The Finals pairings are set this week in San Clemente, California. The beautiful Life Time Rancho San Clemente is hosting the PPA Finals for the first time in a year and a half.

Historically, this tournament has taken place in December, to mark the end of the calendar year and PPA season. However, since the announcement of the 2025-2026 season, the finals moved to this week to mark the end of the PPA Tour season and the start of the Major League Pickleball season.

This event is worth 2,000 PPA Points for the winners, giving all that qualified a huge leg up on the competition. In addition to the 2,000 point Finals, the PPA Tour is also running a 500 point tournament alongside the Finals for the pros who did not qualify in the top eight. If you are on pickleballtournaments.com, you will want to differentiate between the two.

Before we get into the details, I want to acknowledge the three players that qualified for the PPA Finals in all three events:

Anna Leigh Waters (Anna Leigh withdrew from the singles portion of this event, but she still qualified as the top ranked woman in singles this year)
Federico Staksrud
Christian Alshon

What an accomplishment to finish top eight in all three categories.

Logistics

Obviously, this isn’t a typical field or a typical tournament. There are going to be two pools of players/teams in each division. Each pool will have four players/teams. Wednesday through Friday is pool play, with each team/player playing everyone else in their pool once, for a total of three matches for everyone.

The top two seeds from the pools (based on win percentage) will advance to the semifinals on Saturday. The #1 seed from Pool A will face the #2 seed from Pool B and vice versa. The winners of the two semifinals play each other on Sunday for the Championship.

How to Watch the PPA Finals & Broadcast Schedule

Wednesday, May 6 - Pool Play Day 1

2pm - 10pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
2pm - 10pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv

Thursday, May 7 - Pool Play Day 2

2pm - 9pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
2pm - 9pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv
7pm - 9pm ET - Championship Court - FS2 (concurrently)

Friday, May 8 - Pool Play Day 3

2pm - 10pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
2pm - 10pm ET - Grandstand Court - pickleballtv
8pm - 10pm ET - Championship Court - FS2 (concurrently)

Saturday, May 9 - Semifinals

1pm - 7pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
7pm - 9pm ET - Championship Court - FS1 (exclusively)
1pm - 6pm ET - Grandstand Court (Juniors) - pickleballtv

Sunday, May 10 - Championship Sunday

1pm - 4:50pm ET - Championship Court - pickleballtv
5pm - 7pm ET - Championship Court - FOX (exclusively)
1pm - 7pm ET - Grandstand Court (Juniors) - pickleballtv

Weather Outlook

This is why San Clemente is one of the best stops on tour. The weather was beautiful when the venue hosted this tournament in December in previous years, and it is going to be amazing weather in May. You couldn’t ask for better pickleball weather.

Let’s see who qualified and who chose which partners.

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Women’s Singles

~~Anna Leigh Waters~~

Kate Fahey
Kaitlyn Christian
Brooke Buckner
Lea Jansen
Catherine Parentau
Chao Yi Wang
Judit Castillo
Liz Truluck

It was announced late on May 4th, that Anna Leigh Waters would NOT be playing singles in the finals. Instead, Liz Truluck, who finished the year in ninth, will step in and take her spot.

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Judit finished 100 points ahead of Parris Todd, who stopped playing singles in February of this year to focus on her doubles game.

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Pool A: Kate Fahey, Lea Jansen, Catherine Parenteau, and Liz Truluck

Pool B: Kaitlyn Christian, Brooke Buckner, Zoey Wang, and Judit Castillo

Without Anna Leigh in the mix, I think Fahey is favored in San Clemente, but Christian, Buckner, and Jansen all have legitimate shots.

Predictions

Semis: (1) Kate Fahey vs. (2) Brooke Buckner & (1) Kaitlyn Christian vs. (2) Lea Jansen
Finals: Fahey beats Christian in 2 in the finals

Men’s Singles

Chris Haworth
Federico Staksrud
Hunter Johnson
Christian Alshon
Connor Garnett
Roscoe Bellamy
Jack Sock
John Lucian Goins

There are only two players on this list that have not won gold in the last year and a half - Connor Garnett and Jack Sock. However, they both finish consistently high enough to still make the finals.

Pool A: Chris, Christian, Connor, and Jack

Pool B: Fed, Hunter, Roscoe, and JLG

These pools are going to have some electric matchups - none of these players is a pushover and they all belong.

