STORYLINES FOR THE RATE VEGAS CUP PRESENTED BY HOLLAND AMERICA

Author: Dave Fleming | October 16, 2025

STRATOSPHERE: Anna Leigh Waters has now earned 3 dozen triple crowns, extending her seemingly untouchable record – does she get number 37 in Vegas?
NO SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: Men’s singles has produced 7 different winners in the past 8, who will have lady luck on their side and take this title?
PAR(R)IS: Todd hopes to leave Vegas with some gold.
ENCORE: Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio go for their 6^th win in a row as a team.
GRAND & A HALF: 1,500 points going to the winners of this Cup.

Tourney #17 on the campaign – return to one of the original spots on the PPA tour at Darling Tennis Center – first time was October of 2020. NOTE: Hayden Patriquin won 4.5 singles that year as a 15-year-old.
Progressive Format: Round of 64 Tuesday, Round of 32 Wednesday, Round of 16 Thursday, Quarterfinal Friday, Semifinal Saturday, and Championship Sunday.
PickleballTV (and the app) will have the coverage, starting each day at 10am Pacific, with Tennis Channel coverage on Saturday & Sunday (10am-1pm Pacific).

Defending Medalists: Kate Fahey, Brooke Buckner, Catherine Parenteau
Can anyone stop Anna Leigh Waters (1) who hasn’t lost a singles match in over 500 days?
The newly married Kate Fahey (2) returns as the defending champion.
Tough round of 16 potential battle: Catherine Parenteau (7) vs. Genie Bouchard (11) – Parenteau beat Genie in the Bronze match here last year.
Watch out for: Brooke Buckner (6) – had game point in the Finals vs. Waters in Va Beach – but could face Fahey in the quarters.

Defending Medalists: Quang Duong, Connor Garnett, Federico Staksrud
Ben Johns is back in singles as the…7 seed.
Hunter Johnson still searching for that elusive win since claiming the top spot in the rankings.
Jack Sock (6) was terrific in Virginia – had match points to reach the Final, will this be his week?
Watch out for: Chris Haworth (12) – was brilliant in Virginia Beach in earning his first title as a signed player on the Carvana PPA Tour.

Defending medalists: Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns, Jorja and JW Johnson, Etta Tuionetoa/Christian Alshon
Will the top two seeds Waters/Johns (1) and Johnsons (2) run it back from last week AND last year?
Fun new partners alert: Staksrud/A. Truong (7) and Oncins/Parenteau (9).
Mixed is so deep – Jade Kawamoto and Hunter Johnson are the 22 seed.
Watch out for: Shock teammates Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin (3) looking to make a run to the medal stand.

Defending medalists: Waters/Parenteau, Rohrabacher/Bright, Jansen/Kovalova
They’re baaaack…Bright and Waters (1) were dominant in winning gold in Virginia Beach.
LA Mad Drops MLP teammates Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto (3) would like another shot at the top seed, having lost 11-1, 11-3 in the Va Beach semis.
First time partners Meghan Dizon and Jackie Kawamoto are a dangerous 5 seed .
Watch out for: Black and Todd (3) – did not get to play the semi-finals in Va Beach due to the injury suffered by Parris in the singles semis – they have golden plans in the desert.

Defending medalists: Johns/Johns, JW Johnson/Frazier, Staksrud/Wright
Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio (1) would play new partners CJ Klinger and Jay Devilliers (5) in the quarters if seeds hold.
Can Matt Wright make another deep run? This week he’s back with Eric Oncins as the 7 seed – earlier this year in the first Vegas event they lost to Patriquin/Staksrud in the bronze match.
Fu Fighters – Ryan Fu/Tyson McGuffin are the 9 seed as new partners.
Watch out for: JW Johnson/Dylan Frazier (4) – back together, won the wooden paddle tourney in Sacramento and look to go 2 for 2 in 2025.

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