The APP debuted an all-new event format that electrified the crowd at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday afternoon: the APP NYC Pro Shuffle™. In two thrilling championship pools nationally televised on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), Megan Fudge earned the overall women’s title and Jack Munro emerged as the men’s overall winner.
In this exciting new APP Tour pro event, 16 men and 16 women competed for the right to be crowned the best doubles player on the APP Tour. The men’s and women’s players were divided into four pools of four players each, and “shuffled” into different team matchups for round robin play. The top teams advanced to knockout rounds, and the two champions were crowned.
Women’s Championship Pool
Following two rounds of pool play to begin the day, Susannah Barr, Jill Braverman, Megan Fudge and Christa Gecheva secured their spots in the women’s championship rounds. Game one went in favor of Barr and Fudge, 21-13 against Braverman and Gecheva. A back-and-forth game two gave Barr her second win, as she and Braverman snuck past Fudge and Gecheva, 21-19. Fudge and Braverman took game three with authority, 21-9 over Barr and Gecheva, and by virtue of a +18 point differential, Fudge was crowned the overall champion.
“It was a fantastic day,” said Fudge, who also earned two gold medals over the weekend at the 2024 Zimmer Biomet APP New York City Open. “I felt like the ball looked like a volleyball, I was seeing the ball really well. It was a little chaotic, but I tried to have fun, move well, and have high energy for my partner and myself. It was a fun event.”
Men’s Championship Pool
Next up on championship court was the men’s championship rounds featuring Brendon Long, Jason McNulty, Jack Munro and Will Sobek. Munro and Sobek teamed up to take game one over Long and McNulty, 21-16. Sobek kept his winning streak going in game two, partnering with Long in a 21-17 win over McNulty and Munro. Game three went in favor of Munro and Long, 21-17, over McNulty and Sobek, and due to a total-points tiebreaker between Munro and Sobek, prompted a deciding game to five to determine the overall men’s champion. The ensuing game displayed some of the best talent in pickleball and ultimately went in favor of Munro and Long 5-2, leading to Munro’s overall victory. Munro, a member of the 2024 APP Next Gen U.S. National Team, also secured his first career APP Tour gold medal over the weekend’s 2024 Zimmer Biomet APP New York City Open.
“In New York a year ago, I didn’t even qualify for mixed doubles and went 0 and two in men’s doubles,” an ecstatic Munro said. “Coming here now and not only competing but performing well enough to get some medals is definitely huge in a year’s time. I owe a lot to [APP Founder] Ken [Herrmann] for finding me and helping me flourish.”
The APP NYC Pro Shuffle™ marks the conclusion of the 2024 Zimmer Biomet APP New York City Open, which saw more than 1,400 players descend to a pickleball mecca at the transformed USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Final Women’s Standings – 2024 APP NYC Pro Shuffle™
1. Megan Fudge
2. Jill Braverman
3. Susannah Barr
4. Christa Gecheva
5. Mari Humberg
6. Amanda Hendry
7. Regina Goldberg
8. Carolina Lopez Ascarate
9. Allison Harris
10. Bobbi Oshiro
11. Yana Newell
12. Riley Bohnert
13-16. Shelby Bates (alpha)
13-16. Arielle Butler (alpha)
13-16. Judit Castillo (alpha)
13-16. Kelsey Grambeau (alpha)
Final Men’s Standings – 2024 APP NYC Pro Shuffle™
1. Jack Munro
2. William Sobek
3. Brendon Long
4. Jason McNulty
5. CJ Klinger
6. Ryler DeHeart
7. Johnny Goldberg
8. Stefan Auvergne
9. Richard Livornese
10. Jayden Broderick
11. Andre Mick
12. Will Howells
13-16. Jack Foster (alpha)
13-16. Brandon Lane (alpha)
13-16. Spencer Lanier (alpha)
13-16. Rob Nunnery (alpha)
