Gibson, Pidoima and Zhang Lead Champions at Paddle Palace Summer Open

The 2026 Paddle Palace Summer Open delivered another outstanding day of competition as players of all ages and experience levels battled through Round Robin events across ten divisions. From exciting doubles play to breakthrough performances by developing juniors, the tournament once again demonstrated the depth of talent within the Paddle Palace community.

Ryan "The Nightmare" Gibson Dominates the Open Division

The marquee event of the day belonged to Ryan "The Nightmare" Gibson who captured the Open Singles Round Robin championship after defeating a strong field of competitors.

Ryan finished ahead of Michael Groom, who earned second place after an impressive tournament of his own, while Ayllon Giladi claimed third place. Pavlo Pidoima narrowly missed the podium after another excellent performance, finishing fourth.

Ryan's day didn't stop there. He also teamed with Walter Poelzing to capture the Under 3600 Doubles Round Robin title and added a second-place finish alongside Kerry Blum in the U4200 Doubles, making him one of the busiest and most successful competitors of the tournament.

Pavlo Pidoima Adds Two More Titles

Fresh off his Giant Round Robin championship earlier this spring, Pavlo Pidoima continued his outstanding 2026 season.

Pavlo teamed with Nicholas Daescu to win the U4200 Doubles Round Robin before returning to the tables to claim the Under 2250 Singles championship. He also finished fourth in the Open Singles, proving once again that he can compete successfully across multiple levels.

Michael Groom Continues His Strong Form

Michael Groom enjoyed one of the strongest tournaments of the day.

Along with his runner-up finish in the Open Singles, Michael captured the Under 2000 Singles championship with consistent attacking play and smart decision making throughout the event.

Andy Zhang Sweeps Two Divisions

One of the biggest stories came from Andy Zhang, who claimed two tournament titles.

Andy won both the Under 1200 Singles and the Junior Round Robin, highlighting the continued development of one of Paddle Palace's promising young competitors.

Competitive Battles Across Every Division

Several other players turned in championship performances throughout the day:

🏆 U1800 Singles
Igor Briker defeated Tanmay Galankar in the final standings, while Nate Dauz earned third place.

🏆 Under 1600 Singles
Sung Choi claimed the championship ahead of Burke Walls and Vladimir Cernov.

🏆 Over 40 Round Robin
Simon Engler captured first place over Igor Briker, with Merlin Miller finishing third.

The Under 3600 Doubles title went to Walter Poelzing and Ryan "The Nightmare" Gibson while Kerry Blum and Burke Walls earned second place.

Thank You

A special thank you goes to everyone who competed, volunteered, and supported another successful Paddle Palace tournament. The Summer Open once again provided great competition, excellent sportsmanship, and plenty of memorable rallies.

Congratulations to all of our champions and medalists. We look forward to seeing everyone back at the next Paddle Palace event!

Event Champions