2025 APP Vlasic Classic: Golden Tickets, Records & Rising Stars
What's the Score?
The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) Tour has made its way back to Cincinnati for the 2025 APP Vlasic Classic. Running from May 8th through May 11th, this five-day event at Sawyer Point Park brings together amateur, elite professional, and AARP Champions (50+) players. The tournament is particularly significant because it's a USA Pickleball Golden Ticket event, where gold medalists in pro divisions can secure spots at the 2025 USAP National Championships.
Hit it deeper!
After starting the year with events on the coasts, the APP Tour is making a triumphant return to the Midwest in Cincinnati, Ohio. The tournament is being held live from Sawyer Point on the banks of the Ohio River. The five-day event features a diverse range of participants, including amateurs of all ages, pickleball's top elite pros, and the experienced players in the AARP Champions division. A major draw for competitors is the event's status as a USA Pickleball Golden Ticket event. This means that any player who earns a gold medal in a pro division automatically earns the right to secure their spot in the prestigious 2025 USA Pickleball National Championships.
Beyond the Golden Tickets, the tournament in Cincinnati is rife with compelling narratives and players chasing significant milestones. Megan Fudge, a top-ranked pro, is on the verge of making APP Tour history. Currently tied for the all-time record for most career medals with 68, she needs just one more to claim the outright lead. Fudge has three opportunities in Cincinnati to achieve this, competing in women's pro singles, women's pro doubles, and mixed pro doubles. Similarly, Chris Haworth is looking to break a tie in the men's pro singles record book, currently holding 10 career APP Tour singles gold medals. A win in Cincinnati would make him the sole leader.
Other notable players competing include Will Howells, who leads all APP Tour pros in 2025 with 10 total medals and eight gold medals, and recently accomplished the rare feat of an APP Tour triple crown at the Fort Lauderdale Open. Sofia Sewing has been a dominant force in women's pro singles this year, reaching all four finals and winning two golds, and recently earned her first career doubles medal. In men's pro doubles, Jack Munro carries impressive momentum, having secured his third consecutive gold medal to start the year and also winning collegiate titles last weekend. Emily Cederquist and Yana Newell, who won women's doubles gold in Fort Lauderdale, are seeded second and looking to improve on their silver medals from last year's Vlasic Classic. Grayson Goldin returns to the site of his first career APP Tour gold medal in 2024, while Bobbi Oshiro boasts a perfect 3-for-3 record in gold medal matches in 2025 across mixed and women's doubles. Veteran Susannah Barr, the all-time women's pro doubles and mixed pro doubles medal leader on the APP Tour, is also competing, returning as the No. 4 seed in mixed doubles with her winning partner from last year.
Fans unable to attend in person at Sawyer Point can follow the action live. The APP Tour is providing extensive livestream coverage on Championship Court via APPTV on YouTube, Court Sports Network, and Facebook from Thursday, May 8th through Sunday, May 11th. Additionally, CBS Sports Network will air four one-hour shows featuring tournament highlights the following weekend. The broadcast team includes Dorian Craft, Dominic Catalano, and Chad Edwards. VIP Tickets are available via SITickets.com, and full schedule and results can be found on UTR Sports. With such high stakes and compelling player stories, the 2025 APP Vlasic Classic promises another exciting week of pickleball.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The return of the APP Vlasic Classic to Cincinnati underscores the APP Tour's commitment to revisiting established, fan-favorite locations. The Golden Ticket element significantly raises the stakes for pro players, directly linking success on the APP Tour to qualification for the prestigious USAP National Championships. This not only motivates elite athletes but also solidifies the APP Tour's role in the broader professional pickleball ecosystem. The depth of compelling individual storylines, from medal record chases by Fudge and Haworth to winning streaks and recent successes from players like Howells, Sewing, and Munro, demonstrates the competitive intensity and evolving landscape of the pro game. The tournament serves as both a battleground for immediate victories and a stage where players can etch their names into the sport's history books, highlighting the blend of seasoned veterans and rising talent that characterizes the APP Tour.