OVERALL TOP 5:
- HOME COOKIN’: So many pros call Austin home (Ben and Collin Johns, Zane Navratil, Dekel Bar, Vivienne David, and many more) – how unhospitable will the locals be?
- JUST CHILL: Forecast high temperatures in the mid 50s, lows around 40 – expect faster gameplay.
- NO Q: After making his way out of the qualifiers and all the way to the finals, Collin Shick is directly into the main draw in his 2nd PPA tournament.
- HELLLLLO NEWMANS: Riley and Lindsey Newman back together as a mixed team in Austin.
- WELCOME BACK LADIES: Onix duo Lucy Kovalova and Callie Smith return to action – they won their last tourney together in Minnesota.
VENUE:
- Year 2 for this event.
- 1137 playing in the tournament, up from 951 last year.
- This tourney is Powered by Invited. Invited will also host the National Championships at its Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas in November.
- Event 2 of MLP coming up next from March 23-26 back in Daytona Beach at Pictona.
MEN’S SINGLES:
- Defending medalists: Ben Johns, Tyson McGuffin, Jay Devilliers.
- Federico Staksrud made the first 3 finals in ‘23 — can he get his mojo back after not reaching Sunday in the last two?
- WATCH OUT FOR: Shick vs. Alshon in round 1. Get. Your. Popcorn. Ready.
WOMENS SINGLES:
- Defending medalists: Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Callie Smith
- Catherine Parenteau is the first person other than ALW to win back-to-back singles titles since Simone Jardim in February of 2021.
- In the last 10 tournaments, only 4 ladies have medaled: Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Lea Jansen, and Salome Devidze.
- WATCH OUT FOR: Rematch. If they play each other, Anna Leigh Waters will be extra motivated to battle Parenteau who snapped her winning streak in Daytona.
MIXED DOUBLES:
- Defending medalists: Catherine Parenteau/Riley Newman, Lucy Kovalova/Matt Wright, Jessie Irvine/Jay Devilliers
- Last year, Ben Johns played with Andrea Koop and ALW played with Dekel Bar — neither team hit the podium.
- Johnson and Johnson: is this the week the brother/sister duo back up a big win and make it to the finals?
- WATCH OUT FOR: Newmans are back together and a proven commodity.
WOMENS DOUBLES:
- Defending medalists: Waters/Waters, Kovalova/Smith, Koop/Jorja Johnson
- Anna Bright tags back in as Anna Leigh Waters’ partner.
- CP with Jorja Johnson.
- Can Lea Jansen and Allyce Jones keep their stellar start to 2023 going? 2 silvers and 2 bronzes so far this year.
- WATCH OUT FOR: Irina Tereschenko and Etta Wright who reached a final together at the Takeya Showcase in November, 2022.
MENS DOUBLES:
- Defending medalists: Johns/Johns, Newman/Wright, McGuffin/Devilliers
- Ben and Collin Johns are 4 for 4 in ’23 and have won 5 straight tournaments that they have entered.
- Matt Wright is back after a one tournament break, and he will be next to Riley Newman, hoping to stop the Johns.
- WATCH OUT FOR: AJ Koller/Dekel Bar – can the Austin residents work their way to the semifinals or farther?
The post Storylines: Onix Austin Showdown Powered By Invited appeared first on Professional Pickleball Association.