Storylines: Onix Austin Showdown Powered By Invited

OVERALL TOP 5:

• HOME COOKIN’: So many pros call Austin home (Ben and Collin Johns, Zane Navratil, Dekel Bar, Vivienne David, and many more) – how unhospitable will the locals be?
• JUST CHILL: Forecast high temperatures in the mid 50s, lows around 40 – expect faster gameplay.
• NO Q: After making his way out of the qualifiers and all the way to the finals, Collin Shick is directly into the main draw in his 2nd PPA tournament.
• HELLLLLO NEWMANS: Riley and Lindsey Newman back together as a mixed team in Austin.
• WELCOME BACK LADIES: Onix duo Lucy Kovalova and Callie Smith return to action – they won their last tourney together in Minnesota.

VENUE:

• Year 2 for this event.
• 1137 playing in the tournament, up from 951 last year.
• This tourney is Powered by Invited. Invited will also host the National Championships at its Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas in November.
• Event 2 of MLP coming up next from March 23-26 back in Daytona Beach at Pictona.

MEN’S SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Ben Johns, Tyson McGuffin, Jay Devilliers. 
• Federico Staksrud made the first 3 finals in ‘23 — can he get his mojo back after not reaching Sunday in the last two? 
• WATCH OUT FOR: Shick vs. Alshon in round 1. Get. Your. Popcorn. Ready. 

WOMENS SINGLES:

• Defending medalists: Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Callie Smith
• Catherine Parenteau is the first person other than ALW to win back-to-back singles titles since Simone Jardim in February of 2021.
• In the last 10 tournaments, only 4 ladies have medaled: Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Lea Jansen, and Salome Devidze.
• WATCH OUT FOR: Rematch. If they play each other, Anna Leigh Waters will be extra motivated to battle Parenteau who snapped her winning streak in Daytona.

MIXED DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Catherine Parenteau/Riley Newman, Lucy Kovalova/Matt Wright, Jessie Irvine/Jay Devilliers
• Last year, Ben Johns played with Andrea Koop and ALW played with Dekel Bar — neither team hit the podium.
• Johnson and Johnson: is this the week the brother/sister duo back up a big win and make it to the finals?
• WATCH OUT FOR: Newmans are back together and a proven commodity.

WOMENS DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Waters/Waters, Kovalova/Smith, Koop/Jorja Johnson
• Anna Bright tags back in as Anna Leigh Waters’ partner.
• CP with Jorja Johnson.
• Can Lea Jansen and Allyce Jones keep their stellar start to 2023 going? 2 silvers and 2 bronzes so far this year.
• WATCH OUT FOR: Irina Tereschenko and Etta Wright who reached a final together at the Takeya Showcase in November, 2022.

MENS DOUBLES:

• Defending medalists: Johns/Johns, Newman/Wright, McGuffin/Devilliers
• Ben and Collin Johns are 4 for 4 in ’23 and have won 5 straight tournaments that they have entered.
• Matt Wright is back after a one tournament break, and he will be next to Riley Newman, hoping to stop the Johns.
• WATCH OUT FOR: AJ Koller/Dekel Bar – can the Austin residents work their way to the semifinals or farther?