PPA Atlanta Slam Recap: The CIBC Atlanta Slam, plagued by a rainy week, concluded on Sunday. Despite the challenging weather, Championship Sunday’s matches successfully transitioned outdoors, thanks to the adept handling by Life Time Fitness and PPA personnel. The organizers skillfully navigated the weather’s disruptions, shifting from outdoor to indoor play and back, ensuring that the pro matches proceeded seamlessly and on schedule.
Unexpected Loss for Anna Leigh Waters
It’s a rare occasion to see Anna Leigh Waters on the losing end, but this week, the #2 seeds, Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright, managed to topple Waters and Catherine Parenteau in women’s doubles. The final score was 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5. Rohrabacher and Bright employed a notably aggressive strategy, intensifying the pace at every opportunity. A deeper analysis of this match will follow later in the week.
Waters Dominates Singles
While Waters faced a rare defeat in doubles, she remained unstoppable in singles. She dominated #7 seed Parris Todd with scores of 11-1, 11-6, showcasing her incredible prowess throughout the week. Waters’ performance was nothing short of staggering, having won five matches and ten games while conceding only 33 points. Her average game score of 11-3.3 underscores her exceptional dominance.
Mixed Doubles Victory
Though Waters didn’t secure a triple crown this week, she and Ben Johns clinched the mixed doubles title, overcoming Catherine Parenteau and Christian Alshon with scores of 11-6, 11-6, 12-10. Winning two golds in a tournament is an impressive feat for most pros, but for Waters, it’s a slight letdown, highlighting the extraordinary level of her performance.
Hunter Johnson’s Breakthrough
In men’s singles, #20 seed Hunter Johnson achieved his first PPA gold medal, defeating #3 seed Connor Garnett 11-2, 8-11, 11-9 in a closely contested match. Johnson’s victory from a lower seed underscores the highly competitive and unpredictable nature of men’s singles.
Looking Ahead
The next event on the PPA Tour is the Stratusphere Gin Virginia Beach Cup, promising more exciting action on the pickleball circuit.
News in Brief: PPA Atlanta Slam Recap
The CIBC Atlanta Slam, marked by a rainy week, ended with successful outdoor matches on Championship Sunday. Anna Leigh Waters faced an unusual loss in women’s doubles, but dominated in singles and mixed doubles. Waters and Ben Johns secured gold in mixed doubles, while Hunter Johnson clinched his first PPA title in men’s singles. The Stratusphere Gin Virginia Beach Cup is the next event on the PPA Tour.
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