Federico Staksrud vs Ben Johns at The Carvana Mesa Cup

Grandstand a moment ago said will be our first server for this one. Who from Fed opening point? I also think that is really going to try and press forward. Then it's not comfortable at the baseline. In fact, when Ben really had his number, it's a lot easier to hit serve returns and come in. Your analysis on point there too. Yeah, back in 2023, the paddle technology we were still using Gen ones there. You couldn't really power through people. Those were the days. You could return and come in. I miss those days. But you know, Caitlin Christian and Jeannie Bouchard are bringing it back for the women's game. That's good thing they really are. It's something I have to work on as well. 30. Alright, quick start. 40 point what a shot. What a start for Federico Stacks. Rude a commanding 5 nothing lead in Game 1. 50 then takes the net first, sends the volley wide. I don't think we're going to see a timeout at all. I think so either. Did see a few yesterday from Ben. Here we go 60. Wow, it's just tough, tough to do nowadays. Stay at the baseline and hit drop after drop. You see it's very clear Fed is cranking his serve, taking the first one and is saying pass me Ben 7-0. Now Ben's having depressing start 8-0. What a shot. Geez, wow, I mean we're in pickle territory here, Lea. 9-0. Do you think a part of this too? With Ben not playing as much singles, he's maybe his rep level at the in these matches with the new style. Maybe not. As sharp as the top of the fields. I think that's definitely part of it. I don't know how much he practices singles. I'm sure he didn't come out here. Just cold turkey, but it is different. But with his pedigree, it's hard to imagine. Wow, what a job there. Zilling it from Ben Johns getting a couple. Less about the reps at home, but the match reps are different. As you know, the the match speed is a different animal tournaments. Not that he's any stranger to that, but where the game has changed. That's a great play right there. He was at backhand low enough to get fed to hit up on it where he was then able to drive the much preferred forehand in the open window. Problem is in men singles to consistently get that ball low is very, very tough. Guys are so good out of the air now. Well, that's a great play. Has taken the 8 nothing start personally for straight points on his side. Another look. About driving crash. Won a lot of titles that way. Who makes it interesting perspective? That makes sense. Interesting approach. Like a short little bunt approach, inviting fed in. 9 five. Oh wow, she's so good. Denies feds chance to go up game point twice. And looking in the next round, winner of this one gets Christian Alshon as opposed to Matthew Barlow. Semis. Great serve. Point really good serve but look back at it, but I do believe it was in 7 straight. Little much. He's going to challenge it. He being bent. Might try and ice the kicker here too. The outcome, the result of the rally is side out 9-7 after review. The result of the rally stands. Ball was out. Lots of free challenge. No free challenge. Federico Saxford is one of the most intense and serious. They all act like they know us. Alright, you you win the debate fed taking advantage of the lengthy pause. Yeah, if I'm fed, I kind of like that. Yes, game point. 10-7 What a shot. Let's see what he brings out in the beginning of game two. Ooh, set out 0000. Ooh, almost a great there play there by fed. Been really pushing towards the net right now. 10. Oh, what a point. Zero one. Fed in full command. Ties it early looking to flip the script that has haunted him since 2023. It looked like Ben was on that volley and just kind of floated it a little bit too much. One one. Wow, looking smooth. One one step for Ben Johns. How about the mixed doubles final two between Waters and Johns against Gabe Tardio and Captain Parenteau? Wild to see that one in the quarterfinal too. Point little out there. Yeah, I mean that's going to be such an entertaining one. Former partner of Annalee Waters and women's doubles. Current men's doubles partner of Ben Johns head to head one. Lots of drama. Ooh, just wide got mentioned finals for one. A slick 3rd from Ben Johns. Casual as always, drips it back behind. Now 5-1 looking very sharp in this game too. Wow, big serve, big drive. Think this one's going three six one. Looks like it so far. I hope so. We haven't had one yet. I know pretty routine on the 1st. Ooh, speaking of routine side out. That looks like a very routine backhand right there. 1-6 want to drop from Federico Stacks. Rude heads up play another look at it. 2 goes big, keeps Ben back. Tough to beat Ben or in that direction and another one for Fed. What is? Looked like Ben was walking to the bench. Interesting. 