pickleball

PPA San Clemente Preview: The Orange County Cup

Jason Koeppel // ONE37pm

Published Jun 7, 2023

The PPA is back in San Clemente and we have you covered with everything to look out for!

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail right?

About a dozen Major League Pickleball players think so... at least on paper. We’re about one week away from the last MLP event of the season and we’ll get a nice preview of some MLP teams' partnerships at the PPA Tour Orange County Cup.

Related: PPA Austin Texas Recap

Allyce Jones is back after a two tournament break and she’s bringing some new friends with her as she partners up with Collin Johns and Jorja Johson.

Anna Bright finally got her signature Joola paddle, back playing singles, and will be partnering up with the great Megan Fudge for the first time ever. Both Megan and Anna can play both sides so this could be an intriguing partnership to follow deep into the bracket!

Breakout singles stars seem to be a norm nowadays. First on the men’s side of things it was Collin Schick, Jake Kusmider, then Jaume Martinez Vich, now…..??? Last year at the Orange County Cup Parris Todd made her mark beating Anna Leigh Waters. Parris won’t be defending her Orange County Cup title as she won’t be competing at this year's event. Some noticeable men’s singles stars we haven’t seen make a deep run in quite some time are two of the most entertaining guys in the sport in Ryan Sherry and Julian Arnold. What say you, boys?!

MLP Preview Partnerships

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Which MLP team partners will make the deepest run this weekend at the Orange County Cup as they get ready for the final 2023 season 1 event next week?

Travis Rettenmeier/Kyle Yates - Florida Smash
Rob Nunnery/Tyra Black - Brooklyn Aces
Dylan Frazier/Andrea Koop - California Black Bears
Riley Newman/Lindsey Newman - SoCal Hard Eights
Rafa Hewett/Lacy Schneeman - NY Hustlers
Lucy Kovalova/Callie Jo Smith - Milwaukee Mashers
Lucy Kovalova/Matt Wright - Milwaukee Mashers

2. Mighty Mouse Out of the House

PPA

Allyce Jones is back in action after a small break but has two new partners in Southern California. One partner has the last name Johns and is sponsored by Joola. The other partner has the top ten fastest hands in pickleball and hits clean winner overheads in her sleep. Seems too good to be true right. Get ready for the king/queen of defense and resets with Team AJCJ (Allyce Jones and Collin Johns) and Team A Triple J (Allyce Jones and Jorja Johnson)!

3. AB Time

Anna Bright Instagram

It’s about time this phenom gets her own signature paddle. Anna Bright just announced her Scorpeus CFS 14 by Joola this week which was long overdue. Getting ready for MLP next week, AB will be competing in singles and has proven she can hang with the best of them.

You’ll see Anna partnering up for the first time ever in women’s doubles with Megan Fudge. Both Megan and AB are solid on either side which should give opponents a tough time. Look for them to make a deep run on Saturday!

4. Is 1 Better Than 2?

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Singles seems to be a secondary event to watch in pickleball but will it remain that way?

We seem to be hearing about a new player every tournament but it’s not in mixed or doubles, it’s in singles. Yes most tennis players moving to pickle adapt easier to singles, but are singles matches becoming more entertaining for viewers? If you happened to catch Lea Jansen vs ALW last weekend, your answer is an astounding YES!

With breakout stars like Christian Alshon, Collin Schick, Jaume Martinez Vich, and Judith Castillo making a name for themselves in singles, it’s a nice way to get noticed, especially with a MLP Re-Draft coming up in July.

Who’s IG followers will increase after this week in Orange County?!?