JW Johnson and Tama Shimabukuro playing men's doubles pickleball
JW Johnson and Tama Shimabukuro celebrating their men's doubles title at the Opendoor Pickleball World Championships. PPA Tour

Worlds Championship Sunday Recap: Johnson, Shimabukuro pull off epic comeback as Waters defends Triple Crown

The Opendoor Pickleball World Championships reached their epic conclusion on Sunday at Brookhaven Country Club, where five title matches were played at the year’s biggest event.

Read on for a rundown of the results.

MIXED DOUBLES: Waters, Johns outlast Johnson siblings in five games

Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns opened the day’s action with a 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 3-11, 11-4 victory over No. 3 seeds Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson.

Waters and Johns won their most recent meeting at the Veolia Chicago Cup by an 11-4, 11-4 score line, but they sure had to work for Sunday’s triumph in a contest that lasted over two hours.

 

MEN’S SINGLES: Goins goes back-to-back, ends Sock’s run

In men’s singles, John Lucian Goins won his second consecutive men’s singles title with an 11-5, 12-10 victory over Jack Sock.

Sock seemed almost destined to take his first career PPA Tour singles title after beating Federico Staksrud, Roscoe Bellamy, and Hunter Johnson to reach the final, but Goins kept his cool in the match’s big moments to win the biggest title of his career.

 

WOMEN’S DOUBLES: Waters, Bright set record with 18th straight title together

In women’s doubles, Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright overcame an inspired performance from Sofia Sewing and Catherine Parenteau by way of an 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 victory.

 

With the win, Waters and Bright earned their 18th straight tournament title together, a new record-setting mark on the PPA Tour.

MEN’S DOUBLES: Johnson, Shimabukuro complete comeback with epic win over Alshon, Daescu

JW Johnson and Tama Shimabukuro won a match-of-the-year candidate against Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu with a 5-11, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 victory for their first title as a partnership.

Alshon and Daescu appeared to be in full control after comfortably winning the first two games, but Johnson and Shimabukuro came all the way back—with the help of a very supportive, energetic crowd—to take the win after over two hours on court.

 

WOMEN’S SINGLES: Waters dominates Fahey for 300th singles win, 46th Triple Crown

Anna Leigh Waters closed out the weekend with an 11-3, 11-2 victory over Kate Fahey in a massively impressive display from the 19-year-old.

Even after already playing eight doubles games earlier in the day, Waters seemingly could not miss and comfortable took the win to secure her 300th career PPA Tour singles win and 46th career Triple Crown.


It was a memorable Championship Sunday in the Lone Star State.