Wednesday, February 11: Main Draw Begins

Johns and Tardio dominated together in 2025 and return as the clear top seed. Johns brings 60 career golds, Tardio has a 46% doubles gold rate. The talent gap in Round 1 is massive — expect them to cruise.

Newman and Frazier are the most lethal doubles team not named Johns. Newman's soft game at the net combined with Frazier's athleticism and power make them overwhelming favorites. This is a warm-up game.

Julian Arnold brings chaotic energy that disrupts opponents' rhythm, and Martin Emmrich — a former ATP doubles player — adds legitimate net skills. They beat Miron/Berryman 11-6, 11-7 in qualifying. Arnold's unpredictability is his superpower.

JW Johnson (1882) and Dekel Bar (1666) vs Pesa Teoni (1607) and Connor Mogle (1479). Our Sheet Rating™ model gives JW/Bar a 78% win probability — but the toss-up label isn't clickbait. Bar is an unknown quantity in PPA doubles, and if chemistry isn't there yet, Teoni's physicality and Mogle's grinding style could make this very uncomfortable. The talent gap is real on paper, but new partnerships are fragile.

The most dominant women's doubles team in pickleball. Anna Leigh Waters skipped singles to focus here — that tells you how seriously she's taking doubles. Bright's 42% gold rate and ALW's 81% gold rate in doubles are absurd. The real question isn't whether they win, it's whether anyone takes a game off them.

Parenteau is a top-3 women's player and David has been on a meteoric rise. The perfect blend of Parenteau's touch and court IQ with David's power and speed. Should advance comfortably.

Jansen and Irvine are both top-10 singles players doubling up. Worth watching: Jansen just suffered a big upset loss in mixed doubles — does that shake her confidence, or does she come out with something to prove? Koop and Huang survived qualifying but face a massive step up.

Navratil at seed 39 is absurd — he's a former world #2 with big-match experience and a DUPR of 6.54 that tells the real story. Harvey is solid but Navratil's power game makes this a genuine coin flip. The most dangerous Round 1 matchup in the men's draw.

Tyson McGuffin at seed 40? He's a former PPA champion with one of the best two-handed backhands in the game. His DUPR of 6.78 is miles above his seeding. This is the bracket buster waiting to happen.

Staksrud has a 31% gold and 71% podium rate in singles. Without Ben Johns in the draw, this is his bracket to lose. Smooth, athletic, and plays his best in big moments.

JW Johnson is the most well-rounded men's singles player when Johns isn't in the draw. His consistency from the baseline is unmatched and he rarely drops games to lower-seeded opponents.

With ALW sitting out, Fahey inherits the top seed. Her 73% podium rate in singles is elite. Weil is no walkover — she's a gritty competitor — but Fahey should advance, possibly in three games.

With ALW out, Anna Bright is arguably the best women's singles player in the draw. She's a fierce competitor with elite speed, and her singles game has been championship-level since 2024.

Parenteau's singles game is all about control — soft resets, patient rallies, and waiting for the error. Her composure at the net is elite. She won't give free points.

Jessie Irvine fought through qualifying and she's a proven PPA competitor. She beat Rachel Summers in Q and has 1 gold and 5 silvers on tour. One of the most dangerous qualifiers in the draw.

The most dominant mixed doubles team in pickleball history. Both skipped singles to focus on doubles — they mean business. Waters' speed and Johns' power create an impossible puzzle.

Nobody wanted to see Collin Johns in qualifying. He and Albie Huang dispatched Val Simon/Gabriel Joseph and now enter as maybe the most dangerous qualifying team. But Parenteau and Newman are both top-5 individually — Newman's net presence in mixed is arguably the best in the game.

Parenteau's touch and Tardio's power — a dangerous combo. Tardio playing with both Johns AND Parenteau this week shows his stock is sky-high. They should roll here.

The Johnson sibling duo is one of the most dangerous teams in mixed. JW's consistency and Jorja's improving game make them genuine title contenders. Should cruise through Round 1.