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Select Medical PPA Orange County Cup Tournament Preview
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Select Medical PPA Orange County Cup Tournament Preview

by Erik Tice on

The Select Medical PPA Orange County Cup presented by Reign Storm is set to begin on Monday, June 16, at the Life Time Rancho San Clemente, in San Clemente, California. This is one of the most iconic venues on the PPA Tour, and the vast majority of players are playing this one.

Being one of the two PPA Tour stops in the middle of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) season, this one feels more important than most of the rest of the PPA events. In fact, because it is a Cup, the points are worth 1.5x the normal PPA Tour points. Winners will earn 1,500 PPA Tour points in each event. 

Speaking of MLP, after the PPA event, MLP San Clemente starts the Thursday after the end of the Orange County Cup. Some players will be staying in San Clemente for nearly two weeks, especially if they are on an MLP that plays in the event.

How to Watch the Select Medical PPA Orange County Cup

All matches on Championship Court and Grandstand Court will be aired on PickleballTV and the PickleballTV app

*All times are Eastern*

  • Tuesday, June 17 - 1pm - 9pm - Round of 64 - Championship Court and Grandstand
  • Wednesday, June 18 - 1pm - 9pm - Round of 32 - Championship Court and Grandstand
  • Thursday, June 19 - 1pm - 9pm - Round of 16 - Championship Court and Grandstand
  • Friday, June 20 - 1pm - 9pm - Quarterfinals - Championship Court and Grandstand
  • Saturday, June 21 - 1pm - 9pm - Semifinals - Championship Court and Grandstand
  • Sunday, June 17 - 1pm - 7pm - Finals and Bronze - Championship Court and Grandstand
  • Sunday, June 17 - 10pm - Midnight - ESPN2 - Tape Delay

Weather Outlook

This is why the tour stops in San Clemente. Lows in the low 60s and highs in the mid 70s make for ideal pickleball conditions. Wind shouldn’t be a huge issue, with Saturday the only day in the double digits in terms of mph. I am unsure how the weather could be better for this event.

Top Storylines

Anna Leigh Waters can play free

Waters earned her 34th triple crown and 151st gold medal on the PPA Tour in the last event, the Atlanta Pickleball Championships, in May. Now that Waters has hit her 150th gold medal, there shouldn’t be any pressure on her to win in San Clemente. The world’s best woman pickleball player being able to play with no pressure is a scary thought for the rest of the field.

The Second Look at the Life Time Ball

The Life Time ball is being used at PPA Tour stops at Life Time venues. The ball is extremely unique - it has a patent, 48 holes, and is not USA Pickleball certified. USAP requires between 26 - 40 holes. Because the PPA Tour is governed by the UPA-A, the USAP certification isn’t required. 

The ball is a little more bouncy than the Vulcan ball, and players that speed up off the bounce will be at a bit of an advantage this week.

Notable Players Missing

There are two notable players missing from the Select Medical Orange County Cup:

  • Riley Newman - Injured his groin in MLP Phoenix on Sunday, June 1st, and is still nursing the injury, hoping to be ready for MLP San Clemente
  • Quang Duong - Duong was suspended for this PPA event for his participation in an unsanctioned tournament in Vietnam a few weeks ago
Quang Duong Suspended, Fined $50k by UPA for Breach of Contract
Quang Duong was suspended by the UPA for one PPA event and one MLP event. He was also fined $50,000 for a breach of contract when he recently played overseas in a non-sanctioned event.
The Dink PickleballErik Tice

The Four Way Battle in Men’s Doubles

2025 has been the year of parity at the top of men’s doubles - it feels like one of these teams will win every event. Here are the medals earned in 2025:

  • Christian Alshon/Andrei Daescu - 🥇🥇🥇🥉🥉
  • Gabe Tardio/Ben Johns - 🥇🥇🥈🥈
  • Hayden Patriquin/Federico Staksrud - 🥈🥈🥈🥉
  • CJ Klinger/JW Johnson - 🥇🥉🥉

Can another men’s team take out one of these top four teams?

Which Men’s Singles Player will make a Deep Run?

There have been 10 PPA Tour events thus far in the 2025 season, with five men winning two golds each, in singles:

  • Federico Staksrud - 2x
  • Christian Alshon - 2x
  • Ben Johns - 2x
  • Gabe Tardio - 2x
  • Hunter Johnson - 2x

Ben Johns won the Atlanta event, which also had the Life Time ball - he is the favorite heading into this event.

Players who haven’t won yet in 2025 that have the best chance: Connor Garnett and Jaume Martinez Vich. We have seen qualifiers make deep runs this year, so we will see if that comes to fruition in SoCal.

Let’s get into the action with a look at the brackets

Women’s Singles

Top Storylines

  • (1) Waters has now gone over a year without losing in singles. The last time Waters lost was Thursday, May 30, 2024, to Salome Devidze in the semifinals of the 2024 CIBC Texas Open. Can anyone take her out in San Clemente?
  • (10) Judit Castillo recently signed as a full-time PPA Tour player, and is looking to make a deep run in SoCal
  • Utah Black Diamonds teammates, (32) Mehvish Safdar and (33) Allyce Jones square off against each other in the Rd of 64

Upset Potential

Players that are seeded low, but have the potential to pull off the upset

  • Newly signed 15-year-old (29) Cailyn Campbell is going to give (8) Zoey Wang everything she can handle on Wednesday in the Round of 32
  • (34) Felicity Di Laura could give (4) Parris Todd some trouble on Wednesday in the Round of 32
  • (27) Jalina Ingram has been playing well in singles on the PPA Tour and will go up against (5) Brooke Buckner, on Wednesday - Ingram has won a game off Buckner in the past

