The Newmans, Devilliers, Castillo to Headline Grand Opening Gala

September 13, 2023

The "Pickle Ball" Social- December 20, 2023Richmond, VA – Performance Pickleball RVA is excited to announce the 1st Annual Pickle Ball, which will commemorate the grand opening of the dedicated pickleball facility at Regency. Riley and Lindsey Newman, Jay Devilliers and Judit Castillo will headline the event, which will take place at PPBRVA on Wednesday, December 20th, and feature a professional exhibition, a VIP meet and greet experience, food and drink, live music and a celebration of pickleball in the RVA. The Pickle Ball will benefit Laaser’s Ladybug Society.

Performance Team professionals Jhonnatan Medina Alvarez, Tim Cass, Derek Kraje and Christina Shifflett will also take part in the professional exhibition. Additionally, they will hold clinics and host opportunities to play with the pros throughout the day.

“We are creating what we feel is the finest pickleball facility in the country, and in order to properly celebrate its grand opening, we wanted to bring some of the finest players in the world to the RVA,” said PPBRVA COO Jon Laaser. “RVA and Henrico County are building into a pickleball powerhouse and we are beyond eager to celebrate that evolution in December.”

Riley Newman, a 17-time PPA Tour gold medalist and five-time major champion, is currently the #2 rated men’s mixed doubles player and #4 rated men’s doubles player on the PPA Tour. Riley and his sister Lindsey Newman form one of the most formidable mixed doubles teams in the world, and Lindsey is currently the #9 rated women’s player on the PPA Tour’s mixed doubles rankings.

Devilliers, known to fans as the Flying Frenchman, is a top-10 rated player in all three PPA Tour divisions. He is currently ranked 5th in men’s singles, 8th in men’s doubles and 9th in mixed doubles. He claimed his first PPA Tour gold medal in mixed doubles along with Jessie Irvine at the PPA Championship in Las Vegas in 2021.

Castillo, a former tennis professional, is one of the fastest rising stars in the sport, ascending to #4 on the APP Tour’s rankings for women’s singles. After advancing to the gold medal match at the U.S. Open, she claimed gold at the APP Tour’s Sunmed Sacramento Open in April of this year.

Medina Alvarez, who will train out of PPBRVA and serve as it’s resident professional, is the currently the #3 rated men’s singles player on the APP Tour. He recently earned a silver medal at the APP Sunmed Open in St. Louis, his first tournament representing Performance Pickleball.

The Pickle Ball will feature an exhibition, with the Newmans squaring off against Devilliers and Castillo and Medina Alvarez and Castillo. Performance Team professionals will also mix in for cross play and shotmaking demonstrations.

The Gala event will also feature live music from Mike Szvetitz, food and drink throughout the evening, a VIP meet and greet, a ribbon-cutting ceremony for PPBRVA and guided tours of the newly-minted facility.

Tickets for The Pickle Ball will be discounted for PPBRVA members and will go on sale at PPBRVA.com on Monday, September 25th.

Memberships to Performance Pickleball RVA are currently available for reservation at PPBRVA.com.