PPA SXY Newport Beach Open 2026 [Results, Upsets, Stats, Videos]

The PPA Tour came back to Southern California for the SXY Newport Beach Open presented by Joola, and it delivered one of the most chaotic, entertaining, and flat-out dominant weekends of the 2026 season.

Over 1,300 pro and amateur players battled it out at the Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach from March 2 through 8. And let us be crystal clear: the storylines were absolutely stacked from the first serve to the final gold medal point on Championship Sunday.

Hunter Johnson locked in another men’s singles title with a performance that can only be described as surgical. Anna Leigh Waters grabbed her second triple crown of 2026, extending her singles winning streak to an absurd 647 consecutive days. And Federico Staksrud and Johnson put on one of the wildest semifinals the PPA Tour has seen all year — complete with blown leads, overturned calls, and three technical violations in a single game.

This tournament had a different energy than Mesa. The Southern California crowd was locked in, the stakes felt higher, and the competition across every bracket was fierce. From a 10-seed Cinderella run to the mixed doubles finals to Bright and Waters literally double-pickling their way through women’s doubles, Newport Beach gave us so much to talk about.

And 11 PICKLES, we’re all here for all of it. Let’s break it all down.

PPA Newport Beach Open 2026: Final Results

Championship Sunday was absolutely loaded. Here’s how every podium shook out:

Men’s Singles

• 🏆  Hunter Johnson def. Federico Staksrud (12-10, 11-9)
• 🥈  Federico Staksrud
• 🥉  Christian Alshon

Johnson’s path through the draw was clinical. He dismantled Mo Alhouni (11-3, 11-1), dispatched Roscoe Bellamy (11-4, 11-5), gutted through a battle with Chris Haworth (11-7, 11-9), and then made the final against Staksrud look like a warmup: 11-2, 11-5.

This is Johnson’s second singles title of 2026 and cements his position as the clear number one in men’s singles. Since August 2025, only five men have won a PPA singles title: Chris Haworth, Christian Alshon, Federico Staksrud, Roscoe Bellamy, and Hunter Johnson. That is how absurdly tight the top of men’s singles has become.

Women’s Singles

• 🏆  Anna Leigh Waters def. Lea Jansen (11-2, 11-1)
• 🥈  Lea Jansen
• 🥉  Brooke Buckner

What else is there to say? Waters dominated from start to finish. Through the Round of 16 to the semis, she outscored opponents 88-34 with an average game score of 11-3. And even after playing two other gold medal matches on Championship Sunday, she came out against Jansen in the final and made it look effortless: 11-2, 11-1.

Lea Jansen had an incredible run to get there though. Way more on that below — because her quarterfinal match alone deserves its own section.

Men’s Doubles

• 🏆  Ben Johns / Gabe Tardio def. Christian Alshon / Hayden Patriquin (11-6, 11-2, 3-11, 11-8)
• 🥈  Christian Alshon / Hayden Patriquin
• 🥉  Federico Staksrud / Andrei Daescu

This was the third consecutive finals meeting between Johns/Tardio and Alshon/Patriquin in 2026. The rivalry is real, and it’s getting closer every single time:

• The Masters (January): Johns/Tardio won 11-9, 11-4, 11-5
• Mesa Cup (February): Johns/Tardio won 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 13-11
• Newport Beach (March): Johns/Tardio won 11-6, 11-2, 3-11, 11-8

Johns and Tardio entered the tournament with a 71-4 record and won their first four matches by a combined 88-48 without dropping a single game. This is their fourth consecutive men’s doubles gold together in 2026, and Tardio’s fifth gold overall this season. The dominance is frankly absurd.

Women’s Doubles

• 🏆  Anna Bright / Anna Leigh Waters def. Rachel Rohrabacher / Parris Todd (11-4, 11-5, 11-3)
• 🥈  Rachel Rohrabacher / Parris Todd
• 🥉  Lacy Schneemann / Tina Pisnik

Bright and Waters are playing on a completely different level in women’s doubles right now. They won their first two matches by a combined 44-0. That is not a typo. They double-pickled their opponents in back-to-back matches. At the Mesa Cup, they didn’t drop a single game and outscored their opponents 101-27. The gap between this team and the rest of the field is staggering, and honestly? It’s only getting wider.

Rohrabacher and Todd made their first finals appearance together, which is a positive sign for a partnership that is still developing. They beat the 2-seed Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black 11-5, 11-6 in the semis to earn their spot. Schneemann and Pisnik made the semis for a second straight tournament, showing real consistency as a newer pairing.

