Australia Pickleball Open Men’s Singles: The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) held its first-ever pro tournament outside the United States this past weekend, bringing elite-level pickleball to Australia. The 2025 Australia Pickleball Open, a 1000-level event, saw a mix of top traveling pros and local talent competing for medals. With 382 players in the event, including full pro draws, the tournament was a milestone for the sport’s international expansion.
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Men’s Pro Singles: Gabriel Tardio Claims Gold
The top-seeded U.S.-based pros—Tyson McGuffin, Quang Duong, and Gabriel Tardio—lived up to expectations by advancing to the semifinals, but not without challenges from local talent. Mitch Hargreaves, Max Wild, and Tom Evans pushed into the quarterfinals before falling.
One of the biggest surprises came from Vuk Velickovic, an under-seeded No. 50 player. Known as “The Wolf,” Velickovic upset No. 6 Evans in the round of 16 and even managed to take a game off Tardio in the quarters. His performance reaffirmed his status as a rising force, having previously reached the final of the APP 2023 NYC Open with a win over top-4 singles player Hunter Johnson.
Semifinal and Final Matches
In the semifinals, No. 1 McGuffin comfortably defeated Phuc Huynh, a Vietnamese pro with a 6.4 DUPR rating, while Tardio took down No. 2 Duong in three games. This victory secured Tardio his first-ever PPA singles medal.
In the gold medal match, Tardio outplayed the veteran McGuffin, clinching his first PPA singles title in straight games, 9-4.
Medal Winners
- Gold: Gabriel Tardio
- Silver: Tyson McGuffin
- Bronze: Quang Duong
News in Brief: Australia Pickleball Open Men’s Singles
The PPA Tour made history by holding its first professional tournament outside the U.S. at the 2025 Australia Pickleball Open. Rising star Gabriel Tardio secured his first career PPA singles gold by defeating Tyson McGuffin in the final. The event showcased top American and international talent, further boosting pickleball’s global growth.
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