Ben Johns Wins Men’s Pro Singles Final

If Sunday night’s men’s pro singles final is any indication, pickleball fans in Naples and beyond have a lot to look forward to this week as the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships are underway in a big way at East Naples Community Park. Championship Saturday is just two days away, on Saturday, April 30, with championships to be decided in the Mixed Pro, Pro Women’s and Pro Men’s categories.

But the rest of the tournament will be hard pressed to surpass the action on display at Sunday’s men’s singles final. Depending on which of the two pickleball tours you follow, Ben Johns is considered the top player in pickleball. The same claim could be made for his opponent, JW Johnson. Their match Sunday was like watching two heavyweights going blow-for-blow for three thrilling games. When it was over, Johns was the last man standing, a 5-11, 12-10, 11-7 winner over Johnson. Everyone in attendance was riveted to the one hour, six-minute match, played under the big top at Championship Court.

Johns definitely got a hero’s reception after completing his dramatic comeback over Johnson. A crowd of well-wishers waited in line to take a selfie with the affable young pickleball star. 

"People like when you win,” Ben Johns laughed as he left the court. "You’re the people’s choice as long as you keep winning,” he laughs again.

Neither player was laughing minutes earlier, when Johns had to survive two match points in a decisive third game.

 “Very tough,” Johns said. "Saved a couple match points. It’s all about making the right plays at the right times, and not getting nervous.”

Johns, a two-time U.S. Open champion, said his past success in Naples was a big part of his win.

"The confidence of having been here before,” Johns said. "I’ve won it twice. I knew I could win again as long as I buckled down. Didn’t give up.”

Johns thinks his opponent may have been feeling the pressure.

“Yeah,” Johns said, “his first time playing in the finals here. Didn’t convert on a couple plays here and there. That’s what happens at the crunch time moments - you’ve got to convert.”

“JW and Ben play on two different tours,” said Terry Graham, co-founder of the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. "So they don’t compete against each other very often. They’ve gone back and forth the last couple of times they’ve played. Now Ben’s come out ahead. JW is already a tough player, but he could become a dominant player."

Johns, who won in all pro events at last year’s U.S. Pickleball Open, is looking forward to playing with two of his favorite doubles partners this week.  First is his brother Chase.

 “Playing with my brother,” Johns smiles, "I always look forward to playing with him. We won it together last year and I’d like to repeat with him this year. I’ll be playing mixed doubles with Simone Jardim. We won it together last year. Defending another title. I haven’t played with her for a while, so it will be a pleasure to be on the court with her again. She is an absolute veteran and a warrior.”

Jardim, who lives in Naples, has become a big name in Pickleball with a long list of championships. Jardim was eliminated in the semi-finals of the Women’s Pro draw, 11-4, 12-10, by Lea Jansen, Sunday afternoon.

Graham is thrilled at the continued growth of the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships.

"We have 2,800 players this year,” Graham said. "Last year we had 2,100. Yesterday, for the party in the park, there had to be 3,000-3,500 people here. It was packed. Today at about 1:00 – 2:00 o’clock, the park was packed."

The big message Graham has for pickleball fans is to come out to the park for Championship Saturday. Even though the Championship Court is sold-out, there’s still plenty to do at the park, including watching the game on their video wall.

“Championship Court is sold out,” Graham said, "but the misnomer is, ‘Oh they’re sold out, I’m not going to go to the park.' We keep trying to tell people, 'You can come. You have 59 other courts to watch. The pros play all over.' There’s food trucks, concessionaires, and vendor village. We have the video wall. You could spend a whole day here, and people do. You have lunch, you have a beer - it’s a party. That’s what it’s all about.'"