3-6 what a serve big serve. Well, Ben closing quick on that serve working to his advantage that point that backhand roll there is just so pretty. A good drop by Federico and Ben handles it with ease. No going back behind Federico again with that backhand down the line. Showing some diversity. On that backhand side. 7383 unbelievable come back here for Ben Johns never in a panic, never in a hurry. Federico trying to go to the forehand side to open up Ben's backhand is. Woken up a little bit and giving Ben forehands when he is set is dangerous. 10 three. Wow, he's there. Man, he hit that tweener hard. Yeah, he did think he knew he had to go for broke. Twitter pass would that have been something? 410.510 there with his feet planted in the net. Here comes Federico. Late push. It's always big, even if Federico loses this game, I always say you never just want to roll over, change the momentum. Oh wow, Ben trying to get the Federico 710. Oh sorry now so lucky there. Ben short hop out approach and fed just missing it in the tape. 10 seven game point returns to the power of Ben Johns. Oh no board to force it in three. Even Ben looks to be commiserating with Federico on that let cord hand. We called it. This one's going 300. Side out. Alright, not what fed wanted. This is where you really wonder 007. This is really where you really wonder if the head to head messes with you. That's what I was just going to say. Just wipe her bad. If you're in fed shoes, does it weigh on you? Say this is you and Annalie. Oh yeah, I mean I mean yeah, it does come down to a mental standpoint where you're just like, oh, is this happening again? Oh wow, taking that backhand back behind Ben and the two handed to a put away impressive. 10 and then look at it. Zero one. Oh my goodness, he's there. Yes, he is. Takes his time, no way. An amazing volley and the precision. That is why he can cat and mouse anybody up. He's locked in now. 11 master. I can't believe that one stayed in. Neither can fed. 21 still early. 21 that taking that one early point when someone approaches on the line. The crosscourt is open if you hit a good shot and Ben keeps that one low. Struck in bed. Great shot right there. Impressed with the resiliency there from Federico Stacks. Rude body language was concerning for a moment of where he thought this one might go. 13 just miss. I really feel like in the past like couple years fed has. Immensely improved his body language is overall antics on the court and I'm all for the antics but fed is really matured. Oh my so pretty yeah it is and it's dangerous that Ben Johns is feeling his two handed back him and he's shown so much diversity he's gone crosscourt he's gone down the line. He's taking pace off. He's sped pace up. It's looking good. 41 man point Ben serve has really amped up in these last two games. Yes, it has gets on you quick. One big influence on the new Pro 5 series with the seal up. And he takes it and pushes it behind Federico Stacks. Rude that is so impressive. And it forced fed to hit up on the shot. He's doing that here on center court dancing on Federico here in Game 3. Just wide. 16 side out 6-1. Who that was a great return by fed and Ben still was able to get a short forehand look out of it. These drops by Ben are just low enough that to get fed reaching. Oh nice. Fine, alright, that's gotta he's gotta go. He's gotta ramp up the serve, ramp up his intensity. Try and keep Ben back and get in. There you go. Wow, because it anyways, what a return. I mean, what a serve. Ben did a great job returning that. Impressed forward, but when feds got a short forehand, look out. 3-6. Big serve. See ya. Oh, Ben funnels his return to the middle and Federico Stacks. Rude comes to life. That is a great. Great set up right there. Going back behind Ben and closing the gap. Two of the originators of the driving crash out here. Oh geez. So good, how does he create that kind of point? He just took the risk. He went for it and Ben has great net coverage. He anticipates very, very well. He got stuck that volley back behind fed. 64 beautiful shot. Interesting a fed to come in on that one. But not a great return sitting up in the middle. 