HOLLY HILL — Ann Leigh Watersthe top-ranked player in the world and clearly number one on the PPA Tour in both singles and doubles, signed up part-time this week and only competed in the PPA Tour women’s doubles. Daytona Beach opens.
But the drama of her bid for another Sunday triple crown — singles, doubles and mixed doubles — will be replaced by the mild drama of her doubles final featuring a clash against a former partner with whom she split last spring.
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Waters and Catherine Parenteau were almost unbeatable until Waters hired Anna Bright as a new associate this year. Together, these two are virtually untouchable, but, in a little twist, Bright didn’t play in this week’s tournament and Waters is instead playing with Jorja Johnson, a very capable alternate who also reached Sunday’s mixed doubles final with her brother.
The brother-sister team of JW and Jorja Johnson (right) reached the mixed doubles final with a victory Saturday over Gabriel Tardio and Jessie Irvine.
They will face Parenteau and Tyra Hurricane Black, a first-time partnership entering this week as the No. 2 seed behind Waters and Johnson. Parenteau will try to win two gold medals on Sunday – she also reached the women’s singles final.
Five finals are scheduled for Sunday under the roof of Pictona’s Championship Court.
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Here is the recap…
Men’s singles
Fifth seed Gabriel Joseph will face No. 4 seed Christopher Haworth.
Haworth defeated nine-seeded Zane Ford 11-5, 11-1 in Saturday’s semifinals. Joseph and 28th-seeded Rafael Lenhard played three matches before Joseph prevailed, 8-11, 11-4, 14-12.
Ladies’ singles
Katerina Stewart will be looking for a big upset on Sunday. The 40th seed will face third-seeded Parenteau, who beat second-seeded Lea Jansen in the semifinals, 11-8, 11-6.
Stewart advanced by beating Isabella Dunlap (18), 11-6, 11-8.
Mixed Doubles
The brother-sister team of Jorja and JW Johnson, top seeds in mixed doubles, are no surprise as runners-up, but they needed three matches Saturday to beat third seeds Gabriel Tardio and Jessie Irvine, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5.
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Team Johnson will face the No. 6 seed duo of Andrei Daescu and Kaitlyn Christian, 11-5, 11-6 winners Saturday over Jay Devilliers and Callie Smith.
Women’s Doubles
Here’s the one Finals matchup that, on paper, was supposed to be: the top two seeds and four of the best players in the game.
Parenteau and Tyra Hurricane Black (2 seeds) reached the final with a comfortable semifinal victory over third-seeded Rachel Rohrabacher and Etta Tuionetoa, 11-6, 11-3.
They’ll face Waters and Jorja Johnson, who made quick work of the fourth-seeded team of Tina Pisnik and Meghan Dizon — 11-1, 11-3.
Men’s Doubles
Like her sister Jorja, JW Johnson will also have the chance to double the lead on Sunday. Paired with Augustus Ge and seeded third this week, they easily took on the fifth-seeded team of Eric Oncins and Dylan Frazier, winning 11-6, 11-1.
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On Sunday, they will face the seventh-seeded team of Riley Newman and Noe Khlif, 11-4, 11-9 winners over fourth-seeded CJ Klinger and Jaume Martinez Vich in the semifinals.
This article originally appeared in the Daytona Beach News-Journal: PPA Daytona Final Features Intriguing Women’s Doubles Match