Predictions

Semis: (1) Chris Haworth vs. (2) Hunter Johnson & (1) Federico Staksrud vs. (2) Jack Sock
Finals: Federico defeats Chris in three in the finals

Mixed Doubles

Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns
Anna Bright & Hayden Patriquin
Jorja & JW Johnson
Rachel Rohrabacher & Christian Alshon
Hurricane Tyra Black & Andrei Daescu
Catherine Parenteau & Gabe Tardio
Tina Pisnik & Federico Staksrud
Jessie Irvine & Eric Oncins

Note: In the last PPA Finals (2024), the ladies got to choose their partners, so the tour switched it up this year and the guys got to put their partners.

Eric was able to leapfrog over Noe Khlif in the last two events to earn the last spot in this event, which is fitting, considering he just won the PPA Sacramento Open with Hurricane Tyra Black a few weeks ago.

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Pool A: ALW & Ben, Rachel & Christian, Catherine & Gabe, and Tina & Fed

Pool B: Anna & Hayden, Jorja & JW, Tyra & Andrei, and Jessie & Eric

Christian chose Rachel, who is both his Brooklyn Pickleball Team teammate and most recent partner. Andrei then chose Tyra and Gabe chose his normal partner Catherine. Fed had to choose between Tina and Jessie, and chose Tina.

Predictions

Semis: (1) ALW/Ben vs. (2) Tyra/Andrei & (1) Anna/Hayden vs. (2) Rachel/Christian
Finals: Anna Leigh and Ben beat Anna and Hayden in three

Women’s Doubles

Anna Bright & Anna Leigh Waters
Jorja Johnson & Hurricane Tyra Black
Rachel Rohrabacher & Parris Todd
Jade Kawamoto & Catherine Parenteau
Lacy Schneemann & Tina Pisnik
Alix Truong & Meghan Dizon
Kate Fahey & Jamie Wei
Chao Yi Wang & Kaitlyn Christian

Note: I like to list the right side player first, but I listed the teams in order of ranking and I bolded the person who picked the partner.

Jackie Kawamoto is eligible for this event, but opted out due to work obligations with the NCAA. The next up player was Mari Humberg, who also opted out (was injured in Sacramento, so I assume that is the reason. Instead, the 18th ranked Jamie Wei is playing in the event.

Pool A: AB/ALW, Jade/Catherine, Alix/Meghan, & Kate/Jamie

Pool B: Jorja/Tyra, Rachel/Parris, Lacy/Tina, & Zoey/KK

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Parris had to choose between Catherine, Rachel, Kate, and Alix, who she paired up with sometime this year at different points, and she chose Rachel, who she just won Sacramento with. Tina and Lacy looked good in Mesa, with Lacy playing a big right side - maybe they can find more of that magic. Meg and Alix partnered and did well at The Masters, so that pick also makes sense.

Predictions

Semis: (1) AB/ALW vs. (2) Rachel/Parris & (1) Jorja/Tyra vs. (2) Jade/Catherine
Finals: Anna Bright and Anna Leigh beat Jorja and Tyra in three

Men’s Doubles

Gabe Tardio & Ben Johns
Christian Alshon & Hayden Patriquin
CJ Klinger & JW Johnson
Federico Staksrud & Andrei Daescu
Dylan Frazier & Eric Oncins
Tyson McGuffin & Noe Khlif
Jaume Martinez Vich & Jay Devilliers
Riley Newman & Connor Garnett

Note: I like to list the right side player first, but I listed the teams in order of ranking and I bolded the person who picked the partner.

Connor Garnett got a huge boost with his first ever silver medal this past weekend in men's doubles with Roscoe Bellamy. He jumped all the way to thirteenth. Of note, Matt Wright qualified in the 16 spot, but opted out, which allowed for Jaume Martinez Vich to take his spot. Unfortunately for Riley and Connor, only two left side guys were left at the end, so I am guessing Riley will move to the right. However, maybe Connor starts practicing on the right so he is more used it for MLP on the Black Diamonds?

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Pool A: Gabe/Ben, CJ/JW, Dylan/Eric, & Riley/Connor

Pool B: Christian/Hayden, Fed/Andrei, Tyson/Noe, & Jaume/Jay

Unfortunately for Riley and Connor, only two left side guys were left at the end, so I am guessing Riley will move to the right. However, maybe Connor starts practicing on the right so he is more used it for MLP on the Black Diamonds? I believe the four semifinalists will come from the "big 5" group (first 5 seeds).

Predictions