The 2024 PPA Masters Pickleball Grand Slam Recap

Palm Springs, California 2024 (Picture Kerry & Nick)

The 2024 PPA Masters pickleball tournament, held from January 9th to 14th, was a significant event in the pickleball calendar. The Championship Sunday winners were

• Men’s Singles: Dylan Frazier won the men’s singles title, defeating Federico Staksrud in the final match.
• Women’s Singles: Anna Leigh Waters beat Catherine Parenteau.
• Men’s Doubles: The men’s doubles was won by the team of Ben and Collin Johns.
• Women’s Doubles: Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau continued their undefeated streak as a tandem to win the women’s doubles crown.

Ben Johns loses in round 16

One of the biggest surprises of the tournament was the defeat of World No. 1 Ben Johns by the 17-year-old Quang Duong in the Round of 16 in men’s singles. Duong, seeded 17th, showcased a lot of court coverage and won with scores of 11-7, 7-11, 11-6. Duong admitted he hadn’t expected such a result and credited his success partly to luck with the new vulcan ball which is much brighter, and the windy conditions which served as a great equalizer. Dylan Frazier won championship Sunday though, overcoming Federico Staksrud. The scores were 11-2, 11-7, and 11-9 in favor of Frazier.

Men’s Doubles and Jack Sock

In men’s doubles, Jack Sock, known for his tennis game, made a strong showing in his 2024 debut. Partnering with Collin Shick, they secured a win against the No. 23 seeded team of Quang Duong and Pesa Teoni. The match had very few typical dink rallies, which I like. Sock also had a successful start in men’s singles, defeating two top 10 seeds. 

Women’s singles

The women’s singles and doubles brackets also had their share of compelling narratives. In singles, Judit Castillo was a player to watch, having had an outstanding rookie campaign. The women’s doubles bracket was highlighted by the undefeated pairing of Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau, who did not lose a match throughout the previous year​​.

The tournament, held at the Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs, California, was the first Grand Slam of the year for the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and featured a progressive draw format. The event attracted over 1,000 players, and the mixed doubles category was particularly intriguing, with several new partnerships drawing attention, including Tyson McGuffin pairing with Meghan Dizon, and Jack Sock teaming up with Catherine Parenteau​​​​​​.

Rachel Rohrabacher

This event set a high standard for the year’s pickleball competitions, featuring both established champions and emerging talents like Jack Sock and Rachel Rohrabacher. Rachel was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 Major League Pickleball Premier draft and has competed successfully in various tournaments. With her team, the Orlando Squeeze, Rachel has reached all three finals in a season and captured one MLP title. She aims to break into the top five players by the end of 2024. And let’s be honest, she’s coming for you Anna Leigh.