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PPA double-header: Sacramento & Malaysia

PPA double-header: Sacramento & Malaysia

The Vintage Open features a throwback wooden paddle competition

Team KOTC
September 25, 2025

Sacramento Vintage Open
Panas Malaysia Cup
Where to Watch
Flick Weights
KOTC on Cameo

It’s a one-of-a-kind weekend as there are two PPA events happening with top US players: PPA Asia Malaysia (featuring Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Christian Alshon), and the Sacramento Vintage Open, a throwback all wood paddle pro event.

We’ve given a full preview of the Vintage Open on the pod - watch here - but use this as our viewing guide for everything happening this week, starting today!

Sacramento Vintage Open

The air crackles with nostalgia and curiosity as pro players, accustomed to carbon fiber and composite power paddles, are swapping their usual gear for standard-issue wooden paddles. This is poised to be a fascinating experiment in old vs. new, technique vs. gear, and tradition vs. technology.

When the PPA announced earlier this year an all-wood paddle tournament, hosted at Life Time Arden, it initially extend to amateurs, too. However, likely due to some concerns raised by participants, it was decided the wood paddle requirement would only extend to pros.

Life Time Arden

Why Wood Paddles?

In events like Vintage Open, everyone uses wood. That tosses out much of the technological advantage, forcing skill, timing, and shot placement to take the lead. This tends to give an advantage to OG players who came up in the sport before power paddles became such a dominant part of today’s game.

Wood paddles aim to level the playing field - see who cuts it when paddles are equalized. (Perhaps that’s why some players have fled to PPA Malaysia for this tournament? Not willing to find the answer to that question?) This experiment also reinforces fundamentals; without a high-powered “pop,” everything must be dialed in and the “soft game” becomes substantially more important.

But let’s not forget the romance in it: wood grain, sanding, the creak of an old handle, the look of a paddle that feels “alive.” That heritage sells: fans, participants, media coverage. In the Vintage Open, look for more deft dinking, and unexpected angles that would be “too soft” in modern matches.

If you’re ready to feel like it’s 2022 all over again, this is the tournament to watch! It all begins at 2 p.m. ET today.

Women’s Singles

Jimmy’s predictions: Semi-finals: Lea, Layne, Kate, Cailyn Campbell for the upset run.

Men’s Singles

Poised to be the event where we see the most difference from wood paddles!

Jimmy’s predictions: Wyatt Stone upsets Jack Sock. Brandon French beats James Ignatowich. Semi-Finals: Connor, Fed, Blaine & the winner between Tyler & Jay.

Mixed Doubles

Jimmy’s predictions: JW & Jorja in finals. Jessie & Gabe and Layne & Riley for a solid run. Team to watch - Lucy & Travis for quarters.

Women’s Doubles

Jimmy’s predictions: Tyra & Jorja vs. Etta & Lacy in the finals. Callie & Jessie make a solid run.

Men’s Doubles

Jimmy’s predictions: JW & Dylan to win. Jay & Riley and Blaine & Pat Smith make a run

PPA Asia: Panas Malaysia Cup

Maybe the timing is coincidental with the Vintage Open, with certain players not excited to play a wood-paddle tournament, but many big names opted out of PPA Sacramento in favor of a PPA Asia tour stop in Malaysia.

With Joola being a title sponsor of the PPA Asia tour, we’re seeing many of Joola’s top US pros making the trip: Ben Johns, Tyson McGuffin, Anna Bright, Zoey Wang. (Of these, only Zoey is playing singles)

Other US-signed PPA players participating in this event: Christian Alshon, Grayson Goldin, Kaitlyn Christian, Hannah Blatt, Liz Truluck, Eric Oncins, Zane Navratil, and Truong siblings Alix & Jonathan. These players earn half the points for the event, to contribute to their US tour ranking & race.

Play started yesterday (Wednesday) US time, so the event is already into Quarterfinals. Full coverage details are in our viewing guide below.