The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour is back this week with the 2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships. The tournament starts Tuesday at Life Time Peachtree Corners in Georgia. It is the second major of the 2025 PPA season, offering 2,000 ranking points to the winners.
Some of the sport’s top names will battle it out, with fans eager to see new partnerships, major rivalries, and rising stars. Will Daughton takes a closer look at five storylines that will shape the action leading up to Championship Sunday.
Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright Reunite
Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright are teaming up again after going their separate ways in early 2024. The two won seven titles together in 2023. They are now the top seed heading into this tournament.
This marks the first tournament since Anna Leigh Waters ended her partnership with Catherine Parenteau and Anna Bright split with Rachel Rohrabacher. Catherine Parenteau and Rachel Rohrabacher are also now playing together for the first time.
Both new teams are seeded first and second. This opens the door for a possible showdown on Championship Sunday. Emotions are expected to run high if they meet in the final.
Chasing the All-Time Title Record
Anna Leigh Waters has won 148 titles on the PPA Tour. She’s only four behind Ben Johns, who holds the record with 152 titles. “Speaking of Anna Leigh Waters, the 18-year-old comes to Atlanta with 148 titles on the PPA Tour. She’ll be looking to hit 150 next week as she continues closing in on Ben Johns, who has 152—good for most all-time.”
Winning in Atlanta could push her closer to becoming the all-time leader in PPA titles. The competition will be fierce, but the 18-year-old phenom remains one of the favorites.
Jorja Johnson’s Confidence Surge
Teenage star Jorja Johnson is entering the tournament on a hot streak. She beat Anna Leigh Waters twice in the 2025 Veolia North Carolina Open during the last PPA event and went undefeated at the 2025 MLP Orlando.
“Another top teenager—Jorja Johnson—should come into Atlanta with loads of confidence. She picked up two Championship Sunday wins over Anna Leigh Waters at the most recent PPA Tour stop in North Carolina and followed that up by going 8-0 at MLP Orlando, where she won a league-best 85% of her points for the Dallas Flash.
Her recent performance helped the Dallas Flash, her team, dominate the event. Jorja Johnson’s momentum could make her a serious threat in Atlanta.
Men’s Doubles: Three Teams Set the Pace
In men’s doubles, three teams have stood out this season. Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin, Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio, and Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu have been consistently reaching finals.
“There are three men’s doubles partnerships that have been making finals most consistently so far this season. That’s Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin; Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio; and Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu. All three duos are running it back this week. Will we see another team make a run to gold in Atlanta, or will these juggernauts continue to separate themselves from the rest of the field?”
All three teams are back in action this week. Viewers will watch closely to see if a new team can break through or if these leaders stay on top.
Riley and Lindsey Newman Return
Siblings Riley Newman and Lindsey Newman will play mixed doubles together for the first time since August 2023. The veteran team has already won 10 PPA medals.
“And finally, Riley Newman and Lindsey Newman will team up in mixed doubles for the first time since August of 2023. We’ll see if this veteran brother-sister duo can find the magic that has helped them earn 10 PPA medals together.” Their experience makes them a team to watch, and fans are eager to see if they can return to form.
What Comes Next?
Main draw matches begin Tuesday. Matches will stream live all week on Pickleballtv and the PBTv app. “Main draw action from Life Time Peachtree Corners begins on Tuesday with the first round, and you can catch coverage all week long on Pickleballtv and the pbtv app. While we don’t yet know how things are gonna go down, one thing’s for sure: It’s gonna be a fun week in Georgia.”
With rivalries, title chases, and breakout players, this tournament could reshape the 2025 PPA season. All eyes are on Atlanta as the battles begin.
News in Brief: 2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships
The Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships begin Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Georgia. Top stories include the reunion of Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright, Jorja Johnson’s rise, and three dominant men’s doubles teams. Championship action will stream on Pickleballtv and the PBTv app all week.