
Johns outduels H. Johnson to capture men’s singles gold
Ben Johns secured his second title in Virginia Beach with an 11-5, 11-9 victory over No. 10 seed Hunter Johnson.
Johnson has been on a tear in recent weeks, winning his first career PPA title in Atlanta last month and beating Federico Staksrud in two games in the semifinals.
But Johns didn’t let that stop him from using a closing 6-0 run to take the first game.
In Game 2, however, Johnson caught fire with his passing shots and gained an 8-3 advantage. Just as it seemed like fans would certainly get to see another deciding game on Humana Championship Court, Johns again rallied off six in a row to turn the tide.
The No. 2 seed closed out the match moments later to earn his seventh singles title of 2024.
After already having played nine games of pickleball through his first two matches of the day, Johns was ecstatic to avoid a Game 3.
“I was definitely happy to finish that one in two,” he mentioned. “Hunter hit some incredible passing shots that I had no chance at, so I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to see too many more of those.”
This is the 25-year-old’s second title in Virginia Beach after he and Anna Leigh Waters won the mixed doubles final against Jorja and JW Johnson earlier.
In the bronze medal match, Jaume Martinez Vich defeated Federico Staksrud by a 13-11, 11-8 score line.
Related articles

Allison Phillips’ brother Danny turns pro, creates rising sibling duo on tour
She’s thrilled to see him step onto the big stage alongside her.
1 day ago
-Victoria Radnothy
Soundtrack of the court: How music fuels the tournament experience
AV lead Gage Sepulveda blends player preferences and crowd energy to craft the perfect in-match atmosphere.
3 days ago
-Victoria Radnothy

Race to the Finals Update: Mixed doubles coming down to the wire
The upcoming Slam in Atlanta is the final opportunity for players to earn points to qualify for the PPA Tour Finals.
3 days ago
-Will Daughton

Rise of the backhand flick in pro women’s pickleball
Alix Truong shares her tips for developing this pivotal shot.
4 days ago
-Victoria Radnothy