Veolia Milwaukee Open Men’s Singles Showdown: Hot on the heels of the massive Pickleball World Championships in Dallas, the PPA squeezed in one final regular season event before the impending Tour and MLP finals. The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) made its way north to Milwaukee, where the 2024 Veolia Milwaukee Open started.
This entirely indoor competition, held at the Baird Center, offered one last chance for players to secure their spot in the upcoming San Clemente competition. With the intensity of the World Championships still fresh, every match felt like a do-or-die moment for several players.
Adam Harvey’s Surprise Run
Among the most unexpected stories of the tournament was the performance of #30 Adam Harvey. A true underdog, Harvey made waves by defeating #3 Dylan Frazier early on in the tournament, a shocking result that set the stage for his surprising journey.
But his most impressive feat came when he knocked out the Las Vegas Night Owls MLP men’s team of #13 Blaine Hovenier and #7 Rafa Hewett, earning a semi-final spot in a stunning upset.
Though Adam Harvey ultimately fell in the semifinals, his resilience shone through as he went on to claim a bronze medal, defeating Pablo Tellez in the consolation match. This marked Harvey’s first professional medal, and he is now a strong contender for the title of Most Unlikely Singles Medalist of the Season.
Quang Duong’s Injured Hope
On the other side of the bracket, Quang Duong looked primed for a deep run, coming in with a career-high #2 seed. Duong dominated his early matches, including a particularly dominant victory over Anderson Scarpa and Travis Rettenmaier, both of whom he pickled.
But just as it seemed Duong might be poised to make a serious push for the gold, disaster struck. A knee injury in the quarterfinals forced him to forfeit to #5 Pablo Tellez, ending his tournament run prematurely.
Hunter Johnson’s Redemption
Meanwhile, Michael Loyd, coming off an impressive Dallas Grand Slam performance and seeded #11, found himself in a familiar situation – back in the quarters and up against the ever-dangerous Hunter Johnson.
Johnson had a strong run of his own, knocking out last week’s silver medalist before overcoming Pablo Tellez in the semifinals. This set up another showdown between Hunter Johnson and #1 Federico Staksrud, a rivalry that has heated up all season.
A Seventh Meeting: Johnson vs. Staksrud
The final between Hunter Johnson and Federico Staksrud was the seventh time these two had faced off in 2024, but for the first time, it was for a gold medal. Federico Staksrud led their head-to-head matchup 6-1 coming into the final, but Johnson had been steadily closing the gap.
The match was a rollercoaster, with Johnson showing resilience despite a dominant second game from Staksrud, which saw him pickled. Johnson fought through the streaky match and came out on top with a final score of 4,(0),3, securing his second PPA gold and his second victory over Staksrud this season.
- Gold: Hunter Johnson
- Silver: Federico Staksrud
- Bronze: Adam Harvey
News in Brief: Veolia Milwaukee Open Men’s Singles Showdown
The 2024 Veolia Milwaukee Open marked a thrilling conclusion to the PPA’s regular season before the Tour and MLP finals. The tournament featured a shocking run from #30 Adam Harvey, who secured a bronze medal.
Quang Duong’s hopes were dashed by a knee injury, while Michael Loyd and Hunter Johnson faced off in a tense quarterfinal. The final saw Johnson claim his second PPA gold, defeating Staksrud in a streaky gold-medal match.
ALSO READ: Federico Staksrud Secures Final Spot at Veolia Milwaukee Open with Win Over Adam Harvey