Mixed Doubles

• 🏆  Anna Leigh Waters / Ben Johns def. Tina Pisnik / Eric Oncins (11-4, 11-2, 12-10)
• 🥈  Tina Pisnik / Eric Oncins
• 🥉  Jorja Johnson / JW Johnson

The story here is the absolute Cinderella run by Pisnik and Oncins, the 10-seed, who beat three higher-seeded teams to reach the finals:

• R16: def. (8) Fahey/Staksrud 11-1, 1-11, 11-6
• QF: def. (3) Bright/Patriquin 2-11, 11-7, 11-7
• SF: def. (2) J. Johnson/JW Johnson 11-4, 11-5
• Final: lost to (1) Waters/Johns 11-4, 11-2, 12-10

They pushed Waters and Johns to 12-10 in the third game of the final. That third game alone was worth the price of admission. Pickleball magic.

Biggest Upsets & Storylines

Newport Beach wasn’t just competitive. It was dramatic. It was emotional. It was a must-watch pickleball from the first serve to the final dink. Here’s every storyline that turned heads, and turned the tournament upside down.

Hunter Johnson Cements His Singles Dominance

Hunter Johnson keeps winning men’s singles titles, and he keeps making it look routine. The final against Staksrud was 12-10, 11-9, and broadcaster Dave Fleming called it a singles masterpiece.

What stands out about Johnson’s game is his willingness to stay back after returns instead of rushing the kitchen line. As someone who plays every day and works on that exact transition zone, I can tell you that staying back and trusting your passing shots takes a different kind of confidence. Most players feel exposed sitting at the baseline. Johnson thrives there. His groundstrokes landed with surgical precision all weekend, and Staksrud could not find an answer.

“This match was weird. I just wasn’t thinking at all. I was just playing on instinct, and luckily, a lot of my passes just landed. I had the right speed, and the right control.”— Hunter Johnson, post-match interview

“Hunter played better than me today, and it is what it is. I’m gonna keep fighting, trying to keep putting myself into Championship Sunday.”— Federico Staksrud, post-match

Anna Leigh Waters Extends Her Singles Streak to 647 Days

At some point, the numbers stop feeling real. Anna Leigh Waters has now gone 647 consecutive days without losing a singles match. That streak spans multiple seasons, dozens of tournaments, and every top player in the women’s game. Nobody has come close to ending it.

The women’s singles final at Newport Beach was the latest example. Waters was playing her third gold medal match of Championship Sunday, and she looked like she had just finished warming up. She beat Lea Jansen 11-2, 11-1 in a match that barely lasted 20 minutes.

Her court coverage, her shot selection, her ability to control the pace of every rally, it all looked effortless. This is her second triple crown of 2026, and she now holds the record as the winningest player in PPA Tour history.

Waters is the best women’s player in pickleball. At this point, she’s building a case as one of the most dominant athletes in any individual sport right now. Period.

Lea Jansen Saves Four Match Points in an 80-Minute Epic

While the finals were one-sided, Lea Jansen earned her spot there with one of the gutsiest performances of the entire tournament.

In the women’s singles quarterfinals, she faced the 2-seed Kate Fahey, and she was on the brink of elimination. Fahey won the first game 11-6 and held four match points in the third game. Jansen saved all four and won the match 6-11, 11-8, 14-12 in a battle that lasted over 80 minutes. The mental toughness required to pull that off is extraordinary.

She then followed it up by beating the 3-seed Brooke Buckner in the semis, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, in another three-game war. Two consecutive three-game victories against top seeds, both going down to the wire, just to reach the final. That is the best stretch of play Jansen has had in 2026, and it’s a sign that she’s finding her form at the right time.

Pisnik and Oncins Shock the Field With a Cinderella Run

Tina Pisnik and Eric Oncins came into the mixed doubles bracket as the 10-seed. They left as silver medalists after beating the 8, 3, and 2 seeds on their way to the final.

Their quarterfinal upset over the 3-seed Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin was the signature moment. After getting blown out 2-11 in the first game, they regrouped and won the next two 11-7, 11-7. That kind of composure from a 10-seed after losing a game that badly is rare.

Then in the semis, they dismantled the 2-seed Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson 11-4, 11-5. That score tells you everything. They played with energy, aggression, and real chemistry all weekend.

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And Oncins? The Brazilian produced one of the viral moments of the tournament. His behind-the-back counter shot during the mixed doubles bracket made ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10. Pickleball on SportsCenter is always a win for the sport, and this was the kind of highlight that gets casual fans talking.

