PPA Australia Pickleball Open - Day 3 Wrap Up

Match Highlights

Semi-Final Tyson McGuffin / Lacy Schneemann vs Quang Duong Vivian Glozman 10-12/11-7/11-4

Tyson McGuffin's dominance over the tournament has been undeniable. Already booking his spot into the Men’s Singles Final and the Men’s Doubles Final, his triple crown chances were still alive heading into the third day. As the second seed, he and his partner Lacy Schneemann were heavy final favorites. 

Their path to the semi-final included decisive wins: 11-4/11-3 against Rika Fujiwara & Haruki Kato (Round of 32), a crushing 11-1/11-0 victory over Australians Somer Dalla-Bona and Robert Stirling (Round of 16), and another 11-4/11-3 win against seventh seeds Roos van Reek and Zane Navratil (Quarter-Final).

Quang Duong & Vivian Glozman faced some tough opponents in their run, and started with Tina Bianchi & Chris Turvey in the Round of 16, which Duong and Glozman were able to defeat 11-1/11-2. In the Quarter Final, Duong and Glozman came up against Tom Evans and Helana Spiridis who are ranked 4th in the Men’s Mixed Doubles rankings, and 4th in the Women’s Mixed Doubles rankings. Duong and Glozman were just too good in the end, winning against the Australians 11-2/11-3. The Quarter Final was a top clash against the 3rd seeds, Tyra Hurricane Black & CJ Klinger. Despite a close first set, Duong and Glozman pulled off the upset, sealing a 11-8/11-3 win giving them a ticket to the Semi-Final

In the semi-final, Schneemann's strong serving gave her and McGuffin an early 8-3 lead in the first set. Duong and Glozman rallied back, overcoming two game points at 10-7 to remarkably win the set 12-10.

The second set showcased McGuffin's flair and trick shots, delighting the Melbourne crowd. McGuffin and Schneemann again took an early lead, going up 7-0. A pattern emerged: longer rallies favored their superior physicality. Despite a late push from Duong and Glozman, McGuffin and Schneemann closed out the set 11-7, forcing a third and decisive set.

Duong and Glozman won the first point of the final set, but McGuffin and Schneemann quickly took control, building a dominant 10-1 lead and ultimately winning the set 11-4, securing their spot in the final.

Semi-Final Jessie Irvine/Gabriel Tardio vs Jay Devilliers/Allyce Jones 12-10/11-9

Top seeds Jessie Irvine and Gabriel Tardio dominated their path to the semi-finals. They started strong with convincing wins against Harrison Brown and Seina Shima (11-3/11-2), followed by another decisive victory over Australians Nicola Schoeman and George Wall (11-4/11-3) in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, they faced the highest-ranked Australian pair, Mitchell Hargreaves (ranked 2nd nationally in Men's Mixed Doubles) and Emillia Schmidt (ranked 3rd nationally in Women's Mixed Doubles). Despite strong local support, Irvine and Tardio continued their impressive run, winning 11-4/11-2.

Jay Devillers and Allyce Jones also displayed their prowess, beginning with a dominant win against Isabelle Papazyan and Thomas Lashford (11-2/11-0). They faced a tougher challenge in the round of 16 against top-ranked mixed doubles players Joseph Wild and Danni-Elle Townsend. While Wild and Townsend pushed them hard, Jones and Devillers prevailed 11-8/11-4. Their quarterfinal match against the fifth-seeded pair, Alix Truong and Collin Johns, was a closely contested battle, but Devillers and Jones emerged victorious 11-4/11-9.

The semi-final clash between Irvine/Tardio and Devillers/Jones was a high-intensity affair. Both teams showcased incredible skill, with Jones even diving across the court to make plays. Irvine and Tardio's offensive strength was matched by Devillers and Jones's ability to convert defensive plays into attacks. The first set was a nail-biter, reaching 10-10 before Irvine and Tardio clinched it 13-11.

The second set maintained the intensity, but cracks began to appear in Devillers and Jones's game as Irvine and Tardio took a 10-6 lead. A timeout was called, allowing Devillers and Jones to regroup.

While Jones and Devillers used the timeout to regroup on their bench, Tardio and Irvine remained on the court, their expressions neutral and almost detached. Reflecting on their partnership after the match, Irvine explained, “I’m very serious and he’s very calm…we have a good balance.”

While Jones and Deviller managed to win back a couple of points, narrowing the score to 10-8, Irvine and Tardio closed out the match with crucial shots, winning 11-8.

Best Dressed

Justin Koning and Karlo Krstanovic won the 19+ Men's Doubles Skill (3.0-3.99) in a colourful display, sporting the American soccer uniform. When asked about their choice of attire, Justin explained that Karlo, being Croatian, originally wanted to wear the Croatian soccer kit. However, Justin decided they should represent the US instead.