PPA Points Race Shocker: No Ben Johns in Top Finals Contenders!
What's the Score?
The 2025 PPA Points Race has reached its halfway point with 11 events completed, and surprisingly, pickleball icon Ben Johns is not among the five players currently positioned to qualify for The Finals in all three events (singles, doubles, mixed doubles). As of the latest update, Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Federico Staksrud, Christian Alshon, and Gabe Tardio are the elite group on track for this triple qualification. This development signals a potential shift in the competitive hierarchy of the PPA Tour.
Hit it deeper!
With nine remaining tournaments on the 2025 PPA Tour calendar, there are still significant points up for grabs, totalling 12,500 for the winners of these events. However, the current standings reveal an interesting dynamic in the professional game. The fact that Ben Johns, a dominant force in pickleball for years, is not in the top five players who would qualify for The Finals in all three categories is noteworthy.
The five players currently holding this distinction – Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Federico Staksrud, Christian Alshon, and Gabe Tardio – have demonstrated consistent high performance across the first 11 events of the season. In women’s singles, Anna Leigh Waters and Kaitlyn Christian appear to have secured their spots in The Finals due to the substantial points they have already earned. Meanwhile, in women’s mixed doubles, the top five players have a significant lead, making them likely contenders for The Finals. The prediction for men’s doubles to qualify for The Finals remains unchanged, featuring Ben Johns alongside JW Johnson, Christian Alshon, Federico Staksrud, Dekel Bar, Hayden Patriquin, Andrei Daescu, and Gabe Tardio. This suggests Johns' strength remains in doubles, even if his dominance across all categories has seen a shift. The contractual issues faced by Viv Glozman are also impacting her rankings.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The current standings in the 2025 PPA Points Race indicate a potential evolution in the top tier of professional pickleball. While Ben Johns remains a formidable player, the emergence and consistency of other athletes like Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, Federico Staksrud, Christian Alshon, and Gabe Tardio highlight the increasing depth and competitiveness of the tour. The remaining events will be crucial in solidifying the final qualifications for The Finals, but the current landscape suggests a thrilling and less predictable season than in previous years. This shift could signal a new era in PPA competition, with more players vying for the top spots and challenging established dominance.