History will be made in Orange County, California this week as the APP Tour is set to host its largest-ever professional pickleball tournament – the 2023 APP Newport Beach Open, held June 28-July 3 at the historic Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach.
More than 1,400 players, including 1,100 amateurs, will participate in the record-breaking APP Newport Beach Open. Amateurs of all ages, elite pros, senior pros and super senior pros will participate in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competition throughout the week.
The 2023 APP Newport Beach Open will be streamed live on ESPN+ on Saturday, July 1 starting at 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT and Sunday, July 2, starting at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT. Additionally, a one-hour tournament recap special will air live on ESPN2 at 7 pm ET on Thursday, July 6.
Spectator tickets for the event are available via SI Tickets; Walk-up tickets for single-day sessions will also be available for purchase at the venue with doors opening at 8 am PT each day.
Among the top pros participating are defending gold medalists Andrei Daescu, Simone Jardim, Rob Nunnery, Susannah Barr and William Sobek. Shelby Bates, Hunter Johnson, Yates Johnson, Megan Fudge, Ryler DeHeart and Lee Whitwell all return to action in SoCal.
Sobek stole the show at The Boca Raton 2023 APP New York City Open, overcoming a 14-6 deficit against Vuk Velickovic in an exhilarating men’s pro singles tiebreaker final to win his first-ever pro gold medal. The 18-year-old from Key West, Florida will seek to defend his title in a stacked men’s singles field.
Daescu once again earned gold in men’s pro doubles in New York, his sixth in as many tournaments, while also bringing home bronze in mixed pro doubles alongside Maggie Remynse. Daescu has won nine gold medals this season – tied for the most among all APP pros this season. The Palm Beach Gardens, Florida resident will pair up with Pesa Teoni in men’s doubles, a duo that has won two golds together in 2023.
Jardim, one of the sport’s elite veterans, took home a remarkable sixth-straight women’s pro doubles gold in New York City. The Naples, Florida resident also earned silver in mixed pro doubles alongside Stefan Auvergne.
Nunnery has been on a tear as of late, winning two straight men’s pro doubles golds alongside Daescu, as well as earning mixed pro doubles gold with Barr in New York City. Nunnery has brought home five total medals over his last three tournaments.
Barr brought home another mixed doubles gold, her third in the last four tournaments, alongside Nunnery in New York City. The Boise, Idaho resident has eight total medals this season, the fourth-most among APP women’s pros.
Twins Hunter Johnson and Yates Johnson return to action following a silver medal performance in men’s pro doubles in New York City. Hunter’s 14 total medals leads all APP pros this season. The brothers have faced each other in the men’s pro singles final three times in 2023, with Yates winning the last two matchups.
Fans can stay posted on all the action by following the APP’s social media pages - @OfficialAPPTour on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok and APP Tour on Facebook.
