Little Rock, AR, Sept 2, 2025 — The Professional Pickleball Association is proud to bring the inaugural season of the PPA Tour Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA to Little Rock, Arkansas, on Oct. 10-12, 2025, for the Rock City Rally Metro PPA Challenger. The tournament will be held at Little Rock Athletic Club and is expected to see between 300 and 600 registered players, including many professional players from the Carvana PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash).
With a commitment to fostering growth and development within the pickleball community, the introduction of the PPA Challenger Series aims to nurture emerging talent, encourage participation, and ultimately elevate the sport to new heights. Bringing together the power of the PPA Tour brand with the grassroots energy and passion of high-level amateur pickleball players, the PPA Challenger Series will create an avenue for players across America to break into professional pickleball and earn their way onto the Carvana PPA Tour. Spanning the country with over 15 tour stops in 2025, the series will feature amateur and aspiring professional pickleball players battling for victory and chasing their dreams.
“We have been excited to create more grassroots opportunities for amateur players as well as a structured pathway to the Carvana PPA Tour for aspiring professionals for a long time and we have done just that with the Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA,” said Connor Pardoe, the Founder & CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour. “This new tour will not only elevate the level of play but also inspire and motivate amateurs to reach new heights in their pickleball journey while bringing the PPA Tour’s brand of electric pickleball action to new levels of intensity.”
CHALLENGER SERIES DETAILS:
- To participate in a Challenger Series event, a Pro Division Player cannot be ranked in the Top 20 in PPA Tour at the close of entry. Any pro player outside the PPA Top 20 is eligible to play.
- The top 16 Challenger Series events played will count toward a player’s Challenger Series leaderboard ranking.
- Each Challenger Series event winner can choose one PPA Tour Open event for entry into the main draw (max of two challenger winners per draw per tournament).
- Challenger Series points count in the Carvana PPA Tour rankings but ranking points earned on the PPA Tour do NOT count toward Challenger Series standings.
- The points structure is as follows:
- Winner - 125 points
- Finalist - 100 points
- Third - 75 points
- Fourth - 50 points
- Quarterfinals - 25 points
- Round of 16 - 12 points
- Round of 32 - 6 points
- Round of 64 - 3 points
For further information, please visit the PPA Challenger Series website or click here.
“Pickleball has quickly become one of the fastest-growing sports in Little Rock, with new courts, leagues, and players popping up across the capital city,” said Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO Gina Gemberling. “We are thrilled to welcome the Rock City Rally PPA Challenger to our community. Hosting an event of this caliber not only highlights Little Rock’s increasing enthusiasm for the sport but also reinforces our city as a premier destination for both visitors and residents.”
In addition to the competitive interest and appeal, each PPA Challenger event will have a $10,000 prize pool. Participants in the Charleston Metro PPA Challenger are encouraged to continually stay tuned for the latest information as it becomes available. Registration is currently OPEN and players wishing to compete are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
The schedule for PPA Challenger Series events will be Friday through Sunday, and professionals will run on the same schedule as amateurs.
Friday - Men's and Women's Singles
Saturday - Gender Doubles
Sunday - Mixed Doubles
Ticketing for the Rock City Rally PPA Challenger is powered by TIXR. All pro and amateur players will receive a grounds pass with their fee to participate in the event. There will also be $15 grounds pass tickets for sale to friends, family and fans.
Championship Court action from the Rock City Rally PPA Challenger will be streamed LIVE the PPA Tour YouTube Channel.
For further event information, media credentialing, interviews with players and tour executives, or anything else under the sun, please email Nathan Boschult.
The Rock City Rally PPA Challenger promises to be an exhilarating experience for amateur players, offering them an incredible opportunity to take their game to the next level alongside aspiring professionals seeking to join the ranks of the world’s preeminent pickleball tour. With its enthusiastic grassroots approach and commitment to growing the sport, the PPA Challenger Series is set to make a lasting impact on the Arkansas pickleball community.