Chris Haworth, Bobbi Oshiro Win at 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships
November 16, 2024
As the 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships continue throughout the weekend, new champions in the men's and women's pro divisions have already been crowned.
Chris Haworth continued his stellar season with a straight-set victory over Patrick Kawka in the men's gold-medal match, including an 11-1 romp in the first set. Kawka was able to keep things close in the second set, but Haworth held on 14-12 for the win.
Even in defeat, Kawka had a terrific run in the tournament that included a win over Grayson Goldin, the No. 2 ranked player in the field, in the semifinals.
Haworth didn't start playing in pickleball tournaments until March 2023, but it took him just over a year to win his first PPA Tour gold medal at the Orange County Cup in June.
On the women's side, Bobbi Oshiro capped off her impressive run with a gold medal. She earned a spot in the final by knocking out top-seed Megan Fudge in straight sets in the semifinal.
Oshiro scored another straight-set win over Alexa Schull in the gold-medal match for the biggest win of her singles career.
Fudge and Goldin were able to rebound from their defeats to win bronze in the singles pro competition. Fudge defeated Amanda Hendry in the women's bronze-medal match. Goldin was able to hold off Max Green in the men's bronze-medal match.
Oshiro started playing pickleball in 2020 and took part in her first pro tournament the following year.
The action from the Arizona Athletic Grounds continues on Saturday with a full day of mixed doubles competition, as well as the traditional celebrity matches that includes former NFL players Jake Plummer and Eric Decker, former NHL player Shane Doan and six-time Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken.