PPA Tour Men’s Doubles Race Heats Up: With the Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships now finished, attention shifts to the final stretch of the 2024 season. The next event—the Veolia Milwaukee Open presented by Miller Lite—will be the last opportunity for players to rack up points and secure a spot in the CIBC PPA Tour Finals, scheduled for December 4-8 in San Clemente, California. For many, this week will be the decisive moment to solidify their ranking and make a final push for the coveted spot at the finals.
The tournament in Milwaukee is a crucial one, offering 1,000 points in each event. For players sitting on the edge of qualification, the pressure is palpable. The stakes are high, and it’s all about who can step up and deliver under the bright lights.
Men’s Doubles: The Final Battle for the Last Spot
As it stands, James Ignatowich is holding on to the 17th spot in the standings with 5,100 points, but he’s not out of the woods just yet. Thomas Wilson, who is currently ahead of him, will not be competing in San Clemente, placing Ignatowich in the 16th slot. However, it’s not quite the cushion it seems—this final spot remains in play, and Ignatowich will need to continue to perform if he’s to lock it down.
Teaming up with CJ Klinger in Milwaukee, Ignatowich knows this tournament could be the turning point that either guarantees his place in San Clemente or leaves him with one last opportunity to prove himself in the coming weeks. But Ignatowich isn’t the only one with his eye on that final spot.
Connor Garnett, sitting just 100 points behind Ignatowich, had hoped to make a move, but with no appearance at the Milwaukee Open, his hopes now rest on others’ performances. With Garnett out of the picture, it leaves two key players—Zane Navratil and Tyler Loong—with a chance to catch up and claim that final position in the standings.
Navratil, with 4,675 points, is paired with John Cincola for this week’s event. Loong, just behind with 4,550 points, will join forces with Noe Khlif. Both will need deep runs in the Milwaukee Open—at least a semifinal appearance—and a bit of luck with Ignatowich’s early exit to overtake him and claim the final spot.
For both, it’s a delicate balance of keeping their composure while hoping for the right results elsewhere. With so many points on the line, the margin for error is thin, and every game could be a potential game-changer.
| Rank | Player | Points |
| 1 | Collin Johns | 14,500 |
| 2 | Ben Johns | 14,300 |
| 3 | Dylan Frazier | 13,500 |
| 4 | JW Johnson | 13,400 |
| 5 | Federico Staksrud | 12,000 |
| 6 | Dekel Bar | 10,600 |
| 7 | Hayden Patriquin | 9,500 |
| 8 | Tyson McGuffin | 9,250 |
| 9 | Pablo Tellez | 9,200 |
| 10 | Matt Wright | 8,950 |
| 11 | Christian Alshon | 8,150 |
| 12 | Andrei Daescu | 8,000 |
| – | Gabe Tardio | 8,000 |
| 14 | Riley Newman | 7,850 |
| 15 | Jaume Martinez Vich | 6,325 |
| 16 | Thomas Wilson | 5,400 |
| 17 | James Ignatowich | 5,100 |
| 18 | Connor Garnett | 5,000 |
| 19 | Zane Navratil | 4,675 |
| 20 | Tyler Loong | 4,550 |
News in Brief: PPA Tour Men’s Doubles Race Heats Up
As the 2024 CIBC PPA Tour Finals starts, the Veolia Milwaukee Open presented by Miller Lite serves as the final opportunity for players to qualify.
With 1,000 points available in each event, Ignatowich, Navratil, and Loong are in a tight race for the last spot in the men’s doubles rankings, while Garnett is sidelined, hoping for others to falter.