Carvana PPA Tour's Greater Zion Cup Heads to Black Desert Resort in 2026

Black Desert Resort's newly built 21-court pickleball complex is hosting its first Cup-level professional event this week, as the Carvana PPA Tour's Greater Zion Cup runs through Championship Sunday, March 29, in Ivins, Utah.

With only three USA-based tournaments remaining before the PPA Finals in May, the Greater Zion Cup carries added pressure across all divisions. Being a Cup event, it is worth 1.5x the normal PPA points, so winners take home 1,500 ranking points — compared to the 1,000 points typically on offer at an Open event. As one of only five Cup events on the Carvana PPA Tour, the Greater Zion Cup stands among the most significant stops on the professional circuit.

Historically the event had been known as the Red Rock Open, but with Black Desert Resort expanding this year, a name change was in order. The resort is expanding its reputation for world-class hospitality and outdoor adventure with the new 21-court pickleball complex, which debuts in spring 2026. The PGA Tour's Bank of Utah Championship has been held at the property since 2024, and the resort's Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course has become one of the region's marquee sporting venues. Now pickleball joins that lineup.

"Southern Utah is a very special place for the Carvana PPA Tour, and we are thrilled to bring our signature area tournament to Black Desert Resort for the Greater Zion Cup," said Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour. "In partnership with our friends at Black Desert Resort and Greater Zion, we are proud to showcase this celebrated event and the best pickleball players in the world to some of the country's most passionate pickleball fans."

Brittany McMichael, director of Greater Zion, which serves as the event's title sponsor, echoed the significance of the venue change: "The Greater Zion Cup at Black Desert Resort puts our region on the global map for the sport of pickleball. The new pickleball facility will be a world-class venue in one of the most breathtaking settings, making it the ideal home for this event."

The Cup status means all of the top pros are playing, including a notable returnee. Will Howells is back playing doubles in Utah after a severe ankle injury in January. He is teaming up with Noe Khlif in men's doubles and Meghan Dizon in mixed doubles this week.

The most compelling storyline entering Championship Sunday runs through the mixed doubles draw. Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns have been beaten in 2026 but more often than not take the gold. At Black Desert, the two biggest threats to Waters and Johns are the second-seeded Jorja and JW Johnson and third-seeded Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin. Bright and Patriquin pulled off a convincing upset of Waters and Johns at the Mesa Cup in February, but their results since have been mixed: eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Newport Beach Open and runners-up at the Texas Open. Johns and Waters won both of those events, and a third consecutive title this week would go a long way toward classifying the Mesa Cup result as a one-time blip.

Wind was a major factor at the Texas stop two weekends ago, but it is not expected to be much of an issue in Utah, with winds between 8 and 11 mph. High temperatures are projected to range from the mid-80s into the low 90s, with only a slight chance of rain on Sunday.

Main-draw play began Tuesday, March 24, and runs through Sunday, March 29. All matches are available on PickleballTV and the PickleballTV App, with select windows broadcast on FS1 and FS2. The Humana Championship Court and Carvana Grandstand Court are both in action each day through Championship Sunday.