The inaugural Humana APP Fort Lauderdale Open brought excitement to the APP's brand-new headquarters this past weekend!
Despite some weather setbacks earlier in the weekend, Championship Sunday was a dazzling show from start to finish.
Let's get into the storylines!
Top Storylines at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open
The top tier of players dominated this weekend on the APP Tour.
Two Gold Medals Each for Howells, Fudge, and Braverman at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open
Will Howells won gold in men's doubles with Jack Munro over Erik Lange and Purple Jesus. The gold medal match went to three games, with Howells and Munro pulling it out for the win, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3.
From the Rd of 32 all the way through the semi-finals, Howells and Munro beat their opponents by a combined score of 60-31.
In mixed doubles, Howells and Braverman were able to beat Munro and Fudge in the finals, 11-6, 11-9. Will and Jill (that has a ring to it) never dropped a game throughout the entire tournament.
Fudge and Braverman were able to win gold in women's doubles. In the finals, they faced Allison Harris and Yana Newell, beating them 11-7, 11-8 to secure their first win on the APP Tour in 2025.
In the last event of the day, after winning a gold in gender doubles and silver in mixed doubles, Fudge had to play singles against upstart Sofia Sewing. Fudge was able to win the title, 16-14, 15-11.
The Fort Showed Promise at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open, Despite Some Hiccups
The Fort is a new facility and is the APP Tour headquarters. There are going to be 43 dedicated courts with the world's only pickleball-specific stadium — a milestone for professional pickleball infrastructure.
Construction of The Fort wasn't completed yet, and will be ongoing for the next few months. Everyone at the tournament raved about the facility, and they were buzzing with excitement.
There was a big hiccup on Saturday, though. Some of the courts had the surface start peeling and were unplayable. This happens quite often with newer courts — usually a resurfacing is needed to fix the problem. I am sure they will figure it out and resurface the affected courts.
This hiccup caused a massive delay that could only be remedied by doing two things: going to the nearby Diadem pickleball facility to play indoors, AND all pro gender doubles matches were moved to one game to 15. This caused condensed gender doubles brackets, and really forced players to focus, because each match was only one game.
Play was moved back to The Fort for Championship Sunday, and the entire facility definitely showed off. I look forward to seeing the facility when all the construction is done and the stadium is built — it should be a spectacle.
After her singles win, Fudge offered praise to the host venue, commenting: "Shout out to The Fort. So excited that this place is open. How amazing is this place? It's just incredible."
Chris Haworth Continues to Dominate in Singles
Haworth is clearly the best singles player on the APP Tour. He consistently won gold in 2024, winning seven tournaments. Well, he started 2025 off right where he left off in 2024.
On his road to the finals, Haworth didn't drop a game, beating his first four opponents by a combined score of 121-72.
In the finals, Haworth faced off against his good friend, and common opponent, Grayson Goldin. The winds were whipping during the match and both players had to adjust to that. Haworth was able to prevail, but Grayson did win game two. The final score was 15-10, 8-15, 15-9.
Haworth just seems to dominate the competition in singles — we will see if he can do more of the same in a couple of weeks at the Daytona Beach Open.
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Qualifiers Made Moves in Singles at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open
This tournament was full of upsets and qualifiers making deep runs. Here are the top qualifier results:
Sofia Sewing Earns Silver at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open
Sofia Sewing had to play qualifiers in singles and made it all the way to Championship Sunday, earning her first silver medal on the APP Tour. Sewing beat her three qualifier opponents by a scoreline of 63-30.
In the main draw, Sofia beat Helen To, Amanda Hendry, Katerina Stewart, and Daria Walczak to make it to Championship Sunday. Sewing put up a great fight against Fudge, but Fudge's experience won it.
Sewing is a name to keep an eye out for.
Ammar Wazir's Impressive APP Tour Run
Ammar Wazir had a great run in men's singles. Wazir got a bye in his first round of qualifiers, but still had to win two matches in order to make the main draw.
In the main draw, Wazir beat James Seagraves, Matt Barlow, and Ryler DeHeart, on his way to the semis. Ammar faced off against Haworth in the semis, losing 11-15, 11-15.
However, he did bounce back in the bronze medal match, beating Jack Foster 15-6, 15-5. This was Wazir's first medal on the APP Tour, but I am guessing it won't be his last.
Kelsey Grambeau Had Herself a Weekend, Earning Two Bronze Medals
Grambeau partnered with Robert Slutsky in mixed doubles and with Daria Walczak in women's doubles.
In the shortened gender doubles, Walczak and Grambeau beat their first three opponents 45-25, including a huge win over Ewa Radzikowska and Judit Castillo, 15-13. They lost to Fudge and Braverman in the semis.
In the bronze medal match, Kelsey and Daria beat Christa Gecheva and Sofia Sewing 2-11, 11-5, 11-5.
In mixed doubles, Slutsky and Grambeau took out some powerhouses. First, they beat Allison Harris and Patrick Kawka in three games. In the Rd of 16, they beat Andre Mick and Jamie Haas in another three game match.
In the quarters, you guessed it, they beat Alexa Schull and Max Freeman in three games. They lost to Munro and Fudge in two games in the semis.
The bronze medal match was another grind-it-out affair, with Slutsky and Grambeau losing the first game 7-11. They went on to win games two and three 11-4, 11-8, over Riley Bohnert and Richard Livornese.
Two medals for Grambeau made for a very good weekend at The Fort.
Full Results
Women's Singles 🥇 Megan Fudge 🥈 Sofia Sewing 🥉 Judit Castillo
Men's Singles 🥇 Chris Haworth 🥈 Grayson Goldin 🥉 Ammar Wazir
Mixed Doubles 🥇 Jill Braverman/Will Howells 🥈 Megan Fudge/Jack Munro 🥉 Kelsey Grambeau/Robert Slutsky
Women's Doubles 🥇 Jill Braverman/Megan Fudge 🥈 Allison Harris/Yana Newell 🥉 Kelsey Grambeau/Daria Walczak
Men's Doubles 🥇 Jack Munro/Will Howells 🥈 Erik Lange/Max Manthou 🥉 Ryler DeHeart/Richard Livornese, Jr.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open?
The APP Fort Lauderdale Open was the inaugural tournament at The Fort, the APP Tour's brand-new headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Will Howells, Megan Fudge, and Jill Braverman each captured two gold medals across the event's doubles and singles disciplines.
Who won the APP Fort Lauderdale Open?
Chris Haworth won the men's singles title, defeating Grayson Goldin in a three-game final, 15-10, 8-15, 15-9. Megan Fudge claimed the women's singles crown over upstart qualifier Sofia Sewing, 16-14, 15-11.
Who dominated doubles at the Fort Lauderdale pickleball tournament?
Will Howells and Jill Braverman teamed up to win the mixed doubles gold, going undefeated throughout the entire tournament without dropping a single game. Howells also claimed men's doubles gold with Jack Munro, while Braverman and Fudge won women's doubles to complete a remarkable sweep for the trio.
What is The Fort and why does it matter for the APP Tour?
The Fort is the APP Tour's official headquarters facility in Fort Lauderdale, currently under construction with plans for 43 dedicated pickleball courts and the world's only pickleball-specific stadium. It represents a major infrastructure investment for professional pickleball and signals the APP Tour's long-term commitment to building a permanent home for the sport.
Who were the biggest surprises at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open?
Sofia Sewing was arguably the story of the tournament, battling through qualifiers and defeating four main-draw opponents to reach Championship Sunday and claim her first silver medal on the APP Tour. Ammar Wazir also impressed, making his way through qualifiers and earning his first career medal after a strong bronze medal showing in men's singles.
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