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Veolia Texas Open Pickleball Tournament Heads to McKinney in March 2026

More than 20,000 fans are expected at The Courts of McKinney as Anna Leigh Waters, Ben Johns, and Hunter Johnson compete March 9–15.

Nina Kowalski3 min read
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Veolia Texas Open Pickleball Tournament Heads to McKinney in March 2026
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Qualifying rounds are already underway at The Courts of McKinney in McKinney, Texas, where the Veolia Texas Open presented by Proton kicked off Monday as part of the Carvana PPA Tour's spring schedule. The weeklong event runs through Sunday, March 15, with more than 20,000 fans projected to pass through 3253 Alma Rd before the gold and bronze medal matches close out Championship Sunday.

Women's world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, a Nike athlete and the sport's most decorated player, headlines the field alongside multi-time champion Ben Johns and men's world No. 1 Hunter Johnson. Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard also features in the draw, and local players Blaine Hovenier and Michael Loyd round out a field that spans all five professional divisions: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles.

"North Texas is the home of professional pickleball in the United States, and we are proud to return our spring tournament, the Veolia Texas Open, to The Courts of McKinney," said Connor Pardoe, founder and CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour. "Fans in the Metroplex and beyond are invited to come out and witness the best of the best in America's fastest-growing sport put on an unmatched display of pickleball excellence."

The pro draw follows a single-elimination format, with matches played 2/3 games to 11, win by 2. Championship Sunday shifts the format slightly for doubles, where the gold medal match stretches to 3/5 games to 11, win by 2. Semifinal losers meet in a bronze medal match under the standard 2/3 format. There is no Bonus Draw, no Back Draw, and no PPA Points Draw in this event.

Live television coverage begins Thursday, March 12, when the Round of 16 tips off on PickleballTV across the Humana Championship Court and Carvana Grandstand Court. That broadcast schedule continues through Sunday's finals. For matches outside the PickleballTV window, the PPA streams up to 40 courts, live and archived, on its YouTube channel.

AI-generated illustration
AI-generated illustration

Amateur players competing alongside the pros are rated on a 1.0–5.0 scale, with professionals rated 5.5 and above. The 5.0 and 4.5 skill brackets play double elimination with no come-around, meaning a loss drops a team to the consolation path at best, with a bronze medal as the ceiling. Consolation matches are one game to 15, win by 2. If a division draws fewer than six teams or players, the format converts to round robin with no playoffs.

Registration for the amateur field closed March 7 at 5:00 PM CST, at a flat rate of $105. Players who registered for pro events are being notified this Wednesday whether they earned a spot in the main draw or are placed in the qualifier bracket, with main draw sizes determined by the number of automatic bids per event.

Spectators on-site can bring bags, water, and snacks, but outside meals and beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, are not permitted since food and drinks are sold within the venue. Sponsor activations, shopping, and local food vendors are also part of the tournament footprint.

The growth backdrop for all of it is striking: organizers report that pickleball participation has climbed more than 300 percent over the past three years, and the Veolia Texas Open is one of several major professional events North Texas is hosting this year.

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