Walker & Scarpa Win Triple Crowns at PPA New England Challenger
What's the Score?
Angie Walker and Anderson Scarpa accomplished a remarkable feat at the New England PPA Challenger, held at The Picklr in Westbrook, Maine, by each winning a "Triple Crown". This means both players won the gold medal in singles, gender doubles, and mixed doubles events over the tournament weekend. This rare achievement showcases their versatility and dominance across all three formats.
Hit it deeper!
The New England PPA Challenger, taking place in Westbrook, Maine, was the stage for a standout performance by Angie Walker and Anderson Scarpa. Over the course of the weekend, both players managed to secure victories in all three major professional pickleball events – singles, gender doubles, and mixed doubles – an accomplishment known as a Triple Crown. Achieving a Triple Crown in professional pickleball is considered a rare feat due to the depth of competition and the physical and mental stamina required to succeed in three separate brackets over multiple days.
Their impressive run began on Friday, where both Walker and Scarpa claimed the gold medals in their respective singles events. They carried this momentum into Saturday for the gender doubles competitions. Anderson Scarpa partnered with Greg Dow to win the men's doubles title, while Angie Walker teamed up with her sister, Alex, to secure the women's doubles championship. The culmination of their efforts and the completion of their individual Triple Crowns came on Sunday. Angie Walker and Anderson Scarpa partnered together in the mixed doubles event and emerged victorious, capturing the mixed doubles crown.
Following their mixed doubles final win, Angie Walker expressed her excitement about the achievement. She stated, "I’m so, so excited. The goal of coming here was to win my matches and put some things I’ve been practicing to work, and I’m just really happy". Walker also highlighted the value of competing in pressure situations, noting that "any time that you get match play in a pressurised situation, it’s going to be good for your game. You can’t really replicate that feeling of pressure when you’re out on the court in any other situation than coming to compete".
Anderson Scarpa echoed the satisfaction of achieving their goal. He shared, "I came here to get the Triple Crown, honestly, and feel good to have accomplished that goal". Looking ahead to upcoming events, particularly the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships, Scarpa added, "We feel ready for Atlanta now". He explained the benefit of playing in Challenger events like this one, noting that while he occasionally has good runs in main PPA events, facing top seeds early can make it tough to get a rhythm. Coming to a Challenger provides the opportunity to get a lot of matches, which he found really helpful.
While Walker and Scarpa took home the hardware, another moment that captured attention was a shot hit by Max Wild, described as potentially the shot of the weekend or even the year on the PPA Tour.
The PPA Challenger Series serves a specific purpose within the professional pickleball ecosystem. There are 12 more stops on the Challenger Series Tour where players can earn rankings points. These points are crucial as the four players with the most points throughout the season will qualify for the PPA Challenger Showdown, which is set to take place at the 2025 Pickleball World Championships in Dallas, Texas, in November. The winners of the PPA Challenger Showdown in each event are awarded a PPA Tour contract.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The Triple Crown achievement by both Angie Walker and Anderson Scarpa at the New England PPA Challenger is a truly significant accomplishment that underscores their current form and high skill level. Winning all three events – singles, gender doubles, and mixed doubles – against competitive fields demonstrates exceptional versatility, physical endurance, and mental fortitude. It's a testament to their dedication in practice and their ability to perform under pressure, as highlighted by Walker.
Furthermore, Scarpa's comments emphasise the crucial role of the PPA Challenger Series for aspiring and established professionals. These events provide valuable match play, opportunities to refine skills in a competitive setting, and earn points towards qualifying for the PPA Challenger Showdown, which offers a pathway to a PPA Tour contract. By dominating the Challenger event, Walker and Scarpa not only achieved a rare personal milestone but also gained valuable momentum and confidence, declaring themselves ready for upcoming major PPA tournaments like Atlanta. Their success illustrates that the Challenger Series is a vital component of the professional tour structure, fostering talent development and showcasing high-level play outside of the main PPA events.