PPA 2021 Championships Las Vegas

 

20:45 Tyson McGuffin vs JW Johnson 2:10:54 Jay Devilliers vs JW Johnson

Pro Mixed Doubles
Jill Braverman/Zane Navratil vs Jorja Johnson/Wyatt Stone

Vivienne David/DJ Young vs Jorja Johnson/Wyatt Stone

Monica Paolicelli/Austin Gridley vs Jorja Johnson/Wyatt Stone

Rachel Summers/Shiv Krishnaswamy vs Jorja Johnson/Wyatt Stone

Allyce Jones/Big E Markowitz vs Jorja Johnson/Wyatt Stone

Florida’s Professional Pickleball Mixed Doubles Dream Team Wins Gold Medal At AAP $60K Hilton Head Open

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Florida’s Professional Pickleball Mixed Doubles Dream Team Wins Gold Medal At AAP $60K Hilton Head Open 

Simone Jardim, 41, and Teenager JW Johnson, 18, Win First Mixed Doubles Title

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC  (October 19, 2021) -- Considered the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Women’s Pickleball Player, Naples, FL, based Simone Jardim, 41, and Delray Beach, FL, professional pickleball teenager JW Johnson, 18, won their first Mixed Doubles Gold Medal at the Association of Professional Pickleball (APP) Hilton Head Open. The Florida duo beat Jessie Irvine and Jay Devilliers in two games for the title: 11-6, 11-4. (Highlights, Interviews)

Hilton head was where it all began for JW one year ago. In one year, he went from playing mixed doubles with his 49-year-old mother to playing with one of the greatest women to ever play the sport. Virtually going from not being able to find a partner to playing with the top in the game.

Jardim is a Brazilian-American professional pickleball player that was ranked the number one woman player in the world from 2016 to 2020. She won the US Open women's singles four consecutive times (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and is a two-time triple crown winner of the US Open Pickleball championships, winning in singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles in 2017 and 2018. As of 2021, Jardim holds the record for most women's Pro Pickleball Association titles with 32. (Source: Wikipedia) 

“I believe I was one of the first people to play with JW at Veterans Park a long time ago,” explains Simone Jardim. “I also taught his sister (Jorja) while he helped. Again, this was a long time ago and I believe he was still playing tennis. I do have more experience than JW and because of that I might understand tactics a little better, but he was on point and executing it. His hands are as fast as Usain Bolt’s feet!”

Men’s doubles saw JW paired up with fellow teenager Dylan Frazier, to take his second gold in a stacked men’s Field. It was Dylan Frazier‘s first gold medal. The Teen Team beat AJ Koller and Callan Dawson: 9-11,11-2,11-7

In Pro Women’s Doubles, Simone won a Silver Medal with Canadian Catherine Parenteau. 

Photo: Julie Johnson

Julie Johnson, 50, a senior pro pickleball player, was able to take the gold medal in women’s doubles and singles. Both gold medals required “double dipping” and winning games to 15 after winning the two out of three regular games. The singles final was a nail biter against Jen Lassandro: 9-11,11-3,12-10,15-12 (The first three games were to 11, win by 2 points. The fourth game was to 15, win by 2 points.)

 

JW, Jorja (JW’s 15 year old sister) and Julie (mother), APP/DUPR #1 Senior Women’s Pro Pickleball Player, travel coast-to-coast together playing in pro pickleball tournaments. 2021 Johnson Family Schedule

Follow Simone, JW and Julie’s journeys on Facebook.

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APP 2021 HILTON HEAD OPEN

 

MIXED DOUBLES

11:31 JW Johnson/Simone Jardim vs Zane Navratil/Vivienne David 2:57:12 Jessie 'Trinity' Irvine/Jay Devilliers vs JW Johnson/Simone Jardim

MEN'S DOUBLES

14:49 JW Johnson/Dylan Fraizer vs John Cincola/Tom Wilson 1:57:29 JW Johnson/Dylan Fraizer vs AJ Koller/Callan Dawson

SINGLES

1:01:47 JW Johnson vs Jay Devilliers

Men's Doubles: JW Johnson/Dylan Frazier vs AJ Koller/Callan Dawson 

Mixed Doubles: JW Johnson/Simone Jardim vs Jessie Irvine/Jay Devilliers

Press Release 2021 Hilton Head Open

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Professional Pickleball Family At APP 60K Hilton Head Open

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC  (October 15, 2021) -- Pickleball professional teenager JW Johnson, 18, will be playing in the Association of  Professional Pickleball (APP) Hilton Head Open $60,000 Purse Gold Ticket Qualifier for Amateurs and Pros, October 15-October 17, at the Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball. 

