PPA Las Vegas Men’s Singles Review: This past weekend, the Professional Pickleball Association’s tour players descended upon Las Vegas for the 2024 Las Vegas Pickleball Cup, hosted at the newly opened Fontainebleu casino. As a “cup” level event, it offered 50% more points than a standard tour stop, translating to 1500 points for the victor. These elevated stakes brought deeper draws and a progressive format with one round per day throughout the week.
Men’s Pro Singles Recap
Early Upsets
Hunter Johnson, a semi-finalist from the previous week, faced a tough draw against the top-seeded Federico Staksrud in the round of 32. Despite winning the first game, Johnson succumbed to the top player’s skills. Similarly, Rafa Hewett, another semi-finalist from Salt Lake City, was eliminated early by the underrated #49 Spartak Rahachou, who had previously knocked out #22 Cason Campbell before falling to Staksrud.
Top Half of the Draw
The top half of the draw was predictably strong, with the top four seeds—#1 Staksrud, #3 McGuffin, #7 Sock, and #8 Vich—advancing to the quarterfinals. Jack Sock, despite a series of recent early losses, pushed Staksrud to a third game before exiting in the quarterfinals.
Jaume Martinez Vich overcame McGuffin but was subsequently defeated by Staksrud in the semi-finals, paving the way for Staksrud’s 15th gold medal of the year.
Bottom Half of the Draw
The bottom half of the draw was shaken up by the absence of #2 Ben Johns, who skipped singles play due to the indoor venue’s conference room lighting. Early upsets included #33 Noe Khlif’s victory over #2 Connor Garnett, and Khlif’s subsequent win over Tardio before losing to Frazier in the quarters.
Eric Roddy reached his second quarterfinal of the year but was forced to retire early against #5 Quang Duong due to an ankle injury. In the semi-finals, Roddy fell to Frazier, who ultimately lost to Staksrud in the final.
Finals and Results
Staksrud’s dominant performance—winning 1,3—secured his seventh singles title this season and 11th overall, further solidifying his lead in the rankings.
- Gold: Federico Staksrud
- Silver: Dylan Frazier
- Bronze: Jaume Martinez Vich
News in Brief: PPA Las Vegas Men’s Singles Review
The 2024 Las Vegas Pickleball Cup, held at the Fontainebleu casino, featured thrilling competition with 1500 points awarded to the winner. Federico Staksrud won in the Men’s Pro Singles, capturing his seventh title of the season.
Jack Sock and Jaume Martinez Vich reached the semifinals but fell to Staksrud. Key upsets included Noe Khlif’s win over Connor Garnett and Eric Roddy’s injury-related retirement. Staksrud’s victory solidifies his position as the top player in the rankings.
also read: Standout Plays from PPA Las Vegas Pickleball Cup Stole the Spotlight
