted by the Miami Pickleball Club) Aiko Yoshitomi is making her USA PPA Tour debut

Predictions

• Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters, (3) Kaitlyn Christian, (2) Kate Fahey, (4) Brooke Buckner
• Finals: ALW beats Kate in two 

Men’s Singles

PPA Tour

Top Storylines

• Chris Haworth has now moved up to the #3 seed behind Hunter Johnson and Federico Staksrud after winning in Mesa
• (24) Alex Crum is making his return debut after a minor arthroscopic knee surgery and is looking to make a run, having just been drafted by the Columbus Sliders in MLP
• Speaking of injuries, (7) Jack Sock is making his singles debut after injuring his hamstring last month in the finals at The Masters in Rancho Mirage
• I know I say this pretty much every time the tour stops in Southern California, but it always seems to be true - (8) Gabe Joseph always plays great when he is near his hometown, so keep an eye on him

Predictions

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

Mixed Doubles

PPA Tour

Top Storylines

• Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns lost for the first time in the finals against Hayden Patriquin and Anna Bright in Mesa - they usually come out firing the next event
• There seems to be a race for the 2 seed right now, between JW Johnson and Jorja Johnson and the aforementioned Patriquin and Bright
• There are a couple of new partnerships for this one that are intruiging:
  • (4) Alix Truong and Christian Alshon 
  • (6) Hurricane Tyra Black and Noe Khlif
  • (7) Rachel Rohrabacher and Gabe Tardio (Catherine skipping this one)
  • (11) Meghan Dizon and Jonathan Truong 

Predictions

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

Women’s Doubles

PPA Tour

Top Storylines

• If Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters are able to win, they will have officially gone more than six months without a loss
• Parris Todd is playing with Rachel Rohrabacher as the three seed, with Parenteau skipping (normally Parenteau partners with Rachel)
• I know I mentioned her in singles, but Nicola Schoeman is playing qualies with Albie Huang and they could make a run in the main draw
• Good friends Kate Fahey and Brooke Buckner are paired together for the first time as the #10 seed

Predictions

• Semifinalists: (1) Anna Bright/Anna Leigh Waters, (4) Lacy Schneeman/Tina Pisnik, (2)  Jorja Johnson/Tyra Black, and (3) Parris Todd/Rachel Rohrabacher
• Finals: AB and ALW beat Jorja and Tyra in four

Men’s Doubles

PPA Tour

Top Storylines

• Ben and Gabe have not lost yet this year and should be the prohibitive favorite moving forward
• Youngster Tama Shimabukuro is paired with Greg Dow and would face Navratil and Bhatia, should they beat their qualifier opponent
• (6) Jaume Martinez Vich and Jay Devilliers are paired up and are new teammates on the Atlanta Bouncers in MLP
• Can any of the top three seeds knock off the #1?

Predictions

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