Short answer: The PPA Tour Europe season opened with the P250 Barcelona Open, held September 23–27, 2026. Spain’s Judit Castillo won the first triple crown of her career, and Spanish players took men’s doubles gold. It is the first of 20 PPA Tour Europe events planned in nine countries.
The 30-second version
- Judit Castillo won all three events she entered in Barcelona: women’s singles, women’s doubles with Hannah Blatt, and mixed with Zane Navratil.
- Jhonnatan Medina won men’s singles, and Spain’s Jorge Rodríguez and Alex Serrano won men’s doubles.
- It was small but real: a 250-point Challenger, 289 players from 30 countries, and a €25,000 purse.
- What it means: the PPA is building a full international calendar under the tour’s new owner.
- Next up: the 1,000-point Rate Las Vegas Open, September 28 to October 4, where Anna Leigh Waters is two titles away from 200.
It was a quiet week for the top of pro pickleball in the U.S. — no MLP, and no 1,000-point PPA event — but the tour still made news. It opened its European season in Barcelona. Here is what happened there, based only on results I could confirm, and why it matters to those of us watching from New England.
What happened at the PPA Tour Europe Barcelona Open?
The P250 Barcelona Open ran September 23–27 at Despí Sports in the Barcelona area, according to a report carried by Infobae. The organisers were the PPA and Smash Pickleball Agency. The report gives these numbers:
- 289 players, including 117 pros from 30 countries.
- 744 matches over five days, on 14 pro courts.
- €25,000 in prize money, plus ranking points.
- Free entry for spectators.
The PPA’s events page lists it as a Challenger worth 250 points. For scale, a PPA Open is worth 1,000 and a Major 2,000, per the tour’s how-it-works page.
Who won the PPA Tour Europe Barcelona Open?
The gold medallists below appear in both the Infobae report and the tournament’s results listing on pickleballtournaments.com. Neither source published final scores, so I have left scores out.
| Event | Gold |
|---|---|
| Women’s singles | Judit Castillo |
| Women’s doubles | Judit Castillo / Hannah Blatt |
| Mixed doubles | Judit Castillo / Zane Navratil |
| Men’s singles | Jhonnatan Medina |
| Men’s doubles | Jorge Rodríguez / Alex Serrano |
- Castillo was the story. Infobae describes her as a Castellón native based in the United States, ranked No. 9 in the world. The report calls Barcelona her first career triple crown.
- The home side delivered. Infobae credits Spanish players with knocking out several American favourites. Along with the men’s doubles gold, Jesús García won men’s doubles bronze, and Sabrina Méndez and María Fernández Costantino took women’s doubles bronze.
What does it mean?
The PPA is going international on purpose. According to the organisers, Barcelona opened a PPA Tour Europe season of 20 events in nine countries. The next stop is Germany in November, and the tour returns to Spain in late January 2027. PPA Asia already runs a 10-stop calendar. The money behind the push is new: in May, a $225 million investment led by Apollo Sports Capital created Pickleball Inc., the parent company of the PPA, MLP and DUPR. If the PPA vs MLP relationship is still fuzzy to you, start with our explainer.
Low-tier events are where rankings get built. A 250-point event will not move the top of the world rankings. But for players outside the top 20, points like these add up, and that helps explain why established touring pros like Navratil and Blatt made the trip. The PPA’s Asian events, such as the Kuala Lumpur Cup, are part of the same push.
The same weekend, a U.S. Challenger: the 125-point Charlotte PPA Challenger (September 25–27, 433 players) also wrapped up. I could not confirm its pro results against a second source, so I am not listing winners here. The link goes to the official results.
Off the court: The Dink reported on September 21 that MLP commissioner Samin Odhwani is leaving to join Apollo Sports Capital. That piece weighs possible successors. No replacement had been announced as of that report.
The New England angle: Barcelona drew hundreds of amateurs alongside the pros. Most PPA events work the same way. If you have ever wanted to play in the same draw as touring pros, amateur divisions at a Challenger are the realistic door. Our tournament hub lists events closer to home.
What’s next on the pro calendar?
- Rate Las Vegas Open, September 28 to October 4, at the Darling Tennis Center. It is a PPA Open worth 1,000 points. The Dink’s preview notes that Anna Leigh Waters arrives two titles short of 200 career PPA titles, and that she and Ben Johns have won mixed in Las Vegas four years running. Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio all return after missing the Arizona Open.
- MLP Nations Cup, October 30 to November 1, in Farmers Branch, Texas. Rosters and captains were announced this week.
We will recap Las Vegas once results are confirmed. Everything else is in The Pro Corner.
Frequently asked questions
What is PPA Tour Europe?
It is the PPA’s European circuit. The organisers say the season that began in Barcelona includes 20 events in nine countries, with the next stop in Germany in November.
Who won the 2026 PPA Barcelona Open?
Judit Castillo won women’s singles, women’s doubles with Hannah Blatt and mixed doubles with Zane Navratil. Jhonnatan Medina won men’s singles, and Jorge Rodriguez and Alex Serrano won men’s doubles.
How many ranking points was Barcelona worth?
The PPA lists it as a Challenger worth 250 points. A PPA Open is worth 1,000 and a Major 2,000.
Can amateurs play in PPA events?
Yes. PPA events usually run amateur divisions alongside the pro draws, and Barcelona drew hundreds of amateur players of all ages and levels.
What is the next big PPA event?
The Rate Las Vegas Open, September 28 to October 4, 2026, at the Darling Tennis Center. It is a 1,000-point PPA Open.
Sources: Infobae (September 28, 2026); pickleballtournaments.com; the PPA’s events and how-it-works pages; and The Dink (September 21 and 28, 2026).