In August at the Tournament Of Champions,  JW  beat Ben Johns, 22, the #1 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles Pickleball player in the world at the Tournament of Champions in Brigham City, Utah: 11-9,9-11,11-3. (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)

 

Johns had not lost a singles match since the summer of 2020. JW broke Ben’s winning streak of over 170 matches. 

 

The teen then faced Tyson McGuffin,  the #2 singles pickleball player in the world, twice. Winning their first match: 11-8,6-11,11-7 and then the Gold Medal Final: 11-0,9-11,11-3 (Highlight Reel 5+ mins) 

 

In July, JW won his first professional Men’s Singles Title at the APP 2021 Beer City Open in Grand Rapids, Michigan defeating the #1 Rank AAP Men’s Singles Pro Jay Devilliers, 26, in the Gold Medal Match:  4,11, 11-8, 11-5 (Highlight Reel, Game 3)

 

“Well, it happened to be Jorja’s (JW’s sister) 15th birthday and she ran down and hugged her brother and said this was the best birthday present she could have ever gotten,” said Julie Johnson, JW’s mother, after the Beer City Gold Medal match.  “He has been so quiet and just smiling and soaking it all in. I told him last week, I said “JW Tennis doesn’t need you, Pickleball does.” I think after this victory today he might listen to his mother!”” 

 

JW, Jorja (JW’s 15 year old sister) and Julie (mother), APP/DUPR #1 Senior Women’s Pro Pickleball Player, travel coast-to-coast together playing in pro pickleball tournaments. 2021 Johnson Family Schedule

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Julie Johnson Makes It All Happen on the Pro Pickleball Tour

BY STACIE TOWNSEND

The Johnson family—mother, senior pro pickleball player, Julie Johnson, and her two pro pickleball playing kids, JW Johnson and Jorja Johnson—are taking the pro pickleball world by storm, so much so that they may even be solving the age-old question of nature versus nurture.

A few years ago, the Johnsons moved from Kansas to Florida in pursuit of a tennis career for teenager, JW Johnson. While not exactly like being ripped away from Kansas like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, the Johnsons knew no one in their new home in Naples, Florida. Starting from scratch, and looking for ways to engage in their new community, the Johnsons—which also included Jack Johnson, Julie’s husband and JW’s and Jorja’s father—would go play pickleball as a family. Through pickleball, the Johnsons quickly started meeting new people and making new friends.

Then, not long after, the Johnsons moved again to the east coast of Florida to Delray Beach. Again, knowing no one, they turned to the sport of pickleball to help meet people and make new friends. This was particularly beneficial for the matriarch, Julie, as pickleball (as compared to tennis) allowed her to get “out” and “drop in” to play based on her busy schedule of running around JW and Jorja to their various activities. For a long time, the Johnsons, while they enjoyed the sport of pickleball, did not think much more of it than a fun activity that they could do together and with their community in and around their busy schedules. (Read More)

The Ask Coach Mike Show welcomes Sr Pro Julie Johnson!

Interview with Julie Johnson 

1:44 How did Pickleball find you? 3:24 Tennis background 4:06 Taking it to the next level 5:55 Was Mircea the first person that asked you to play? 7:49 One year ago you were battling Lea Jansen in the singles finals in Hilton Head 11:09 Staying health and strong 13:15 Workout routine off the court 15:32 Sports growing up 16:33 Kids are consumed by technology these days 17:34 What is it like playing with Mircea? 21:55 At the Texas Open, Zane Navratil asked to ride to the airport with us 22:46 International tournaments in 2022 30:37 Jorja Johnson 32:33 JW Johnson 35:01 Eden Lica 40:20 What's been your favorite venue to play and why? 42:29 What has been your favorite moment on the pickleball court? 46:28 What excites you most about the future of pickleball? 48:26 Nutrition

PPA 2021 Texas Open Shootout

 

JW and Anna Leigh Waters, 14, won a Bronze Medal in Pro Mixed Doubles

Mixed Doubles

17:28 Dekel Bar/Vivienne David vs JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters 1:17:26 Ben Johns/Simone Jardim vs JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters 5:50:42 Dekel Bar/Vivienne David vs JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters (Highlight Reel) AJ Koller/Lea Jansen vs JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters 
Dylan Frazier/Andrea Koop vs JW Johnson/Anna Leigh Waters 

Singles 

1:59:11 JW Johnson vs Jay Devilliers 4:51:07 JW Johnson vs Rob Nunnery

Gold Medal Match on Fox Sports: JW Johnson (Silver) vs Zane Navratil (Gold)