In the final against Waters and Johns, they lost the first two games but pushed the third to 12-10. That third game alone showed they belong on the big stage.

Johns and Tardio Make It Four Straight Men’s Doubles Golds

The Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio men’s doubles partnership is historically dominant. They entered Newport Beach with a 71-4 record and won their fourth consecutive gold together in 2026. Tardio now has five men’s doubles golds on the season.

What makes their dominance even more impressive is that Christian Alshon and Hayden Patriquin keep getting closer. Alshon and Patriquin took a game off Johns and Tardio at Mesa and did it again at Newport. The gap is narrowing, but Johns and Tardio keep finding another gear when it matters. Their ability to close out tight fourth games has been the difference maker all season.

Bright and Waters Double-Pickle Their Way Through Women’s Doubles

The Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters women’s doubles partnership is reaching a level of dominance that is hard to comprehend. At Newport Beach, they won their first two matches by a combined score of 44-0. Zero points allowed across two full matches. That is what a double pickle looks like.

For context, at the Mesa Cup, they didn’t drop a single game and outscored opponents 101-27 across the entire tournament. The level of precision, communication, and court awareness between these two is unlike anything else in women’s doubles right now.

Catherine Parenteau sat out the entire tournament to rest, which is worth noting as we look ahead to the Texas Open.

Collin Johns and Len Yang Pull Off an 18-Seed Run to the Semis

One of the quieter but most compelling stories of the tournament was Collin Johns and Len Yang, seeded 18th, making it all the way to the men’s doubles semifinals.

Their quarterfinal win over the 3-seed JW Johnson and CJ Klinger (11-7, 2-11, 11-6) was a statement. Collin Johns has 35 career professional titles, but he’s been searching for the right doubles partner since his brother Ben moved on to play with Tardio. Yang earned three medals on the PPA Asia Tour in 2025, and he’s now making his case as that partner. This was Yang’s first PPA semifinal. The pairing is worth watching going forward.

Notable Absences and Ben Johns’ Quiet Double Gold

A few absences shaped this tournament: Catherine Parenteau sat out entirely for rest. Ben Johns skipped singles. Parris Todd skipped singles after winning the Indoor Championships.

Despite not playing singles, Johns walked away with double gold (men’s doubles and mixed doubles). He now has the most golds of any man in 2026. And in a fun side note, he was nearly hit by an errant golf ball during Saturday’s matches. The Tennis and Pickleball Club sits right next to a golf course, and apparently the boundaries are more of a suggestion.

Player of the Tournament: Anna Leigh Waters

It’s hard to argue with a triple crown. Waters won all three events she entered: women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. That alone would be enough, but the way she did it separates this performance.

In singles, she extended her winning streak to 647 days and demolished the field, outscoring opponents by an average of 11-3 through the tournament. In women’s doubles with Anna Bright, the partnership continued its historically dominant run. In mixed doubles with Ben Johns, she helped hold off a spirited challenge from Pisnik and Oncins.

What stood out watching her this weekend is how fresh she looked in every match. Championship Sunday means playing three gold medal matches in one day, and in the singles final (her last match), she won 11-2, 11-1. Zero drop-off. Zero fatigue. Her conditioning, focus, and competitive drive all operate at a level that the rest of the women’s field has not matched.

Waters is the best women’s player in pickleball. At this point, she’s building a case as one of the most dominant athletes in any individual sport. Full stop.

Rising Stars to Watch

Every PPA tournament reveals who is climbing and who is stalling. Here are the players whose trajectories changed this weekend, and why it matters for the rest of the 2026 season.

Hayden Patriquin

Continues to prove his rise is no fluke. He and Christian Alshon have now made three consecutive men’s doubles finals against Johns and Tardio, and the gap is shrinking each time. His footwork and transition game have improved visibly from tournament to tournament. He’s one of the youngest and most athletic players on Tour, and if he keeps developing at this pace, a breakthrough gold is coming soon.

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Len Yang

Made his first PPA semifinal as an 18-seed. That matters because he did it by beating the 3-seed in a decisive third game. His three medals on the PPA Asia Tour in 2025 suggested he had the talent, but performing on the main PPA stage is a different test. Paired with Collin Johns and his 35 career titles of experience, this could become a legitimate top-tier partnership.

