Zane Navratil Recaps the Pickleball Chaos: Upsets, Surprises, and Championship Performances
Zane Navratil Breaks Down the Pickleball Chaos: A weekend full of surprises, intense competition, and extreme weather unfolded in Texas, with strong winds shaking up the results and leading to unexpected winners. Zane Navratil shared his recap of the tournament, highlighting key upsets, emerging stars, and championship performances across men’s and women’s brackets.
Rising Stars Shine in Singles
John Lucian Goins, a 16-year-old rising star, was once again seeded 55th but continued to prove himself. After defeating Ben Johns in Cape Coral, he took down Gabe Tardio this week. Another shock came when Zane Ford eliminated Johns in singles. Navratil hinted at the possible influence of the ‘Pickle Pod magic’ on these unexpected results.
Christian Alshon maintained his strong form, reaching yet another final after edging out Noe Khlif in the semis. On the women’s side, Anna Leigh Waters faced tough competition from Lea Jansen, who showed strong form in singles. Kate Fahey secured a victory over Salome Devidze to earn a spot against Waters in the final.
Extreme Winds Create Chaos
Friday’s matches saw wind gusts reaching 45 mph, causing challenges for all players. Navratil humorously noted that some wondered if Hayden Patriquin would be swept away by the wind, but he held his ground. Hayden and Anna Bright put up a fight against Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters but fell 11-8 in the third set. Hayden also had some advice for Waters.
“Yeah, Hayden was telling me my dinks were high, and then he poked the bear. He doesn’t need to be poking me.” – (Waters)
The windy conditions played a major role in the unexpected upsets throughout the weekend.
Dramatic Doubles Battles
Several surprising results shaped the doubles brackets. Eric Oncins and Alix Truong produced a highlight moment by upsetting Christian Alshon and Catherine Parenteau, providing what Navratil called “the absolute best image of the year.”
Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson fought through the draw to secure a spot in Championship Sunday. Meanwhile, Navratil and Ryan Fu nearly took down Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio, coming within a poach of victory before losing 12-10 in the third set. The men’s bracket also saw fiery exchanges, with players like Matt Wright, Julian Arnold, and Rafa Hewett bringing energy and intensity to their matches.
In women’s doubles, Etta Wright and Callie Smith stunned Waters and Parenteau, marking the first time that duo failed to reach a semifinal together. However, Wright and Smith could not capitalize on their momentum, falling to Parris Todd and Tyra Black in the semis.
Championship Sunday Results
Championship Sunday delivered thrilling matchups. Alshon and Federico Staksrud pushed Johns and Tardio to five games but ultimately fell short. Navratil noted that he and Fu were the only team that might have been able to stop the eventual champions. In women’s doubles, Black and Todd swept Wright and Smith, giving Black her first-ever PPA women’s gold medal and Todd her second.
“If anybody is gonna stick their nose in the AL and Catherine versus the girlies rivalry, it’s gonna be Paris and Tyra.” – (Navratil)
Ben Johns and Waters claimed the mixed doubles title in straight games against the Johnsons. Alshon defeated Staksrud in two games to secure men’s singles gold for the second consecutive week. Waters captured another title in women’s singles, defeating Fahey in a match that included a tense 15-13 second game. Navratil wrapped up his recap by encouraging fans to tune in to the Pickle Pod for a full breakdown.
“Don’t worry, guys. I’m getting a haircut tomorrow.” – (Navratil)
News in Brief: Zane Navratil Breaks Down the Pickleball Chaos
A wild weekend of pickleball in Texas saw extreme winds, major upsets, and new champions. John Lucian Goins and Zane Ford shocked the men’s singles field, while Tyra Black won her first PPA women’s doubles title. Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters dominated mixed doubles. Christian Alshon secured back-to-back men’s singles gold medals.
