Draw Reveal: Veolia Austin Open powered by Invited

The Veolia Austin Open powered by Invited is kicking off on March 13th and the professional draws for all five divisions of play have officially been released. It’s time to dive into the excitement!

As players gear up for intense battles on the court, we invite you to join in the thrill and share your result predictions on social media. To tune into all the action, see the full broadcast schedule and visit PPA TV on Youtube. Tournament results, updates, and pickleball news are made in real time via the PPA Tour Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, so follow us there to stay in the loop!

Mens Doubles

• The favorite: Ben and Collin are back together this week after Ben took the week off and Collin was a late addition and played with Matt Wright in Minnesota. The pair finished fourth. The Johns brothers are the No. 1 seed, but they aren’t unbeatable. Yes, they have won gold twice this season, but they were beaten in Mesa by Daescu and Tardio and didn’t medal.
• Team to watch: Speaking of Tardio and Daescu, they won’t be pairing up for a second tournament in a row but both have interesting, dynamic partners this week in Austin. Tardio will play with Dekel Bar and will be a hard-out as the No. 5 seed. Daescu is teamed up with Wright and they will be the No. 4 seed. Daescu and Wright could face Tardio and Bar in the quarterfinals. That would be a great match.
• Wildcard: Patriquin, who got bronze last week in Minnesota alongside Callan Dawson. This week, he teams with D.J. Young and the two will be hard to deal with. Patrquin’s game has elevated in 2024 and Young is a total wildcard, good enough, at any time to beat any of the game’s best players. 
• Prediction: Lots of big names and big possibilities, but the consistency of Frazier and J.W. Johnson is remarkable. They won gold last time out in Mesa and had a run at the end of 2023 where they had four silvers and a gold. Look for the two to get their first medal and first gold of 2024.

Womens Doubles

• The favorite: Parenteau and Waters, of course. They haven’t lost. More than 60 in a row make them the team to beat and a heavy favorite once again to win gold.
• Team to watch: Wright and Dizon. The Utah duo have three medals in three tournaments so far in 2024. They haven’t won gold, but they enter this week as the No. 2 seed, the highest they have been together. 
• Wildcard: No Callie Smith this week in Austin, and her regular partner, Lucy Kovalova will join up with Jackie Kawamoto. That should be an interesting pairing. It’s the first time they have paired together and they’ll be the No. 4 seed. It would be something close to an upset if they can’t get to the semifinals. 
• Prediction: Until someone beats Parenteau and Waters, there’s no chance I’m picking against them.

Mixed Doubles

• The favorite: Johns and Waters are certainly the team to beat. No one will tell you differently. Impossible to argue. They have won every tournament they have entered this season. Vivienne David and Thomas Wilson won last week in Minnesota and are certainly good enough to get back-to-back wins. They’ll be the No. 2 seed. 
• Team to watch: So many choices here. So many great pairings. There’s no Riley Newman and there’s no James Ignatowich, but an interesting pairing that could win a few matches and make a run is Tyra Black and Dylan Frazier. They will be the No. 8 seed, but both have had championship experience, so they won’t be scared of a big stage or a tough opponent. There also may not be a faster team in the draw than Frazier and Black. 
• Wildcard: Gabriel Tardio and Meghan Dizon are the No. 12 seed, but both have had excellent results in 2024. Dizon has medaled three times already this season, alongside Etta Wright and Tardio was impressive in Mesa, teaming with Andrei Daescu and earning gold. Both are long, both are playing their best pickleball and both should give teams all sorts of issues. 
• Prediction: Speaking of Daescu, he will be teaming up with Orlando Squeeze teammate Anna Bright for this tournament. They absolutely have the power to beat the best teams in the draw. The two have been part of a lot of Major League Pickleball success, so chemistry will be a plus for this team. Look for them to get their first PPA gold together and upset Johns and Waters in the final.  

Womens Singles

• The favorite: Anna Leigh Waters. In singles, there’s Anna Leigh and then there’s everyone else. Doesn’t get any more clear than that. Waters didn’t play last week, but she’s won all three events she’s played in this season. Waters is a clear No. 1 seed. 
• Player to watch: Mary Brascia. Brascia has beaten everyone but Waters. She has two runner-up finishes this season and one last season, falling each time to Waters. Perhaps Austin is where we see a breakthrough for the third-seeded Brascia. 
• Wildcard: It seems to be only a matter of time before the hard-hitting Lina Padegimaite gets to the medal stand. She has a great game, great disposition and a balance of power and finesse. She’ll be the No. 6 seed in Austin.
• Prediction: Even with Catherine Parenteau, the clear No. 2 player in the game, it’s hard to argue anyone other than Waters will win. She’s just been too good for too long.

Mens Singles

• The favorite: Ben Johns. Johns is back in action after skipping last week in Minnesota. He’s the No. 1 seed and coming off of a victory last time out in Mesa, when he beat Federico Stakrsud.
• Player to watch: Connor Garnett. Garnett was so close to taking gold last time out in Minnesota, but ultimately fell to Staksrud in three games. Garnett has been impressive in singles, but has yet to earn a gold medal. He’ll be the No. 3 seed this week in Austin.
• Wildcard: Dylan Frazier. Just a No. 6 seed this week, there’s no reason Frazier can’t find gold in Austin. He beat Staksrud in the final of the first tour stop of the year in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
• Prediction: Picking against Staksrud is foolish at this point. Johns is the No. 1 seed, but Staksrud has played in all four finals. Staksrud rallied past Garnett last week and is 2-2 so far in championship matches on the season.