Every January, the best pickleball players in the world head to the Coachella Valley for the Carvana PPA Masters Powered by Invited. It’s the opening Slam of the PPA Tour season, held at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Players compete in all white, the venue sits in the desert sun, and the stakes are high — 2,000 PPA Tour ranking points go to each division winner.
The 2026 edition ran January 12–18 and kicked off what promises to be an action-packed PPA season.
Basics
Here’s what you need to know about the tournament at a glance.
- Official Name: The Carvana PPA Masters Powered by Invited
- 2026 Dates: January 12–18, 2026
- Venue: Mission Hills Country Club, 34600 Mission Hills Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
- Website: ppatour.com
- Sanctioning Body: PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association)
- Tournament Tier: Slam (highest tier on the PPA Tour)
- Prize Money: Available upon request at finance@ppatour.com
- Ranking Points: 2,000 PPA Tour Points for winners of each division
- Surface: Outdoor hard courts
Divisions
The Masters features five pro divisions along with a full amateur bracket & junior events.
Pro Divisions
- Women’s Singles
- Men’s Singles
- Women’s Doubles
- Men’s Doubles
- Mixed Doubles
Amateur Divisions
- Skill levels: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0
- Age brackets across multiple categories
- Junior PPA events
Format
The PPA Tour uses a progressive draw format for all 2026 tournaments. Here’s how the week plays out.
Pro Schedule
- Monday: Pro qualifying rounds
- Tuesday–Friday: Main draw rounds (one round per division each day)
- Saturday: Semifinals
- Sunday: Championship finals
Match Format
- Main Draw: Best of 3 games, each to 11, win by 2
- Consolation: Single game to 15, win by 2 (except bronze medal match)
- Elimination Style: Double elimination with no come-around (a loss means bronze is the ceiling — no path back to gold)
- Small Events: Round robin format for events with fewer than 6 teams/players
Players
The Masters draws every top name on the PPA Tour. All players must wear white at this event, giving it a Wimbledon-like atmosphere.
2026 Key Participants
- Anna Leigh Waters — World No. 1 women’s player
- Ben Johns — World No. 1 men’s player
- Anna Bright — Top women’s doubles player
- Federico Staksrud — Perennial singles and doubles contender
- Jack Sock — Former tennis star, now a PPA regular
- Hayden Patriquin — Top-ranked young men’s player
- Gabriel Tardio — Ben Johns’ doubles partner
- JW Johnson — Top 5 men’s player
- Christopher Haworth — Rising men’s singles star
- Genie Bouchard — Former tennis pro turned pickleball player
- Jorja Johnson — Top women’s doubles competitor
Results
The Masters has a short but memorable history at Mission Hills Country Club, dating back to 2023. Below are the most recent results.
2026 Winners
- Women’s Singles: Anna Leigh Waters
- Men’s Singles: Christopher Haworth
- Women’s Doubles: Anna Leigh Waters & Anna Bright
- Men’s Doubles: Ben Johns & Gabriel Tardio
- Mixed Doubles: Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns
Anna Leigh Waters earned her fourth consecutive Triple Crown at this event. Haworth won men’s singles without dropping a game all tournament.
Full 2026 brackets: PPA Tour Results
2025 Winners
- Women’s Singles: Anna Leigh Waters
- Men’s Singles: Federico Staksrud
- Women’s Doubles: Anna Leigh Waters & Catherine Parenteau
- Men’s Doubles: Ben Johns & Collin Johns
- Mixed Doubles: Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns
The 2025 Masters was the final tournament for the legendary Ben & Collin Johns doubles partnership (at that time). Federico Staksrud captured singles gold.
Full 2025 brackets: PPA Tour Results
Tickets
PPA events offer three ticket tiers. Prices vary by day and event, so check the official ticketing page for current availability.
Ticket Types
- Grounds Pass: General admission to the venue, access to amateur courts and some pro matches outside championship court
- Courtside: Reserved seating at Humana Championship Court
- VIP: Access to the VIP lounge on championship court, including snacks, beverages, and a catered meal
Where to Buy
- Official tickets: Tixr PPA Events
- Weeklong passes available at a discounted rate
- Registered amateur players receive a grounds pass and can upgrade to courtside or VIP at the door
The PPA Tour strongly advises against buying from third-party resellers.
Watch Online
You don’t need to be in Rancho Mirage to catch the action.
PickleballTV
- Paid subscription: $5.99/month or $59.99/year
- Live coverage of Grandstand and Showcase Courts
- DVR, rewind, HD streaming, multi-court viewing (up to 6 courts at once)
- Thousands of on-demand matches
- pickleballtv.com
YouTube
- The PPA streams up to 40 courts with live and archived footage
- YouTube.com/@ppastreamedcourts
CBS
- Championship Sunday matches have aired live on CBS, with the 2026 Masters becoming the most-viewed pickleball event on any network, peaking at over 1 million viewers
Hotels
Mission Hills Country Club is in the heart of the Coachella Valley. Parking is offsite with shuttle service, so staying nearby saves hassle.
- Agua Caliente Resort Casino Rancho Mirage — Doubles as the midweek shuttle parking lot; walking distance to venue
- The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage — Upscale option with desert views
- Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa — Family-friendly, close to the venue
- Hyatt Regency Indian Wells — About 10 minutes away, solid mid-range pick
- Vrbo / Airbnb — Vacation rentals throughout the Coachella Valley
Book early. January in the desert is peak season, and the tournament draws thousands of players and fans.
Sponsors
- Carvana — Title sponsor of the PPA Tour
- Invited — Presenting sponsor of The Masters
- Humana — Championship court naming partner
- PickleballTV — Official broadcast partner
- LifeTime — Official ball partner (LT Pro 48)
- Franklin, JOOLA, Selkirk — Major paddle sponsors among top players
FAQs
Is The Masters open to amateur players?
Yes. The Masters includes amateur brackets across multiple skill levels (3.0–5.0) and age groups. Amateur matches are played alongside the pro courts. Register at pickleballtournaments.com.
Why do players wear all white here?
It’s a tradition unique to The Masters on the PPA Tour. The all-white dress code gives the event a distinguished feel, similar to Wimbledon in tennis. It has become one of the event’s signature characteristics.
What are PPA Slam-level events exactly?
Slams are the highest tier on the PPA Tour calendar. They offer the most ranking points (2,000 for winners) and the largest prize pools. There are four Slams per season, and The Masters is always one of them.
Can I meet pro players at the event?
Yes. PPA events include pro player meet-and-greets, clinics, and autograph sessions. The grounds pass gives you access to common areas where pros warm up and move between courts throughout the week.
Are PPA Tour camps available at Masters?
Yes. A two-day 3.0/4.0 camp runs at the venue during the early tournament days, from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM each day. Cost is $400 per person. Registration is through the official tournament page.
