Hargreaves Triple Crown at Professional Pickleball Association Australia – Auckland Open

Author: Sange Carter | April 1, 2024

The PPA Tour Australia (PPAA) launched its first international event in New Zealand. Albany Tennis Park was the perfect indoor venue as host where elite level play from around the world was on display.

Despite it being Easter Weekend there was a fantastic number of Pro’s and amateurs competing over the 14 courts. Crowds flocked on Saturday evening to cheer on the home grown talent. There were plenty of opportunities for new and different players to make surprise runs to the Gold Medal Matches

Click here for the PickleballBrackets.com home page for the event, where you can get tournament details, draw sheets, and results.

Let’s take a look at the action from the event.

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Men’s Open Singles

As is the norm, there were no surprises with the winner of the event, but the rest of the field threw everything at Mitch Hargreaves. Filipino, Leander Lazaro pushed Hargreaves all the way in his first PPA Tour Australia appearance. Joey Wild rounded out the podium after beating local Jai Grewal in the Bronze. A great run by Kiwi Connor Robertshawe and Alex Fairbanks to bow out one match short of a medal match.

Gold: Mitch Hargreaves Silver: Leander Lazaro Bronze: Joey Wild

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Women’s Open Singles

The Women’s draw saw a new queen at the top with Pei-chuan Kao claiming the gold after Yu-chieh Hsieh withdrew with severe illness. The ladies from Taiwan will have to await the next event for an on court showdown. Both ladies were tested in their quarter finals by Dalla-Bona and Sciaky pushing them both to 3 game matches.

Michaela Haet polished off a great tournament securing the bronze medal over American Jasmine Almageur. Almaguer knocked out hot favourite Roos van Reek in the back draw Semi Finals after a gruelling run of 5 matches to get to the medal playoff.

Gold:Pei-chuan Kao Silver: Yu-chieh Hsieh Bronze:Jasmine Almageur

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Open Mixed Doubles

Gold: Schmidt & Hargreaves Silver: Kao & Masand Bronze: Burr & Pascoe

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Open Men’s Doubles

In a stacked draw in Auckland rich with international talent the local lads were up and about to take it to the visitors. Great runs through the backdraw from Corbett & Person in their first pro event. New Zelander Jai Grewal and his teammate Mitch Hargreaves took the choccies on Easter Saturday in an epic 3 game battle with their good mates George Wall & Joey Wild.

Pickleball Hall of Famer, Wes Gabrielson claimed his first podium on the PPA Tour Australia, teaming up with Roman Estereja. The gents looked crafty and cat-like to take down Bhatia & Pascoe to claim the Bronze Medal.

Gold: Hargreaves & Grewal Silver: Wall & Wild Bronze: Gabrielsen & Estereja

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Open Women’s Doubles

Well, they may have faced off in the Women’s singles but Pei and Hseih were on the same side of the court and were taking no prisoners. They dominated the early rounds of the event, but were tested in the quarter final by Burr & Townsend and again in the semi by Dalla-Bona & Sciaky, requiring all 3 games to seal the matches.

Meanwhile their opponents in the final didn’t drop a game enroute and this was set to be a cracker. The ladies from Taiwan, however, proceeded to put them in a great position to take it to the Aussie duo or Haet & Schmidt taking gold, 11-8, 12-10. This also set up Pei for a chance at the elusive Triple Crown!

Gold: Hseih & Kao. Silver: Schmidt & Haet Bronze: Van Reek & Hart

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Masters 50+ Competition It was great to see the Master’s athletes in New Zealand come to play and really take it to those who travelled across from Australia.

Men’s 50+ Singles: