Underdogs Shake Up Atlanta Open with Major Singles Upsets
What's the Score?
Early matches at the 2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships saw significant upsets in the men's singles bracket, with lower-seeded players Brandon French, Wyatt Stone, Eric Oncins, Tom Protzek, Zane Navratil, and Alexander Crum defeating higher-ranked opponents. These unexpected results occurred during the early rounds held at Life Time Peachtree Corners.
Hit it deeper!
The 2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships, presented by Ensure Max Protein, commenced with immediate drama in the men's singles competition. On Tuesday morning, players seeded outside the top 40 made a strong impact. Brandon French, seeded No. 46, set an early tone by defeating No. 19 seed Yates Johnson in straight games with scores of 11-6, 11-9. Shortly after, Wyatt Stone, seeded No. 45, also achieved an upset win, overcoming No. 17 seed Rafa Hewett in three games, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8. Both French and Stone advanced to the Round of 32 following their strong performances. Notably, French and Stone are also scheduled to compete as doubles partners later in the week, and their singles success suggests they are in strong form heading into the doubles bracket.
Further upsets continued to unfold. Eric Oncins, the No. 54 seed, defeated No. 15 seed Zane Ford with scores of 11-6, 11-5 to reach the Round of 32. This was a significant win for Oncins, who despite recent success in doubles, has been seeking a breakthrough in singles, potentially gaining the necessary momentum for a deep run. He is scheduled to face No. 21 seed Mohaned Alhouni in the Round of 32. About twenty minutes after Oncins' win, Tom Protzek, a newly contracted pro and the No. 56 seed, dispatched the No. 9 seed Michael Loyd in straight games, 11-7, 11-8. This marks Protzek's second straight-game victory over Loyd, having also beaten him in March at the CIBC Texas Open. Protzek, a former University of Tulsa soccer player, came to PPA contract terms on May 2nd and is clearly making the most of the opportunity, looking forward to the Round of 32 where he will face No. 18 seed Noe Khlif.
Adding to the list of major upsets, Zane Navratil, seeded No. 49, defeated the No. 14 seed Gabe Joseph 11-8, 11-6 to advance to the Round of 32. While the seeding might suggest a huge upset, Navratil's lower rank is attributed to him primarily playing singles only in major tournaments like Cups and Slams rather than a lack of skill. He will face the winner between No. 23 seed John Lucian Goins and No. 44 seed Ross Whittaker next. Perhaps the most surprising upset came from Alexander Crum, who entered the tournament via Monday's qualifying rounds and had to beat Todd Fought just to face the top seed. Crum, seeded outside of the main draws (likely unseeded after qualifying, though the text only mentions his opponent's rank), delivered what is being considered potentially the upset of the tournament by taking down the No. 1 seed Federico Staksrud in the Round of 64. Crum defeated Staksrud in three games with scores of 11-9, 5-11, 11-6. Despite the shocking result for many viewers, Crum himself wasn't surprised, stating that people who know his game and capabilities would expect him to have a good shot if he returned and volleyed well. He credited his two-handed backhand, which he used to pass Staksrud at the kitchen line, as a key factor. Crum is set to face No. 27 seed Mota Alhouni in the Round of 32.
The unexpected wins highlight the increasing depth of talent in professional pickleball, demonstrating that players ranked outside the very top can still challenge and defeat elite competitors early in significant tournaments.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The early results at the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships underscore the rising competitiveness within the professional ranks. The number of lower-seeded players taking down prominent names like Federico Staksrud and Yates Johnson indicates that the gap between the top echelon and the next tier of players is narrowing. This trend suggests that success in major tournaments will increasingly require consistent top-level performance from the opening rounds, as upsets are no longer a rarity but a tangible possibility, promising an exciting and unpredictable season ahead. The strong performances from players like Protzek, who recently signed a pro contract, also show that new talent is quickly integrating and making an impact on the PPA Tour.