STORYLINES FOR THE PICKLR UTAH OPEN

OVERALL TOP 5:

• GETTING SALTY: Playing indoors at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City
• HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Utah based players will have a big advantage with the pickle-loving crowd behind them
• OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING: Waters, B. Johns, Parenteau, Alshon, and Buckner among the players not in the draw
• HELLLOOOO NEWMAN: Riley back in the draw with Callie Smith and Brandon French
• OPEN BOOK: This event is an Open with 1000 points going to the winners

VENUE/TOURNEY/TV:

• Event #16 of the year.
• First official Carvana PPA Tour event in Salt Lake City so no defending medalists. 
• Broadcast start times are 11am Mountain time Thursday through Sunday. 
• Tennis Channel coverage of Championship Sunday is from noon to 5pm Mountain time. 
• Full coverage on Pickleball TV (Prime Video, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, LG, and many more).

WOMEN’S SINGLES:

• AL Waters is not in the draw at all, says she will return for singles next week in Vegas. 
• Lea Jansen (1) holds the top spot – will she live up to the billing and pressure?
• Kaitlyn Christian (4) reached her second final in Bristol but has yet to strike gold. 
• Kate Fahey (14) the KC finalist plays the veteran Jessie Irvine (21) in a fun first round battle. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Mary Brascia (2) – returns after taking a few weeks off, is always dangerous, and has a win in 2024.   

MEN’S SINGLES:

• Staksrud (1) looks to keep making it to Sunday – has made all but two. 
• Bristol winner Ben Johns not in the draw. 
• Connor Garnett (2), the KC winner, returns. 
• Sherry (22) vs. Ge (43) is a very entertaining first round battle: vet vs. the southpaw. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Chris Haworth (5) – has a title in 2024 and is always a threat to get on the podium.

MIXED DOUBLES:

• Ignatowich and Bright (1) look to grab gold from the top – haven’t won since April of ’23, also in Utah, at the Selkirk Red Rock Open. 
• Different hustle for Jack Sock this week as he plays with his other NY Hustlers teammate Jackie Kawamoto who grabbed bronze in Bristol – they are the 14 seed. 
• Mixed draws are tough – former semifinalists Todd and H. Johnson are the 20 seed. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Riley Newman and Callie Smith (7) – will the new partners thrive or struggle?   

WOMEN’S DOUBLES:

• Bright and Rohrabacher (1) got shellacked in the final in TN, look to rebound and grab gold for the 5^th time in 2024. 
• Jorja Johnson and Mari Humberg (9) are a dangerous duo that could absolutely medal in Utah. 
• Wang/Castillo (12) the MLP Owl partners vs. Fahey/Truong (20) is a great first round match up. 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Jackie Kawamoto and Lucy Kovalova (4) – Lucy is back in the draw and this team has the talent to reach the podium. 

MEN’S DOUBLES:

• Duong and Devilliers promoting pickleball overseas so not in this draw. 
• Fought/Loyd (16) beat Johnson/Frazier in TN – have a first round date with Khlif/Cincola (22).
• Ignatowich/Wright (3) – partnership did not gel early in the year, will Utah be the prescription?
• WATCH OUT FOR: C. Johns/Bar (2) – lost in the finals in Red Rock in 2023 – can they live up to the 2 seed?