PPA Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships: Tournament Preview

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour is back in action this week with the PPA Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships. After a month-long break to accommodate the start of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) season, players and fans alike are eager for the return of high-level PPA competition. This Slam-level tournament, worth 2,000 PPA Points, promises intense matches and compelling storylines across all divisions.

Tournament Details

The PPA Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships will take place at Life Time Peach Tree Corners, located in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. As a Slam-level event, the tournament features a progressive draw format, with the Round of 64 kicking off on Tuesday, May 13th.

Top Storylines

Anna Leigh Waters Chasing 150 Gold Medals

The pickleball phenom Anna Leigh Waters is on the verge of a remarkable milestone. Currently sitting at 148 gold medals on the PPA Tour, Waters needs just two victories in Atlanta to reach the incredible 150 gold medal mark. This achievement would further cement her status as one of the most dominant players in the sport’s history.

Waters’ journey to this milestone has been nothing short of extraordinary. She claimed her 100th gold medal at the PPA North Carolina event in April 2024, and has since been on a tear through the competition. However, her march to 150 was temporarily halted last month when Jorja Johnson scored upset victories over Waters in both women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the same North Carolina tournament.

With the milestone within reach, expect Waters to bring an extra level of intensity to her matches in Atlanta. She’ll be reuniting with Anna Bright in women’s doubles for the first time in over 18 months, and will be seeking revenge alongside Ben Johns in mixed doubles against the Johnson siblings.

Debut of the LifeTime Ball

The Atlanta Championships will mark the professional debut of the “LT Pickleball” ball, manufactured by tournament venue sponsor Life Time. This new ball is generating significant buzz among players and analysts alike.

Early reports suggest that the LT Pickleball plays exceptionally fast, drawing comparisons to the speed of the Dura Fast 40. When combined with the latest Gen4 paddle technology, this could lead to some blistering rallies and potentially impact playing styles throughout the tournament.

However, pickleball purists who prefer a slower-paced game may find some relief in Atlanta’s weather forecast. With humidity levels expected to remain consistently between 70-80% throughout the event, the ball’s speed could be somewhat tempered by the atmospheric conditions.

First Tournament After High-Profile Partnership Changes

The Atlanta Championships will be the first major PPA event following some significant shake-ups in established doubles partnerships. Most notably, Catherine Parenteau announced the end of her partnership with Anna Leigh Waters on April 7th, a move that sent shockwaves through the pickleball community.

In the wake of this split, a series of partnership changes have reshaped the doubles landscape:

Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright have committed to partnering for the remainder of the 2025 season in women’s doubles.
Catherine Parenteau will team up with Rachel Rohrabacher, at least for the Atlanta Championships.
Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright have also ended their previous partnership.

These new pairings add an extra layer of intrigue to the women’s doubles competition. Waters/Bright and Parenteau/Rohrabacher enter the tournament as the #2 and #1 seeds respectively, setting up the tantalizing possibility of a high-stakes showdown in the finals should both teams advance that far.

How to Watch

Pickleball enthusiasts can catch all the action from the PPA Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships through various streaming options:

Tuesday, May 13 – Sunday, May 18

Championship Court and Grandstand Court matches will be available on Pickleballtv from 10am to 6pm EST daily.
Select matches on Saturday and Sunday (1:30pm – 4:30pm EST) will be broadcast on Tennis Channel in addition to Pickleballtv.
Sunday’s schedule includes Bronze Medal Matches on the Grandstand Court (9am – 1pm EST) and Gold Medal Matches on the Championship Court (10am – 4:30pm EST).

Weather Outlook

The weather forecast for the tournament looks generally favorable, with comfortable temperatures expected throughout most of the week. The primary concern is the possibility of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon. If this threat persists in the forecast, the PPA Tour may consider adjusting the schedule for Championship Sunday matches. Players and fans should stay tuned for any potential updates.

Division Previews

Women’s Singles

Top Storylines:

Anna Leigh Waters is looking to extend her incredible 345-day unbeaten streak in singles play on the PPA Tour. Her last loss came against Salome Devidze at the 2024 CIBC Texas Open.
Several newly signed players will be making their first automatic main draw appearances, adding fresh faces to the competition.
The battle for the #2 ranking behind Waters is heating up, with Kate Fahey, Kaitlyn Christian, Parris Todd, Brooke Buckner, and Lea Jansen all vying for position.

Predictions:

Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters, (4) Parris Todd, (2) Kate Fahey, and (3) Kaitlyn Christian
Finals: Anna Leigh Waters defeats Kate Fahey in three games

Men’s Singles

Top Storylines:

Hunter Johnson’s recovery from a recent kitchen knife accident that forced him to miss MLP Orlando. His readiness for Atlanta remains a question mark.
Can Gabe Tardio, coming off a gold medal performance in North Carolina, make it two in a row as the 11th seed?
A compelling Round of 64 matchup between rising star Eric Oncins (54) and established pro Zane Ford (15).
Ben Johns looks to bounce back from recent struggles and criticism, having won just one singles gold in the last six months.

Predictions:

Semifinalists: (1) Federico Staksrud, (5) Jaume Martinez Vich, (9) Michael Loyd, and (7) Christian Alshon
Finals: Christian Alshon defeats Federico Staksrud for his third gold of the year

Mixed Doubles

Top Storylines:

Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns seek revenge against Jorja and JW Johnson, who defeated them in North Carolina.
Anna Bright and Quang Duong reunite for just their second tournament together, following a 4th place finish at UPA Worlds in November.
Texas Ranchers teammates Christian Alshon and Etta Tuionetoa partner up as the 4th seed.
A record 76 main draw entries, including 18 Round of 128 matches, showcase the growing depth of talent on the PPA Tour.

Predictions:

Semifinalists: (1) Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns, (9) Tina Pisnik/Andrei Daescu, (2) Jorja & JW Johnson, and (4) Etta Tuionetoa/Christian Alshon
Finals: Waters/Johns defeat the Johnson siblings in four games

Women’s Doubles

Top Storylines:

All eyes are on the potential finals matchup between (1) Catherine Parenteau/Rachel Rohrabacher and (2) Anna Bright/Anna Leigh Waters following recent partnership changes.
Parris Todd and Hurricane Tyra Black pose the biggest threat to disrupt a showdown between the top two seeds.
Kate Fahey and Tina Pisnik look to build on their success and break through to the semifinals for the first time this year.

Predictions:

Semifinalists: (1) Catherine Parenteau/Rachel Rohrabacher, (9) Kate Fahey/Tina Pisnik, (2) Anna Bright/Anna Leigh Waters, and (3) Parris Todd/Hurricane Tyra Black
Finals: Bright/Waters defeat Parenteau/Rohrabacher in three games

Men’s Doubles

Top Storylines:

A three-way battle for the top spot in men’s doubles between Patriquin/Staksrud, Tardio/Johns, and Alshon/Daescu.
Can CJ Klinger and JW Johnson unlock their full potential as a partnership after two bronze medals in four appearances?
Collin Johns and James Ignatowich team up for just the second time in 2025, looking to improve on their Round of 16 exit at the CIBC Texas Open.

Predictions:

Semifinalists: (1) Hayden Patriquin/Federico Staksrud, (4) Dylan Frazier/Dekel Bar, (2) Gabe Tardio/Ben Johns, and (3) Christian Alshon/Andrei Daescu
Finals: Patriquin/Staksrud defeat Alshon/Daescu

As the PPA Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships get underway, fans can expect thrilling matches, potential upsets, and perhaps even some history-making performances. With so many compelling storylines and the introduction of a new ball, this tournament promises to be a must-watch event for pickleball enthusiasts around the world.

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