After four events on our nation’s coasts, the APP Tour makes its triumphant return this week to the Midwest. We’re live from the Queen City, on the banks of the Ohio River, for one of our favorite APP Tour stops: the 2025 APP Vlasic Classic – Cincinnati has arrived.
The world’s first and world’s best pickleball tour returns to Sawyer Point for five days of elite pickleball action, culminating in what should be another thrilling Championship Sunday. Pickleball players from around the world will hit the courts to battle for hardware, featuring amateurs of all ages, pickleball’s elite pros and the AARP Champions (50+) division.
The APP Vlasic Classic – Cincinnati is also a USA Pickleball Golden Ticket event, meaning gold medalists earn the right to secure their spot at the 2025 USAP National Championships.
In addition to national television coverage on CBS Sports Network, the APP Tour is bringing four full days of livestream coverage on Championship Court on APPTV on YouTube, Court Sports Network and Facebook.
With Golden Tickets, APP Passports and record-breaking history on the line, there’s plenty at stake in Cincinnati. Here are the top storylines heading into the APP Vlasic Classic – Cincinnati.
CHASING HISTORY
Megan Fudge and Chris Haworth, both top-ranked pros in the APP World Rankings, continue their quest for the record books in Cincinnati. At 68 career APP Tour medals, Fudge has tied the all-time record for most career medals and needs one more to become the leader. Fudge will have three chances to secure the record in Cincinnati, as she competes in women's pro singles, women's pro doubles and mixed pro doubles.
Haworth has 10 career APP Tour men's pro singles gold medals, tied for the most-all time, and can take the lead with one more gold. Will Chris and Megan make history in the Queen City?
TRIPLE THREAT
Will Howells made history at the APP Fort Lauderdale Open, recording the 14th triple crown in APP Tour history with three gold medals. Howells became just the fifth man and 10th player to accomplish the feat. Howells' 10 total medals and eight gold medals lead all APP Tour pros thus far in 2025, and the Boca Raton, FL native is hungry for more.
SUPERB SOFIA
Sofia Sewing has been nearly unstoppable on the women's pro singles circuit to start 2025, appearing in all four finals and taking home two golds. Sewing won back-to-back women's singles golds earlier this year in Daytona Beach and Sacramento and will look to return atop the podium in Cincinnati. The Coconut Creek, Fla. native also earned her first career doubles medal in Fort Lauderdale, earning bronze alongside Shelby Bates.
MONEY MUNRO
Jack Munro secured his third-straight men's pro doubles gold medal to start 2025 with another win in Sacramento. Munro also shined in last weekend's APP U.S. Collegiate Championships in Cape Coral, representing the University of Texas and taking home the men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles in the individual competition portion.
GOLDEN GIRLS
Emily Cederquist and Yana Newell teamed up to win women's doubles gold in Fort Lauderdale and will look to keep their momentum going in Cincinnati as the No. 2 seeds. Cederquist and Newell also each earned a silver medal in last year's APP Vlasic Classic.
GOOD AS GOLDIN
Grayson Goldin returns to Cincinnati, where he earned his first career APP Tour gold medal in 2024. Goldin has three medals thus far in 2025 and looks to avenge his men's pro singles final defeat from Fort Lauderdale.
OSHIRO ALL DAY
Bobbi Oshiro is a perfect 3-for-3 in gold medal matches in 2025, bringing home the titles in mixed doubles twice and women's doubles once. Oshiro and Will Howells were mixed doubles champions in Fort Lauderdale, and return as the No. 1 seeds in a stacked Cincinnati field.
RAISING THE BARR
Susannah Barr took home the mixed pro doubles title last year in Cincinnati alongside Brandon Lane, a duo that returns as the No. 4 seeds this year. The Boise, Idaho native is the APP Tour's all-time total medal leader in women's pro doubles (34) and mixed pro doubles (women - 21). Barr's 55 total medals are the third-most all-time among all APP Tour pros.
DON’T MISS THE ACTION
Live coverage from the 2025 APP Vlasic Classic - Cincinnati begins Thursday, May 8 on APPTV on YouTube, Court Sports Network and Facebook, and continues through Sunday, May 11. CBS Sports Network will carry linear television shows. Dorian Craft, pro pickleball coach Dominic Catalano and APP U.S. National Team head coach Chad Edwards will be on the call.
Fans can stay posted on all the action on UTR Sports and by following the APP’s social media pages: @OfficialAPPTour on Instagram, X, TikTok, and Threads and APP Tour on Facebook.
Venue:
Sawyer Point Park
705 E Pete Rose Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Tickets:
VIP Tickets available via SITickets.com
Broadcast Info (all times Eastern):
Championship Court
Thursday, May 8 | 10 am - 4 pm ET | YouTube/Court Sports Network/Facebook
Friday, May 9 | 12 - 6 pm ET | YouTube/Court Sports Network/Facebook
Saturday, May 10 | 12 - 6 pm ET | YouTube/Court Sports Network/Facebook
Sunday, May 11 | 12 - 6 pm ET | YouTube/Court Sports Network/Facebook
Plus tune in for four one-hour shows, all on CBS Sports Network.
Saturday, 5/17 at 6 pm ET
Saturday, 5/17 at 7 pm ET
Sunday, 5/18 at 6 pm ET
Sunday 5/18 at 7 pm ET
* All dates and times subject to change
Full tournament schedule and results are available via UTR Sports.
