Stewart surges past Dunlap to make first career PPA final
Kat Stewart advanced to her first career final on the PPA Tour with an 11-6, 11-8 victory over No. 18 seed Isabella Dunlap.
It looked like Dunlap might force a third game when she got up 6-1 in Game 2, but Stewart went on to score ten of the match’s final 12 points to secure the win.
The No. 40 seed hadn’t played a PPA Tour event since March and started this week in the qualifying rounds, but she has certainly proven herself with Saturday’s triumph, which came on the heels of her quarterfinal win over top seed Kaitlyn Christian.
“This is a dream run for me. I’m super happy with the level I’ve been playing at, and it just shows that all the hard work I’ve been putting in is coming to fruition,” she said afterwards. “I’m from Miami, so it was a short four-hour drive, and I just wanted to get some reps against the best.”
Stewart will face No. 3 seed Catherine Parenteau in Sunday’s final.
“I’m super excited to play Catherine. I’ve been watching her since I started playing pickleball, so it’s just gonna be a great experience for me,” she mentioned.
Dunlap will take on No. 2 seed Lea Jansen for bronze.
Related articles
Singles rematches take center stage in PPA Hong Kong Slam quarterfinals
Rika Fujiwara will face Sahra Dennehy in a rematch of their quarterfinal from last week's Australia Pickleball Cup.
6 hours ago
-Pickleball.com Staff
The pros are going on the best side quests in Asia
From celebrating fake birthdays to ancient Chinese rituals, the pros are having a lot of fun abroad.
10 hours ago
-Victoria Radnothy
What makes Ben Johns so good at pickleball?
Zane Navratil breaks down the G.O.A.T.'s game to identify exactly what makes Ben Johns so tough to beat.
14 hours ago
-Pickleball.com Staff
McGuffin reflects on career at Hong Kong Slam: ‘I never thought I’d be in the position that I am now’
After ten years in pickleball, there are still moments that compel Tyson McGuffin to pause and reflect on just how far the sport has come.
1 day ago
-Will Daughton