What’s the Score?
Lakeville, United States – In a week defined as much by thermometers as it was by scoreboards, the 2026 PPA Indoor National Championships concluded in Minnesota under extreme duress. With outdoor temperatures plunging to -20 degrees and a wave of illness sweeping through the player ranks, simply making it to the court became a victory in itself. Despite the adverse conditions, familiar faces and new challengers rose to the occasion. Hunter Johnson reclaimed the world number one ranking in Men’s Singles with a decisive victory, while the mixed doubles pairing of Christian Alshon and Hurricane Tyra Black captured their first-ever gold medal together in a stunning upset. Meanwhile, the indomitable duo of Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright continued their stranglehold on Women’s Doubles, securing their 16th title as a pair.
Hit it deeper!
The narrative of the tournament was resilience. The Life Time facility in Lakeville became a battleground of attrition, with top names like Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, and Chris Haworth visibly battling sickness. In the Men’s Singles final, the impact was palpable. Hunter Johnson, the top seed, faced off against Chris Haworth, who had been hunting for back-to-back titles. Johnson, who had miraculously bounced back from retiring due to injury just a week prior at The Masters, looked fresh, while Haworth appeared to run out of gas, potentially a victim of the circulating bug. Johnson’s 11-6, 11-0 victory was a statement performance, breaking a tie with JW Johnson and Tyson McGuffin to claim his seventh career title.
On the women’s side, Parris Todd was the story of the weekend. Returning from a suspension, she played with a vengeance, capturing gold in singles over Lea Jansen. However, the triumph was bittersweet; in a post-match interview that sent shockwaves through the fan base, Todd hinted that this might be one of her final singles tournaments, signalling a shift in focus toward doubles longevity.
The doubles courts provided the weekend’s highest drama. Christian Alshon played like a “man possessed” in the Mixed Doubles final. Partnering with Tyra Black, the duo upset the top-seeded machine of Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin in straight games, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6. Alshon dominated 75% of the court, hitting 63 of his team’s 66 third shots, while Black played a flawless game with zero errors on serves or returns.
The Men’s Doubles final was arguably the match of the tournament—and perhaps an early contender for match of the year. The ailing team of Andrei Daescu and Gabe Tardio faced Alshon and Patriquin. After being routed 1-11 in the first game and trailing in the fifth, Daescu and Tardio dug deep into their reserves. In a five-game epic that featured a 38-shot rally, they clawed their way to a 12-10 victory in the decider, proving that grit often matters more than physical perfection.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The PPA Indoor National Championships served as a brutal reminder that professional pickleball is as much a test of endurance as it is of skill. The “next generation” is knocking loudly—evidenced by 14-year-old Cam Chaffin’s deep run and Alshon’s double-gold performance. However, the verdict from Minnesota is that the old guard isn’t ready to abdicate. Hunter Johnson’s return to the top and Daescu’s veteran savvy in the doubles final prove that experience is invaluable when conditions are at their worst. Furthermore, the sport is seeing a potential tactical shift with Parris Todd’s soft retirement from singles; we may be entering an era where specialisation becomes necessary to survive the gruelling tour calendar.
