The Proton Tucson Open, the third Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour event of the 2025 season, is set to feature one of the most exciting doubles reunions in recent history. Riley Newman and Matt Wright, two of the sport’s most decorated and strategic players, are teaming up once again after nearly two years apart. Their return as a partnership has sparked widespread interest among fans and analysts, as they were once one of the few teams capable of challenging the dominant Johns brothers.
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A Successful but Short-Lived Partnership
Riley Newman and Matt Wright originally formed a powerhouse team in January 2022, and for nearly 18 months, they remained among the most consistent and formidable doubles duos on the PPA Tour. Between January 2022 and June 2023, they reached the podium in all 27 tournaments they played together, collecting eight titles along the way.
One of their most impressive achievements was their ability to compete fiercely against the legendary Johns brothers, Ben Johns and Collin Johns. Newman and Wright managed to defeat the Johns brothers in four finals, a feat very few teams have accomplished in recent years. Their chemistry, court awareness, and complementary playing styles made them one of the most strategic and mentally tough teams on the tour.
However, in June 2023, Riley Newman announced on Instagram that the partnership had come to an end. The split surprised many in the pickleball community, as the duo had consistently performed at a high level.
Tensions and Competition After the Split
After parting ways, both Riley Newman and Matt Wright continued their careers with different partners. They remained at the top of the sport, both finishing inside the top 16 of the men’s doubles rankings in 2024. However, their journeys came with challenges, as neither player found a long-term partner who matched their style and on-court synergy.
Their rivalry reached its peak at the 2023 PPA Finals, where they faced off in different matchups. Both players admitted that competing against each other added intensity and motivation.
“There was definitely a little extra fire in those matches. We both really wanted to prove something.” – (Riley Newman)
Why They Are Reuniting
During the 2024 PPA Finals, Riley Newman and Matt Wright reconnected and discussed their experiences playing with different partners. Through those conversations, they realized that neither had found a partner who complemented them as well as they had complemented each other.
“We hadn’t found partners who complemented us as well as we did for each other.” – (Riley Newman)
Matt Wright echoed this sentiment, highlighting their mental fortitude, court positioning, and pattern recognition as key strengths that had set them apart from other teams.
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The Road Ahead
The Proton Tucson Open will be the first tournament of their renewed partnership, and the duo enters the event as the No. 7 seeds. They have also committed to competing together in at least three PPA Tour events this season.
Fans and analysts are eager to see if Riley Newman and Matt Wright can recapture the magic of their previous run. While the landscape of men’s doubles has evolved since their last tournament together, their experience, strategy, and chemistry could once again make them one of the most feared teams on the tour.
News in Brief: Riley Newman and Matt Wright
Riley Newman and Matt Wright are reuniting as a doubles team for the first time since June 2023. The duo previously won eight titles and medaled in 27 straight tournaments. They will compete at the Proton Tucson Open as the No. 7 seeds and plan to play in at least three tournaments together in 2025.
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