Eric Oncins

Put himself on the map with the mixed doubles Cinderella run and the SportsCenter highlight. The Brazilian showed power, creativity, and composure at the net. Making a finals as a 10-seed alongside Tina Pisnik, beating the 3 and 2 seeds along the way, is the kind of result that changes seedings and expectations going forward.

Brooke Buckner

Earned a bronze in women’s singles after reaching her second consecutive semifinal. She’s steadily climbing into the conversation as a top-five women’s singles player, and she’s still early in her development curve.

Rachel Rohrabacher

Made her first women’s doubles final alongside Parris Todd. The partnership is new, but reaching a final this early signals chemistry. With Parenteau sitting out and the women’s doubles landscape shifting, Rohrabacher could become a fixture in Championship Sunday doubles matches.

The PPA Tour is getting younger and deeper. A year ago, the same five or six names dominated every bracket. Now, players like Patriquin, Yang, Oncins, and Buckner are forcing their way into gold medal conversations. The talent pool is expanding, and that makes every tournament less predictable and more exciting to follow.

Newport Beach Open By The Numbers

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1. 1,300+ — pro and amateur players competed across the tournament
2. 647 — consecutive days without a singles loss for Anna Leigh Waters
3. 44-0 — combined scoring for Bright/Waters in their first two women’s doubles matches
4. 4 — consecutive men’s doubles golds for Johns and Tardio in 2026
5. 71-4 — Johns/Tardio’s men’s doubles record entering the tournament
6. 5 — total men’s singles winners since August 31, 2025
7. 3 — technical violations for Staksrud in a single semifinal game
8. 4 — match points saved by Lea Jansen against Kate Fahey
9. 80+ — minutes for the Jansen vs. Fahey quarterfinal match
10. 10-seed — making the mixed doubles finals (Pisnik/Oncins)
11. 3 — consecutive finals meetings between Johns/Tardio and Alshon/Patriquin
12. 35 — career professional titles for Collin Johns
13. 0 — games dropped by Bright/Waters in their first two women’s doubles matches
14. 60 — career mixed doubles titles for Waters and Johns together

What’s Next

The PPA Tour heads to McKinney, Texas for the Veolia Texas Open from March 9 through 15. It’s another 1,000-point event, and the storylines heading in are stacked.

Can anyone break the Johns/Tardio men’s doubles streak? Alshon and Patriquin have gotten closer in each of their three finals meetings. This could be the tournament where they finally break through.

Will Staksrud channel the Newport Beach frustration into a singles run, or will the technical violations weigh on him mentally? He’s still one of the most talented players on Tour, and his semifinal loss to Johnson was more about self-destruction than being outplayed.

Will Catherine Parenteau return to competition? Her absence at Newport Beach opened the door for new partnerships and matchups. If she comes back healthy, the women’s doubles bracket gets even more competitive.

After Texas, the Greater Zion Cup follows from March 23 through 29 in Ivins, Utah. That’s a 1,500-point Cup event, so the stakes will be even higher.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who Won the PPA Newport Beach Open 2026?

Hunter Johnson won men’s singles, Anna Leigh Waters won women’s singles, Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio won men’s doubles, Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters won women’s doubles, and Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns won mixed doubles. Waters earned a triple crown by winning all three events she entered.

What Were the Biggest Upsets at the PPA Newport Beach Open 2026?

The biggest upset was the 10-seed team of Tina Pisnik and Eric Oncins reaching the mixed doubles finals after beating the 8, 3, and 2 seeds. Lea Jansen’s quarterfinal comeback against 2-seed Kate Fahey, where she saved four match points, was another major storyline. The Staksrud vs. Johnson semifinal, which featured three technical violations in a single game, was one of the most dramatic matches of the 2026 season.

How Long Is Anna Leigh Waters’ Singles Winning Streak?

Anna Leigh Waters has not lost a singles match in 647 consecutive days as of the Newport Beach Open 2026. She won the women’s singles final 11-2, 11-1 over Lea Jansen and continues to dominate women’s singles across multiple PPA seasons.

When Is the Next PPA Tournament After Newport Beach?

The next PPA Tour event is the Veolia Texas Open from March 9 through 15, 2026 in McKinney, Texas. It is a 1,000-point event. After that, the Greater Zion Cup takes place March 23 through 29 in Ivins, Utah as a 1,500-point Cup event.

Where Was the PPA Newport Beach Open 2026 Held?

The SXY Newport Beach Open presented by Joola was held at the Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach, located at 11 Clubhouse Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660. The tournament ran from March 2 through 8, 2026.