PPA Tour Veolia Bristol Open Shake-Up: Mixed doubles action continues Thursday at the Veolia Bristol Open at the Bristol Sportsplex, with matches running through the quarterfinals. The draw saw a shake-up after James Ignatowich withdrew due to illness. Ignatowich, set to compete with Tyra Black as the No. 7 seeds, will be replaced in the bracket by No. 72 seeds Jaeda Minniefield and Kentaro Hamaguchi. They will advance directly to the Round of 32 to face the winners between Maggie Brascia and DJ Young or Genie Erokhina and Mohaned Alhouni. Ignatowich still plans to compete in men’s doubles on Friday with Ryan Fu.
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Bright and Daescu Reunite for Tournament Push
Anna Bright and Andrei Daescu are playing together for the first time since October 2024. Bright, captain of the St. Louis Shock, and Daescu, captain of the Columbus Sliders, are aiming for a strong run before the Toray Major League Pickleball Playoffs next week in San Diego, California. The pair already has one major title together, winning the 2024 Austin Open by defeating Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns in the final.
Potential Standout Round of 32 Matchup
A high-quality Round of 32 match could feature Tina Pisnik and Eric Oncins against Mari Humberg and CJ Klinger. Pisnik and Oncins are longtime partners on the Texas Ranchers, while Humberg and Klinger recently reached the semifinals of the Orange County Cup, highlighted by a win over Etta Tuionetoa and Christian Alshon. If both teams advance, their clash could be one of the most competitive of the day.
Live coverage from the Bristol Sportsplex begins at 11 a.m. ET on Pickleballtv. The outcomes on Thursday could set the tone for the rest of the tournament and give players momentum heading into the MLP Playoffs.
News in Brief: PPA Tour Veolia Bristol Open Shake-Up
Mixed doubles at the Veolia Bristol Open continues Thursday with key bracket changes after James Ignatowich’s withdrawal. Anna Bright and Andrei Daescu reunite for the first time since 2024, while Tina Pisnik/Eric Oncins and Mari Humberg/CJ Klinger could deliver one of the day’s most competitive matchups.
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