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Championship Sunday at the Association for Pickleball Professionals (APP) Newport Beach Open in Newport Beach, California, did not disappoint.
The tournament is one of the National Championships Series events throughout the year for USA Pickleball, and a record-setting number of people were on hand. As CBS Los Angeles noted, the more than 1,400 players across various levels made it the APP’s largest-ever tournament.
While some at the Tennis and Pickleball Club in Newport Beach were there for their first tournament experience, a number of the sport’s biggest stars also participated.
Sunday alone brought high-profile matches with championships in the women’s pro singles, men’s pro singles, mixed pro doubles, men’s pro doubles and women’s pro doubles taking center stage.
Here is a look at Sunday’s marquee results:
Women’s Pro Singles: Parris Todd defeats Megan FudgeMen’s Pro Singles: Hunter Johnson defeats Quang DuongMixed Pro Doubles: Parris Todd/Hunter Johnson defeat Allison Harris/Andre MickMen’s Pro Doubles: Pesa Teoni/Andrei Daescu defeat Spencer Lanier/Richard Livornese Jr.Women’s Pro Doubles: Parris Todd/Simone Jardim defeat Rianna Valdes/Evgenia Erokhina
Fans couldn’t have asked for a better showdown in the women’s pro’s singles gold-medal match than the one between top-seeded Parris Todd and second-seeded Megan Fudge.
Todd wasted no time seizing initial control with an 11-2 win in the first game, and it seemed like she would cruise to the title. However, Fudge bounced right back in the second game and forced a decisive third.
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
Women’s Pro Singles Gold at the APP Newport Beach Open goes to Parris Todd 🥇@getsunmed | #APPTour #pickleball #APPFamily pic.twitter.com/c0ktuk8f5t
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
We’re headed to a third game folks! @TheMeganFudge takes game 2️⃣. #APPTour #APPFamily #NewportPortBeachOpen #Pickleball pic.twitter.com/aLDw5bmvMl
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
First Gold secured on her hunt for another triple crown! @ParrisTodd 🏆#APPTour #APPFamily #NewportBeachOpen #Pickleball pic.twitter.com/372x1PjCD9
The top seed ultimately prevailed, but it was a hard-fought win.
Todd wasn’t the only No. 1 seed to take home a single’s title Sunday, as Hunter Johnson defeated Quang Duong on the men’s side. It was a back-and-forth first game, but he had little trouble with the qualifier by the end and captured gold.
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
Congratulations to Hunter Johnson on taking home Men’s Pro Singles Gold at the APP Newport Beach Open 🏆@getsunmed | #APPTour #pickleball #APPFamily #NewportBeach pic.twitter.com/GutNht3qjH
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
Battling for Gold ! 🏆 #APPTour #APPFamily #NewportBeachOpen #pickleball pic.twitter.com/kfn4ikDIXg
It was the start of a busy day for both Johnson and, especially, Todd.
They were playing partners in the mixed pro doubles final match, while Todd also took the court for the women’s pro doubles as playing partners with Simone Jardim.
Perhaps fatigue was something of an issue when Allison Harris and Andre Mick took the first game in the mixed pro doubles final match. But it was only a matter of time before Todd and Johnson found their footing again, and they took the next two games to win the second title of the day for each player.
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
Congratulations to @ParrisTodd & Hunter Johnson! Another 🏆 under their belt, putting Todd one step closer to her triple crown! #APPTour #APPFamily #NewportBeachOpen #Pickleball pic.twitter.com/b0ocFUrTQQ
It also moved Todd a step closer to a Sunday triple crown.
Someone not named Todd or Johnson finally won a title when Pesa Teoni and Andrei Daescu defeated Spencer Lanier and Richard Livornese Jr. in the men’s pro doubles match.
APP Tour @OfficialAPPTour
Another Men’s Pro Doubles Gold goes to Andrei Daescu and Pesa Teoni at the APP Newport Beach Open 💪@getsunmed | #APPTour #pickleball #APPFamily #NewportBeach pic.twitter.com/GTv0K6QsxH
The top-seeded pair had no trouble with the challenger and won in two quick games.
There was only one way for Championship Sunday to end, though, and that was with Todd taking home her Triple Crown. She and Jardim cruised past Rianna Valdes and Evgenia Erokhina in the women’s pro doubles gold-medal match in two games.
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