DALLAS, TX - After introducing pro pickleball to the progression draw at Nationals back in October, the PPA has decided to bring it to 10 of the 25 tournaments on the 2024 tour schedule.

Those 10 events encompass the PPA Slams and PPA Cups, which are the bigger tournaments that give out more ranking points to the victors.

As the implementation of the progression draw becomes a more common occurrence at these events, the PPA has also adjusted draw size, composition, and execution.

This updated format allows for up to 48 competitors in each pro draw: 40 automatic qualifiers and eight spots for players who come through the qualifying draw.

The 40 automatic qualifying spots are filled in order of the following criteria:

1. The ten players/teams with the most PPA ranking points in that event over the last 52 weeks.

2. PPA touring players in singles, and teams featuring two PPA-touring players in doubles.

3. Teams featuring a PPA touring player and a non-PPA touring player get the next spots in doubles.

4. Committee Seed selections will be placed into the No. 13 and No. 14 spots and can include players and teams that would not otherwise automatically qualify for the main draw.

5. PPA ranking points are used to determine the rest of the automatic qualifiers.

The other spots in the main draw will be filled by players who come through the qualifying draws.

Here’s how the schedule of play will look based on a 48-competitor bracket.

Qualifying matches will take place Tuesday morning, and then Play In matches featuring the qualifiers and the lower seeds will be that evening.

Second round matches will follow from there, taking place Wednesday morning. Round of 32 matches will be held that evening.

Starting in the Round of 16, the progression draw will return to what fans saw at Nationals, with players competing in one match per event per day.

Singles matches will be first on each day, followed by mixed doubles, men’s doubles, and then women’s doubles.

The top eight seeds receive an automatic bye to the Round of 16, while seeds 9-16 receive a bye to the Round of 32.

With the larger draws, these byes become even more valuable than they were before. The hope is that not having to play the top players right off the bat will give newer and lesser-known pros the chance to gain more exposure in the early rounds.

“Helping get players on Center Court as much as possible was the biggest driver,” said PPA Tour President Bryce Morgan. “This format gives us time to plan matches and get more pros on TV, too.”

Morgan also says that spreading out matches from day to day will allow fans to follow storylines more easily throughout the duration of the tournament.

“We need to get away from a big jumble of matches that we race through on the way to Championship Sunday,” he explained. “Now, we have more time to follow the brackets and let the anticipation build on the way to Championship Sunday. The pros put too much energy, effort, and time into these tournaments for us to race through all of the great matches.”

Click here to watch PPA broadcaster Dave Fleming and PPA CEO Connor Pardoe further discuss this adjusted progression draw that will debut at next week’s PPA Masters.