The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) brought the adrenaline to the Birthplace of Speed, hosting five high-octane Championship Sunday matches at the APP Vlasic Classic in Daytona Beach. The world’s first and world’s best pickleball tour welcomed pickleball players from all ages and skill levels over five exciting days at Pictona at Holly Hill, culminating with a new set of champions.
Megan Fudge, the APP’s all-time women’s total medal leader, and 20-year-old phenom Jack Munro stole the show with two gold medals each, including as mixed doubles partners. Former University of Miami tennis standout Sofia Sewing won her first career APP Tour gold medal in women’s singles, while Chris Haworth wrapped up his seventh consecutive men’s singles title. Munro took home the men’s doubles title alongside Will Howells, who also earned two silvers, plus Fudge and Jill Braverman collected another pair of gold medals in women's doubles.
In addition to showcasing pickleball’s elite professionals, the APP Vlasic Classic in Daytona Beach welcomed a large field of amateur players, the AARP Champions and AARP Masters Divisions, and the first round of the 2025 season-long Humana Cup team competition for pros 50 and older. Gold medalists from the event secured their rights to pre-register for the 2025 USA Pickleball National Championships.
Women’s Pro Singles
The Championship Sunday slate started with No. 16-seed Sofia Sewing taking on No. 11-seed Daria Walczak for women’s doubles gold. Sewing built off a silver-medal performance at the Humana APP Fort Lauderdale Open with a strong opening game, winning 15-12. The Miami, Fla. native continued her momentum into game two, cruising past Walczak 15-10, to clinch her first career APP Tour gold medal.
“This week was really hot, we were grinding the matches in the Florida humidity,” Sewing commented. “You have to be very mentally and physically tough, and I was just excited to play. I really love how [Daria] plays, and I think we play similarly. Mentally I was just prepared to grind a little bit and stay patient. I played a lot of good players and will keep improving myself, and I’m happy that I did.”
Amanda Hendry earned women’s singles bronze in Daytona Beach.
Men’s Pro Doubles
In a rematch from two weeks ago, the men’s doubles final featured the top-seeded Will Howells and Jack Munro against the Pacific Northwest duo of Erik Lange and Max “Purple Jesus” Manthou. Howells and Munro hit the ground running in their title defense, taking game one 12-10. Lange and Manthou wouldn’t go down without a fight, taking a 7-2 lead early in game two. Howells and Munro regrouped and stormed back to win, 11-9, securing their second straight APP Tour men’s doubles gold medals to start 2025.
Asked what made the difference in the game, Munro commented, “Our change of rhythm and change of pace. We ended up playing their game for a bit, and they took advantage of it big time. We used a timeout and had a little change of strategy, we recognized a few patterns that worked and got it done.”
“We’re really having fun,” added Howells. “We talk really well with each other on the court.”
Mark Dancuart and Patrick Kawka took home the men’s doubles bronze medals.
Women’s Pro Doubles
Next up on Championship Court, the women’s doubles final pitted one of the APP Tour’s most experienced duos, Jill Braverman and Megan Fudge, against an impressive first-time partnership in Susannah Barr and Daria Walczak. Experience proved to be key in this matchup, as Braverman and Fudge dominated 11-0 and 11-3 en route to their second-straight women’s doubles title together.
“We did our homework,” Fudge said following the win. “We did some great studying last night and we executed our game plan.”
“When you play together a lot you have the benefit of not having to over-talk or over-communicate, and it just comes from being a partnership” added Braverman.
Kelsey Grambeau and Allison Harris battled to win the women’s doubles bronze in Daytona Beach.
Mixed Pro Doubles
Another rematch from the APP Tour’s season opener in Fort Lauderdale followed suit to Daytona Beach, as Jill Braverman and Will Howells faced off against Megan Fudge and Jack Munro for the mixed doubles title. Fudge and Munro came out swinging, controlling game one to win 11-2. Following a brief medical timeout in game two, Munro and Fudge rallied from down 8-2 to win 11-9 and take home the golds.
“This guy’s a beast right here,” Fudge said, referring to Munro. “A lot of resilience. I have a lot of respect for him and his competitive spirit. He came back out here and gave it his all, and I’m just proud to be on the court with him. He carries me every other day, so it was my time to step up.”
Amanda Hendry and Chris Haworth won mixed doubles bronze, marking Haworth’s first career APP Tour doubles medal.
Men’s Pro Singles
The action concluded with Will Howell’s third title match of the afternoon, facing six-time defending men’s singles champion Chris Haworth. Haworth’s consistency guided him to an undefeated record over his last six tournaments entering the weekend, and used that consistency once more in Daytona Beach. The Oklahoma City native won each game 15-10 en route to his seventh consecutive APP Tour men’s singles title and 30th straight match win.
“I liked my aggression a lot,” Haworth said. “I feel like I came out and swung a little harder at my shots, used my ground strokes and adapted as I went.”
Alex Crum took home men’s singles bronze.
AARP Champions and Masters Pro Action
In AARP Champions Division (50+) competition in Daytona Beach, Marcello Jardim won two gold medals - one in men’s doubles with Jaime Oncins and another in men’s singles. Sheri Courter and Jose Derisi won the mixed doubles title, Angela Simon and Lee Whitwell earned another women’s gold title, and Cantillon Endara won the women’s singles gold.
In AARP Masters Division (60+) action, Steve Price and David Spearman won the men’s doubles title, Kristin Hickman and Diane Wainio took home the women’s doubles title, and Heather Iffert and John Moorin teamed up for mixed doubles gold. Lee Sponaugle earned the men’s singles gold.
Humana Cup Competition
Pictona at Holly Hill played host to the Humana Cup, a season-long team competition for pros aged 50 and older, with the first event of the 2025 standings race. Full Humana Cup standings and results can be found at theapp.global.
Additional Details
All pro winners are shown below, with full tournament results available here. The five gold medal matches from the APP Vlasic Classic in Daytona Beach will air nationwide on CBS Sports Network on Feb. 14 (6 pm ET), Feb. 16 (8 pm ET) and Feb. 17 (6 pm, 9 pm ET).
The APP Tour returns to action Feb. 26 – Mar. 2 for the APP Sacramento Open, held at one of the West Coast’s largest venues, Johnson Ranch Pickleball Complex. More information about upcoming APP events—including APP Tour dates, player registration and ticket information—is available on theapp.global. Pickleball enthusiasts can also stay in the know by following the APP on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, Threads and LinkedIn.
