Orange County Cup Mixed Doubles Preview: The PPA Tour’s Select Medical Orange County Cup starts June 16 in San Clemente, California, with mixed doubles bringing some of the top names in the game. Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns are the #1 seed and the team to beat again this week. They remain heavy favorites in a field full of talent and familiar matchups.
Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson are seeded #2 and could face Waters and Johns in another high-stakes battle. Fans will be watching closely to see if any other pair can stop that from happening. The tournament features strong teams throughout, but most still expect a final between the top two seeds.
Strong Contenders Behind the Favorites
The third seed is the duo of Etta Tuionetoa and Christian Alshon. They play well together as Major League Pickleball teammates but seemed tired at the last MLP event in Daytona Beach. “Lots of talent there, but both looked a bit tired at MLP Daytona Beach.”
Catherine Parenteau and Federico Staksrud are seeded #4. They are a strong team on paper but have yet to turn that into wins. “A pairing that looks strong on paper but has not had results to match as yet.”
Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin are the #5 seeds. Like Tuionetoa and Alshon, they’re also MLP teammates. They’ve done well in MLP action, and fans are curious to see if that success will carry over to this PPA event. “Can they have PPA success to match their MLP success? I do like them to play well this week.”
Dark Horses to Watch Out For
Two teams seeded lower could make some noise. Rachel Rohrabacher and Dekel Bar are the #7 seeds. They’ve played solid games in past events and are always tough on court. Parris Todd and Andrei Daescu, the #10 seeds, are another pair that might pull off an upset or two.
The mix of experienced stars and rising talent makes this division exciting. While most eyes are on Waters and Johns, several teams are capable of challenging them if they play their best.
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What This Means for the Season
If Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns win again, it would confirm their continued dominance in mixed doubles. But if another team rises and takes the title, it could shake up future matchups and seeding. The results from San Clemente will impact how teams are viewed for the rest of the year.
As the event begins, fans will look for new partnerships, upsets, and maybe even a surprise champion.
News in Brief: Orange County Cup Mixed Doubles Preview
The Select Medical Orange County Cup starts June 16 with Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns leading the mixed doubles draw. Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson are top challengers. Lower seeds like Rachel Rohrabacher/Dekel Bar and Parris Todd/Andrei Daescu could surprise in an action-packed tournament.