Smith-Kovalova Back in Final
| October 8, 2023
Seemingly every PPA Tournament features new players, new shots and new opportunities.
And that’s great – for the fans, the players, and the sport as a whole.
The underdogs are out there, ready to be cheered on, but the established players are the ones who have the strongest hold on the game.
And Callie Smith and Lucy Kovalova are still out here winning.
The two are back in the final, will be going for their first gold medal since April, and will face the top-seeded duo of Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau – another firmly entrenched set of players – for the title today in Las Vegas.
“Everyone is looking at the new players coming in and it’s fun to see the new faces,” Smith said. “It’s tougher now to get to the finals. Once they get the hang of it there, they are going to be competitors as well. At this stage, anyone can do well, but I’m excited to be at the top of the game with an amazing partner.”
Smith and Kovalova aren’t just still at the top of their game. They’ve been there for a long time. Despite not having won a title since April, the two will be playing in their 18th final together. They are 10-7 all-time.
“It does feel like a long time ago,” Smith said. “You have ups and downs. It’s not just losing. It’s about what you learn when you lose. We’ve learned a lot together and we’re coming back stronger.”
Parenteau and Waters have won seven times together this year, including the last two tournaments.
“Everyone plays well at this level,” Smith said. “Whoever gets one more ball back is going to win. They like to play aggressively, and I like that kind of game.”
Smith and Kovalova lost just one game all day Saturday, falling in the first to Lauren Stratman and Meghan Dizon in the quarterfinals. But Kovalova and Smith went on to rally and won the second two games, then beat Irina Tereschenko and Jade Kawamoto in the semis, 11-4, 11-8.
Parenteau and Waters had no issues in their run to the final, allowing just 15 points total in four matches – less than four per game.
“It’s the consistency,” Smith said of Parenteau and Waters. “We have to make sure our consistency is on tomorrow.”
