The PPA Tour has recently launched the Futures Tour, aimed at fostering the growth of lower-level professional players and providing more opportunities for development. According to the PPA website, the Futures Tour focuses on:
- Improving the player experience,
- Developing new and upcoming pros, and
- Promoting the growth of pickleball in smaller markets.
The pro division targets 5.0 and 5.5 players who need to qualify for the main draw. It allows lower-level pros to earn PPA points and some prize money. This initiative is an excellent idea for expanding the professional side of pickleball.
However, if you were competing in the women's division, you might be surprised to see Susannah Barr. She is by no means a newcomer to the professional sport of pickleball. As a veteran and current MLP player in the challenger division, she has proven her skills by finishing third at the PPA major Tournament of Champions. She is clearly not an up-and-comer.
At the PPA Futures, on Day 1 in women's doubles, Susannah didn't drop a single game, with her closest match being 11-6, 11-5. She had an easy time in the women's matches. In mixed doubles, she again didn't drop a game, with her closest match at 11-9, 11-6—a slightly better performance than in the women's matches, but still not particularly challenging.
This begs the question: is Susannah a sandbagger? If I were to make the call, I would say she is, and she should be ashamed of her actions. It's unfortunate for the teams that had to play against her, particularly the team that faced her in the semi-finals if they were really focused about the money but if you are a real player trying to get better at the sport then this was a good opportunity to see where you stack against the best.
Write a comment on how you feel about sand bagging.
Clayton Boydston is a self proclaimed pickleball fanatic! A former semi-pro soccer player, he was looking for a new athletic outlet as he transitioned out of soccer. He discovered pickleball when he moved to Utah County in the summer of 2021. From the moment he stepped on the court he was addicted. He studied hours of professional pickleball matches, drilled for hours, and played matches every chance he got. He started as a 3.0 player and quickly advanced to the pro ranks. Clayton loves everything pickleball and loves writing about the latest news and events of this sport he loves.
He is also a pickleball instructor and of the founders of the Boydston Pickleball Academy where they teach beginners all the way up to advanced players.