The actions at the Pickleball World Championships in Texas reached fever pitch on Saturday night, as stuning results unfolded at Brookhaven Country Club.
Hayden Patriquin and Federico Staksrud pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, stunning top seeds and tournament favourites Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio in the men’s doubles semifinals.
On a rare night when Johns looked out of rhythm and Tardio could not find his usual power, the young pairing of Patriquin and Staksrud produced a clinical performance to halt the duo’s six-tournament winning streak. With sharp reflexes and fearless aggression, they won the match 11-8, 11-5 to seal their place in the final.
The moment proved deeply emotional for Staksrud, who was in tears after the match. “It’s been a tough year in doubles, and we worked so hard for this,” Staksrud told Pickleball.com. “I’m just so happy that we get to do this, and I have so much respect for them. Ben and Gabe are great players.”
Patriquin and Staksrud will now face CJ Klinger and JW Johnson in the final. Klinger and Johnson booked their spot with a commanding 11-8, 11-4 win over Andrei Daescu and Christian Alshon.
Staksrud chases tournament double
For Staksrud, the night carried double delight. Earlier, he stormed into the men’s singles final after a dominant 11-4, 11-1 win over Connor Garnett. He will face Christopher Haworth, who overcame a spirited challenge from Hunter Johnson in straight games. Haworth was pushed to the limit before sealing the semifinal 11-9, 12-10.
With both finals ahead, Staksrud now stands on the verge of a remarkable turnaround to what has been a rollercoaster season.
“It’s been a rocky year for Federico and I, and we’ve been doing our best training. We’re at the best tournament in the world right now and we’re going to Championship Sunday. It’s a surreal feeling, and I’m so fired up right now,” said Patriquin. “I’m just super hyped overall. Ben and Gabe are a team that’s never really been beaten, and it feels so good to do it with Federico.”
Waters dominates across all fronts
Meanwhile, Anna Leigh Waters remains the star attraction of the Championships, keeping her pursuit of a clean sweep across all three titles alive.
Partnering with Anna Bright, she cruised into the women’s doubles final after dismantling Tyra Black and Jorja Johnson 11-9, 11-2, a victory that doubled as sweet revenge. The Annas had lost to the same duo earlier this season at the Red Rock Open in Las Vegas.
“We came into this match telling ourselves that we have no pressure and we need to play free and controlled,” said Bright.
“Anna Leigh and I were both pretty comfortable, kind of hitting our dinks pretty heavy in our mixed match. But then in these kind of swirly conditions, you’re so tight, and the ball’s moving so much. So the style of play does change a lot. And it’s not easy, but it’s a welcome challenge. And I’m glad we got through it,” she added.
Waters and Bright will take on Catherine Parenteau and Parris Todd in the final. Parenteau and Todd overcame a shaky start before rallying to beat Jade Kawamoto and Rachel Rohrabacher 7-11, 11-8, 11-9.
Waters also reached the women’s singles and mixed doubles finals, though not before surviving a scare. In the women’s singles semifinal, she dropped the first game 7-11 to Kaitlyn Christian before mounting a powerful comeback to win 11-2, 11-6. In the title clash, she will now face Kate Fahey, who advanced after beating Brooke Buckner 1-11, 11-8, 11-1.
In mixed doubles semifinal, Waters and Ben Johns survived a thriller against Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin, edging past them 11-6, 12-14, 11-5. For Johns – who fell short in men’s singles and doubles – the match offers a chance at redemption on Championship Sunday. The star duo will meet familiar foes Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson in what promises to be a blockbuster final.