Predictions

  • Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters, (3) Kailtyn Christian, (2) Kate Fahey, and (4) Parris Todd - straight chalk
  • Finals: Anna Leigh takes out Kate Fahey in the finals for the third time this year

Men’s Singles

Top Storylines

  • (1) Federico Staksrud has two gold medals on the PPA Tour this year, but hasn’t won since the Masters in January. Staksrud has gone over six months without a win - can he earn gold in SoCal?
  • (8) Christian Alshon only earned the 8 seed, despite winning twice this year. His knee injury in the second half of 2024 is really hurting his seeding - he would face (4) Ben Johns in the quarterfinals.
  • (31) Tyler Loong and (37) Zane Navratil are going to face off in a Rd of 64 matchup between the podcasters - this one could get spicy

Upset Potential 

  • Newly signed (17) Grayson Goldin is going to have a target on his back and could face off against (3) Connor Garnett in the Round of 16
  • (47) Eric Oncins is a very good singles player, but he hasn’t had enough time to earn him a seeding that more closely resembles his skills, but he could face off against (11) JW Johnson in the Round of 32. If he is able to win that, he could play against his Texas Ranchers teammate, (8) Christian Alshon in the Round of 16.
  • (49) Tom Protzek is another newer signed player, and he will push (13) Noe Khlif in the Round of 64

Predictions

  • Semifinalists: (1) Federico Staksrud, (4) Ben Johns, (5) Jaume Martinez Vich, and (17) Grayson Goldin
  • Finals: Ben Johns beats Jaume Martinez Vich in the finals
 

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Mixed Doubles

Top Storylines

  • (5) St. Louis Shock teammates Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin are teaming up, but will have to go through the likes of (11) Schneemann/McGuffin or (17) Fahey/Khlif in the Round of 16
  • (8) Hurricane Tyra Black and James Ignatowich are teamed up for the third tournament in a row. They earned fourth at the Red Rock Open and lost in the Round of 16 in Atlanta - can this duo earn a medal?
  • In a vintage 2022 pro pickleball moment, there is a very good chance for (22) Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova to play against (15) Callie Smith and Jay Devilliers in the Round of 32 - this used to be a quarterfinal matchup or better
  • (10) Andrei Daescu and Parris Todd are teaming up on the PPA Tour for the first time, despite being teammates on the Columbus Sliders. They are going to feel the need to prove something in San Clemente, because they are only 7-4 as a duo in MLP this year. 

Upset Potential 

  • (60) Felicity Di Laura and James Delgado have to play (66) Paulina Libo and Ed Perez in the Rd of 128, before playing (31) Erokhina/Hewett - I am expecting an upset in that one
  • (17) Kate Fahey and Noe Khlif are teaming up for the second time, after losing to Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters in the Texas Open in March. Both (11) Schneemann/McGuffin and (5) Bright/Patriquin are on upset alert

Predictions

  • Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns, (5) Anna Bright/Hayden Patriquin, (2) Jorja & JW Johnson, and (3) Etta Tuionetoa/Christian Alshon
  • Finals: Anna Leigh and Ben beat the Johnson siblings in a four game match

Women’s Doubles

Top Storylines

  • (1) Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters won the Atlanta Pickleball Championships, going a perfect 9-0 in games, and won by a combined score of 99-28. The scary part? I don’t think either of them played their best.
  • (2) Rachel Rohrabacher and Catherine Parenteau earned silver in Atlanta, and are playing this tournament together as well, but after this, I don’t think they are playing together again in 2025
  • (4) Lacy Schneemann and Jorja Johnson are teaming up again. The last time they played together? They beat Anna Leigh and Catherine in the 2024 CIBC Finals in group play.
  • (16) Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite are California Black Bears teaming up, and they face the (17) Walker sisters, and then could face the 2 seed

Upset Potential 

  • Women’s Doubles is usually the “chalkiest” event and I think this one is no different - I don’t see any big upsets happening in San Clemente

Predictions

  • Semifinalists: (1) Anna Bright/Anna Leigh Waters, (4) Jorja Johnson/Lacy Schneemann, (2) Rachel Rohrabacher/Catherine Parenteau, and (3) Parris Todd/Hurricane Tyra Black
  • Finals: Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters beat Parris Todd and Hurricane Tyra Black in four games

Men’s Doubles

Top Storylines

  • As previously mentioned, there is a four way race at the top of men’s doubles - can anyone knock the top four off their throne?
  • (16) Jay Devilliers was supposed to play with Quang Duong, but due to the suspension, he is now playing with Grayson Goldin
  • Speaking of playing with new partners, (9) Matt Wright is now playing with Roscoe Bellamy, instead of the injured Riley Newman 
  • There is a very good chance we see (1) Ben Johns playing his brother (6) Collin Johns in the quarterfinals on Friday in men’s doubles
  • Normal partners Connor Garnett and Tyler Loong are playing this one with different partners, in Travis Rettenmaier and Spencer Smith, respectively

Upset Potential 

  • (22) Ryan Fu/Max Freeman could give (11) Travis Rettenmaier/Connor Garnett some problem in the Round of 32 on Wednesday

Predictions

  • Semifinalists: (1) Gabe Tardio/Ben Johns, (3) Christian Alshon/Andrei Daescu, (2) Hayden Patriquin/Federico Staksrud, and (4) CJ Klinger/JW Johnson
  • Finals: Hayden and Fed beat Gabe and Ben to get their first title of 2025

This will be the last PPA Tour event until the PPA Bristol Open, which starts August 6. There will be five more MLP events between now and then.

Erik Tice

Erik Tice

Erik produces content for The Dink related to pro and collegiate pickleball. He is an avid watcher of pickleball and became passionate about the sport in early 2022.

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