Wind Chaos, Stunning Upsets & Breakout Golds: CIBC Texas Open Finals in Focus
The inaugural PPA CIBC Texas Open turned McKinney, Texas into a wind-swept battleground, with gusts up to 40mph challenging 1,300 players. Christian Alshon snagged his second straight singles gold, while 17-year-old phenom Anna Leigh Waters extended her finals streak to 38-0. Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio fought through a dramatic comeback in men’s doubles, and Tyra Black and Parris Todd dominated women’s doubles. This wild weekend showed just how far players will go to claim Texas gold.
McKinney, Texas became pickleball’s windswept battleground this weekend as the PPA CIBC Texas Open made its premiere in the Dallas suburb.
With over 1,300 players braving conditions that would make a kite enthusiast giddy, the tournament tested not just skill but sheer determination. Sustained winds of 27mph and gusts up to 40mph turned routine dinks into adventures in aerodynamics. The heart rate benefits from these challenging conditions made the matches even more intense for cardiovascular fitness.
The elements couldn’t stop Christian Alshon from claiming his second consecutive singles gold, dominating Federico Staksrud 11-4, 11-7. Alshon’s 20 clean winners told the story – he wasn’t just playing against Staksrud, he was mastering the wind itself.
Meanwhile, Anna Leigh Waters continued her reign of terror in women’s singles, extending her finals winning streak to 38-0 by defeating Kate Fahey 11-4, 15-13. The victory put her on track to achieve another triple crown success like she did in Cape Coral.
At just 17, Waters remains pickleball’s unstoppable force, making Kate Fahey her latest victim in an epic 38-match finals streak.
The doubles action proved similarly dramatic. Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio, the new kids on the block as partners, pulled off a rollercoaster victory in men’s doubles. After dropping games two and three, they stormed back to claim their initial gold together. Who doesn’t love a comeback story?
In women’s doubles, Tyra Black and Parris Todd didn’t just win – they demolished the competition. Their straight-sets victory over Callie Smith and Etta Tuionetoa was clinical, efficient, and about as subtle as a Texas tornado. The scores (11-5, 11-5, 11-4) reflected their complete dominance.
The tournament’s decision to continue outdoor play despite wind speeds that could’ve launched small children raised eyebrows. The old rule about halting play at 17mph winds? Gone with the wind, literally. Officials considered but ultimately decided moving indoors wasn’t feasible for maintaining the viewer experience and fan attendance.
But in the end, these challenging conditions created a unique spectacle for viewers watching on PickleballTV, FS1, and FS2. Sometimes the best stories come from the worst weather.
