The PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) hosts a tournament tour each year which is known for being “Where The Pros Play.” There are tournaments throughout the country, each at gorgeous venues with the highest payouts in the sport.
Recently, the PPA organized the 2022 San Clemente Orange County Cup, sponsored by Select Medical. Here are the highlights and how to prepare for next year.
2022 San Clemente PPA Orange County Cup
San Clemente Pickleball Tournament | Life Time Fitness Rancho San Clemente, CA | 6/9/2022 - 6/12/2022 |
Location
The 2022 San Clemente Orange County Cup sponsored by Select Medical was hosted at Life Time Rancho San Clemente, which boasts eight pickleball courts and a center court stadium seating. Life Time Fitness Rancho San Clemente is located at 111 Avenida Vista Montana, San Clemente, CA 92672.
Dates & Broadcasting
Though the cancellation deadline was on May 11th, the event took place about a month later, June 9th through the 12th. For fans that couldn’t attend, it was broadcasted live on the Tennis Channel, PPA social media, and YouTube. You can still catch video highlights on YouTube.
Prize Money & Set Up
There was more than $133,000 in prize money given out. The San Clemente tournament was the last tournament before the PPA 7-week hiatus they have every summer.
Each of the divisions ran in a bracket, with the championship games played to the best out of 5. Though all skill levels participated, as expected, top-ranked professionals took gold in all of the events.
Orange County Cup Turn Out
The tournament featured pickleball professionals from around the world hailing from countries including Mexico, Canada, Germany, France, Brazil, and more! Several big names turned out, giving viewers and competitors such a treat.
Anna Leigh Waters, a top-three ranked pickleball player at just 15 years old, and her mother, Leigh Waters, were one of the highlighted teams, as well as Collin Johns, who is ranked number 5 in the world.
More than 4,000 spectators turned up at Life Time Rancho San Clemente, and thousands more tuned into live streams.
Results of the 2022 San Clemente Tournament
Mixed Doubles
The teenage pickleball superstar Anna Leigh Waters was missing her usual mixed doubles partner, Ben Johns, the number 1 ranked player on the PPA tour, as he set out on his European vacation early. However, she found a partner with JW Johnson and was able to win gold against the #1 seed, husband and wife Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova.
Women’s Singles
Anna Leigh Waters has won seven out of eight PPA tournaments this year, and the one she didn’t win, she didn’t even enter. However, despite her hot streak, Parris Todd took out Waters clinching the gold medal and continuing her own winning streak. Both women put on one heck of a show.
Men’s Doubles
Ben Johns was also missing from the Men’s Doubles division because he usually partners with his older brother, Collin Johns. Collin Johns played with first-time partner AJ Koller instead for the Men’s Doubles championship against Matt Wright and Riley Newman. As expected, Matt Wright and Riley Newman edged out the new partnership to win gold.
Women’s Doubles
In the Women’s Doubles finals, the Waters mother-daughter duo put on a close match in each game against rivals Lucy Kovala and Callie Smith. In the end, players Kovala and Smith took the gold medal. Also notable in the Women’s Doubles division were Lea Jansen and Catherine Parenteau, who had to play back-to-back to clinch the bronze medal.
Men’s Singles
JW Johnson lived up to his “Just Winning” nickname, winning the gold medal by dominating number 1 seed Tyson McGuffin in three straight games. Ky McMakin also clinched a win from the number 2 seed, Jay Devilliers, “The Flying Frenchman,” while wearing a cowboy hat. That was not something you see very often in the pickleball community!
Preparing for Next Year
The San Clemente PPA tournament tour takes place every year. Though they occasionally switch up the destinations, the Life Time Fitness Rancho San Clemente is one of the premier pickleball sites in the nation, so we can expect a tournament there next year as well.
Advertising for next year’s San Clemente tournament will likely begin towards the end of 2022, and the organizers will provide information for registration within the first few weeks of 2023.
If you are looking to watch an upcoming PPA tournament, search for the PPA Takeya Showcase happening November 11th-20th in Newport Beach, CA.
