NML Blog: APP Atlanta Metro Open – Fantasy Draft Preview
It’s a $60,000 prize pool this weekend at the APP Atlanta Metro Open. There’s going to be streaming on ESPN plus as this is a USA Pickleball associated tournament. We do not have women’s singles included in our fantasy draft for this tournament as there are only 5 women entered in the draw. It has to be a concern for the APP going into next year when they have only 5 women for a singles draw and 7 teams for a women’s draw despite this being a $60K prize pool.
That’s a big prize pool for pickleball and that prize pool doesn’t include any money given for appearance fees like the PPA tournaments do. It’s not the first time we have written about the dearth of women in the sport but it’s somewhat incomprehensible more women wouldn’t want a piece of this pie. Going into 2022, it looks like Lea Jansen, Catherine Parenteau and Callie Smith are all going to be PPA contracted players. That does not leave many women out there to play singles in the 30 APP tournaments in 2022, especially with Irina Tereschenko not appearing in these APP draws either. We’re hoping to be incorrect about this but, as we have said, players are going to be more picky with so many tournaments.
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