Doubles

1:43:06 Ben Johns/Matt Wright vs JW Johnson/Callan Dawson

PPA 2021 Texas Open Shootout Press Release

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, Pro Pickleball Singles Champions

(Photo Credit: Leigh Waters/Julie Johnson)

              

Pro Pickleball Teens Play Together In Texas Open Shootout

Anna Leigh Waters, World #1 Ranked Singles Champion, and JW Johnson, World #7 Ranked in Singles, Teamup For Second Time In 2021

ROCKWALL, TX  (September 30, 2021) -- Delray Beach, FL based teens Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, are playing mixed doubles in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Texas Open Shootout, September 30-October 3, at the Oasis Beach and Tennis Club in Rockwell. The dynamic duo played together in March at the Delray Beach Open.  (See Highlights)

Texas Open Shootout matches will be live streamed on the PPA YouTube Channel.

Anna Leigh Waters (AL) won her third consecutive professional singles title and the pro Women’s Doubles title with her mother, Leigh Waters, at the Orlando Cup earlier this month. 

Top Photo: 2018 Texas Open

Gold: Sarah Ansboury / Lucy Kovalova

Silver: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters

Bronze: Katie Dyer (Not in Photo: Kasandra Gehrke )

Bottom Photo: 2021 PPA Orlando Cup

Gold: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters

Silver: Simone Jardim / Lucy Kovalova (#1 Team In The World)

Bronze: Jessie Irvine / Catherine Parenteau

Leigh Waters: “Top photo is Anna Leigh’s and my first Pro Tournament playing together as a team!! It was the 2018 Texas Open and AL was 11. We got Silver!!

In a few days we head back to the Pro Pickleball Association Texas Open and I’m able to reflect on all that has happened between these two events!! Never did we imagine the memories, experiences, and possibilities this great sport would bring us!!

But you know what’s so SPECIAL about this sport?? You don’t have to be a pro to make these kinds of memories and have amazing experiences together in the sport of pickleball. So go grab a family member, a friend, a neighbor, and go make some memories! I promise you won’t regret it!!”

Last month, Anna Leigh won Pro Women’s Single Titles at the PPA Takeya Showcase in Newport Beach, CA and the Tournaments Of Champions in Brigham City, UT. She is rated #1 in Pro Women’s Singles on the September 28, 2021 Dupr Top 25 Player List while JW is rated #7 in Pro Men’s Singles.

Anna Leigh is the youngest to win a Professional Pickleball Singles title. 

Last month, JW Johnson beat Ben Johns, 22, the #1 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles Pickleball player in the world at the Tournament of Champions in Brigham City, Utah: 11-9,9-11,11-3. (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)

Johns had not lost a singles match since the summer of 2020. JW broke Ben’s winning streak of over 170 matches. 

The teen then faced Tyson McGuffin,  the #2 singles pickleball player in the world, twice. Winning their first match: 11-8,6-11,11-7 and then the Gold Medal Final: 11-0,9-11,11-3 (Highlight Reel 5+ mins) 

 

In July, JW won his first professional Men’s Singles Title at the APP 2021 Beer City Open in Grand Rapids, Michigan defeating the #1 Rank AAP Men’s Singles Pro Jay Devilliers, 26, in the Gold Medal Match:  4,11, 11-8, 11-5 (Highlight Reel, Game 3)

 

JW, Jorja (JW’s 15 year old sister) and Julie (mother), APP/DUPR #1 Senior Women’s Pro Pickleball Player, travel coast-to-coast together playing in pro pickleball tournaments.

 

Follow JW Johnson’s Pro Pickleball journey on Facebook at JW Johnson Pickleball

Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters, “the mother/daughter duo” (#TeamWaters) won the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title in Indian Wells, CA. At 12 years 10 months, Anna Leigh became the youngest athlete to win a professional championship.

The TeamWaters Pickleball Story Began in 2017

“The mother/daughter duo picked up the sport back in 2017 when they evacuated their home in Florida due to Hurricane Irma and stayed with Leigh’s parents for a couple of weeks. Leigh’s dad introduced them to the sport and from there they were hooked. “I think we played like morning, noon and night for two weeks straight while we were up there and the rest is history,” said Leigh.”

The inspiring mother/daughter journey can be followed on Facebook and Instagram. 

Team Waters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)

Lynn Cherry, Pickleball Podcast: “Actually, the media kit was really helpful. It really made it very fast to prep and the timestamps on the (interview) videos were great because I could get to exactly what I wanted to see or hear. I think that is really key!”

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