74 Oh no, I'm out here. Much needed time out for Federico. And the Ben show continues. Unfortunately for Ben Jackson. It's time now for our Yola ready to play. You know what point I'm talking about? Leah, it was a volley at the net that you assessed any other player would drop this. Looked like he was going to. And then he chips it the other way, right there stumps Federico Stacks. Look at this again. Why is it so impressive? Remind us the coverage, the balance. These are tough shots that you're hitting on the run that he's hitting with touch and precision, keeping it just out of Federico's strike zone and keeping that point alive. You could identify that as a turning point too. He turned to the crowd, gave a roar. You don't get much emotionally out of Ben Johns, either direction, positive or negative. But when you do, you know he's engaged. Absolutely. Right now we're seeing locked in Ben, which is troublesome if you're Federico Stacks. 15 seconds. Receiver, no timeout. Server one timeout. Time in. Eight, four. Forcing Fed to hit up and Ben can tee up his forehand. Hated Patrick Lynn with his parents. 9TP routinely from Federico Stacks. Why would Ben use this angle here, knowing the ATP is at risk? I don't think he meant to send it that far. That's a natural shot, especially with something so close to the net. Man. Side out. Ben has been approaching forehand a lot on this side. Nine, four. Side out. Last push here for Fed. Ooh, just went there. And how do you feel if you're Fed, you just won Kate Corle and you come into this draw and you say, I have Ben in the quarters? I mean, I'm the two seed in this tournament. I think most of the guys now aren't shocked by any tough singles draws. You know, it's just all tough. Yeah, Noe Khalifa, the round of 16. There's no easy outs nowadays. Ask Hunter. Oh, not trick. For vintage Ben Johns. 10, four. All right. Still alive. Life support, but he's hanging on. Four, 10. Well, hey, give that a lot of credit. It's going to go down swinging, we'll see. Not out of it yet. 10, five down. Couple of match points he saved. Five, 10. Oh, pretty. That's slippery. Six, 10. Serve. Aggressive point again for Federico Stasrud. He's forcing himself to the net and forcing Ben to pass him. Seven, 10. Gonna work there today. Side out. Nice run. Three points for Fed. Not out of it yet. Match point number two for Ben Johns. 10, seven. Knocking us all again. Moving up to the semifinals. Ben, it's a loaded field nowadays in men's singles. You've been to the semis so many times before, but what jumps out to you about this semifinal appearance in Mesa? Yeah, and you know, like you said, it is a very stacked field, so you can expect a lot of difficult matches. So I knew I was gonna have to pace myself throughout this week, because it is gonna be a lot of tough matches. So I guess the mentality, both in that respect and in just playing singles for the first time in a while is pretty much swing out, you know, hit big serves, hit big passing shots and go for smaller margins, I think. And, you know, when they're dropping, it feels great. And, of course, it's not always gonna happen. And when you don't, you're gonna be missing a lot. But that was kind of the mentality going into this week and it's working well so far. Ben, congrats. So you haven't been in a singles draw in a while and you're playing great here this week. You won it last year. Is there something about Mesa that just brings out the best in you? Or do you feel like these conditions favor you? You know, I guess we'll say too soon to say. Ask me again at the end of the week and we'll see. But yeah, I mean, I guess you're right. I think I've won it maybe the last two years in singles at least. So yeah, I think maybe the conditions being a little dry and kind of this indoor that shields you from the wind feels like it's a nice controlled environment, which I definitely like. And a nice active, engaged crowd doesn't hurt. And Ben, you're such an engineer of this game. So I wanna ask you about a specific point, what I identified as a turning point there in game three, long rally with you and Fed. You got to the kitchen line, covered it well. It's on the screen now, so you can analyze it with me. You get to the line and then you flip this ball to the corner. Most people would have just dropped that into the cat and mouse play. But how did you have such a heads up notice to know this corner was open here, right there? You know, that's one of my favorite shots. It has been for a long time in singles, kind of holding the backhand and going either line or cross with it. So I felt like he was a little late getting the line. If I hit it within probably half a foot of the line, then I could get it past them. So I was confident going for that shot. But I think it was really the one before that that really got me there. The jump in the air, will the ball. I love it. Well, you're always one step ahead of the game and it's great to have you back in singles and it's gonna be an epic semifinal battle between Ben Johns and Christian Ulshan, which we will have for you tomorrow. Thanks so much, Ben. Congrats.