What a weekend in Austin, as professional pickleball returned to the Texas. If you missed any of the action at the PPA Onix Austin Showdown, we have you covered with our PPA Austin Texas recap! Here's everything that took place in the Lone Star State.
The Weather Factor:
We talked in our preview how weather could play a factor in both the schedule and play this weekend as the pros were moving from the hot and humid conditions in Florida to the cold and rainy conditions in Austin, Texas.
On Thursday singles had to be moved to a nearby indoor facility at Dreamland Dripping Springs for the first few rounds, before action resumed at the Elevate Athletic Club. On Friday it played an even bigger role as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped significantly.
For those who tuned in there was a huge side advantage on championship court with teams winning most of their games when playing into the wind as opposed to with it. In doubles, playing into the wind has its advantages. It allows players the ability to drive their 3rd shots with little to no fear of the ball sailing long. On the flip side, playing with the wind makes it nearly impossible to drop your 3rd shot into the kitchen and also forces players to back off going full speed on their drives.
All of Friday’s quarterfinal mixed doubles matches went to a third and deciding game, as we saw Vivienne David and Thomas Wilson up 6-1 on Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters late before losing 11-8.
Conditions mellowed on Saturday and Sunday, but it’s important to note for future events that extreme weather conditions can lead to higher variance results as the top teams are more vulnerable to upsets.