Zimmer Biomet Cape Coral Open concludes with standout finals and stat leaders

Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns withstood a late scare, saving a match point in Game Four and closing out a five-game mixed doubles final 11-7, 9-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-5 at The Courts in Cape Coral. The pair’s comeback in windy conditions lasted nearly two hours on the Humana Championship Court and marked Waters and Johns’ 59th career title together and their 10th this season.

Jim Ramsey’s stats wrap recorded that Waters and Johns “averted a Match Point in Game Four at 10-9-2,” while the match narrative described it as saving a championship point before they dominated the decider 11-5. The winners finished with 28 Clean Winners to Bright and Patriquin’s 22; Johns led the match with a match-high 20 Clean Winners. Waters and Johns also committed fewer Dinks Into the Net or Wide, 9-6, and fewer Serve/Return/Thirds Errors, 10-8, with the longest rally clocked at 34 shots. After the match Johns said, “I was really glad that we buckled down in the fifth game and made a lot of balls. It was obviously adverse conditions with the wind, but overall, it was a really good match.” Waters added, “I just want to thank Ben for sticking with me. In that 2nd and 3rd game, I was definitely not playing my best. I was feeling a lot of pressure from Hayden and Anna, who were playing amazing, so thank you to my partner for really believing in me. Finally, at the end of the 4th and 5th game, I played how I would want to play.”

That five-game battle continued a heated pairing storyline: Bright and Patriquin pushed Waters and Johns deep but remain without a win over the top seeds. “Even though Bright and Patriquin have yet to win a match against Waters/Johns, there is no doubt that this is turning into one of the most entertaining rivalries in pro pickleball,” the match narrative noted.

Ben Johns added another trophy in men’s doubles, teaming with Gabe Tardio to defeat JW Johnson and CJ Klinger 11-9, 11-3, 11-7. Johns and Tardio claimed their 11th career title together and their ninth this season, while the result represented Gabe Tardio’s 20th overall career title. Johns and Tardio finished with 14 Clean Winners to JW and Klinger’s 13, committed fewer Serve/Return/Thirds Errors, 10-6, and weathered a longest rally of 51 shots.

Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters also took the women’s doubles title, beating Jade Kawamoto and Jackie Kawamoto 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 for their 17th title as a team and ninth this season. Bright joins Catherine Parenteau as one of the only Tour players with 30-or-more Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. Bright and Waters posted 11 Clean Winners to the Kawamotos’ 7, limited dinks into the net or wide 9-3, and produced the day’s longest rally at 55 shots.

In singles finals, Federico Staksrud edged top seed Hunter Johnson 11-9, 11-7 for Staksrud’s 18th career title and fourth this season; Staksrud had more Clean Winners, 13-9, and fewer Baseline Drive Errors, 11-5, after rallying from a 4-0 deficit in Game Two to win 11-7. Kaitlyn Christian defeated Genie Bouchard 13-15, 11-6, 11-2 to earn her fourth career title; Christian finished with 19 Clean Winners to Bouchard’s 10 and fewer Serve & Return Errors, 17-12, with the longest rally at 10 shots.

The mixed doubles bronze went to fourth seeds Rachel Rohrabacher and Christian Alshon, who beat second seeds Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson 5-11, 11-2, 11-6 in Rohrabacher and Alshon’s first tournament together. Full match stats and extended box scores were posted in the Pro Pickleball Stats Facebook group after championship Sunday. Broadcast teams throughout the week also noted off-court storylines, including Waters’ recent paddle changes and a referenced Franklin deal; in one booth exchange Waters began, “Yeah, I mean the good thing about Franklin is no matter what ...” as she discussed equipment and mental adjustments.

With Cape Coral wrapped Feb. 15-16, the PPA Tour moves next to the Carvana Mesa Cup Feb. 16-22.