Hunter Johnson vs Federico Staksrud at the SXY Newport Beach Open

Game 1. Time in. 0-0. Hunter gets us started. Best 2 out of 3. Let's play pickleball. That's what he was visualizing. Painting the line with the first serve of the match. 1-0. Side out. Heavy inside out from Stax Rude. 0-1. And that coverage is special. Quick as a cat because it's not a wingspan thing that makes him so effective up there. It's the anticipation. Student of the game. Cerebral. Knows the patterns. Knows the locations. Side out. The pace and the spin off the two-handed backhand of Hunter Johnson who was just wailing away with Chris Hayworth yesterday. It was something special. Good play from Hunter. Yeah, I was actually thinking that Stax Rude would start a cat and mouse point from that location. He tries to pass with pace and Hunter's all over it. 2-1. Point. So that time, Stax Rude does follow the return in and eats it. Yeah, can't even make it to get established at the kitchen line. 3-1. Point. You can see on the two-handed backhands a bit more shape and margin for error from Hunter and more flat from Stax Rude. Come on, boys. Sick court coverage on both sides. Some awkward swings because of how good the shots on the other side are. Yeah, and singles definitely much more taxing than doubles. Often in doubles, the players will just jump right in there and serve. You're going to see quite a bit of time taken in between points here. Inch of the 20 by 44 is not available. They're there. Tires screeching all over the court, sliding into shots. 2-4. You want to talk about hand cannon. That was the twoy cannon right there. Wow. And a lot of times for Hunter, he will rip the backhand pass up the line and go for a little more shape and dip when he decides to go cross court. That was the crush it variety right there. Perfect example. You see the extra dip forcing Stax Rude to hit up on the first volley when Hunter goes cross court. And his twoy is perfection today. 5-2. Side out. Looks at the bench. Gets one person to commit. And that person that committed checked with three people after he put the finger up. That was a bench. You've got to be better. 4-3. 5. Interesting. And that didn't have the funky spin that we've seen to maybe push it wide. Thought Stax Rude would probably just go with a tight to the neck cross court shot. He bunts it straight ahead and bunts it wide. 5-3. That's a stunning pass. Man, it's nasty. And took some court after the first one there, Adam. Right. I think probably sensing a short first volley or a drop volley coming. 6-3. 7-3. Terrific. Pinpoint placement from Fed. Yeah, not in a hurry after the slice drop from Hunter. Really got his feet underneath him. Played a great ball straight ahead to the forehand corner. As I mentioned, hotter. We're one degree away from 80 for the first time this week. Watching this makes me not want to play singles. Absolutely. Expect a tal T.O. Nope, we're going to get a real T.O. So it's Hunter that takes the time out here. 4-7. Side out. Fed all over that and actually picks the right location because he was looking to volley straight ahead and Hunter was breaking to the forehand corner. 7-4. On the dead sprint and brings it all the way across. Just takes a little bit off the 100% power to get the extra spin to find the angle because you can hit through the break when you're going for that sharp angle. What a view of it right there. Wow. 8-4. I mean, relentless. Obscene. And that contact point is a fickle thing, but it is dialed in right now on both wings for Hunter Johnson. 9-4. So now you want your return to be a little deeper so not to give him something on a platter and we're at game point. 10-4. That's as good a return as you can hit right there. Yeah, because when Hunter is stretched out and not in perfect position, he's not able to get the top spin. 4-10. That's just back, I think. It's just hard in the moment on that serve when it's so close. Of course, always. My older eyes could have deceived me as well. 5-10. And then just chases it. That's a play I really like from Stachsrud, and he ends up losing the point. Just carves it over there and covers cross court and just I mean, and then there's nothing worse than just stabbing your pal in the balls right at your feet. Game point, too. Just missed. The read, though. Hunter knew he's in a little bit of trouble and just sells out. Oh, he's going to challenge it. Do we have an out call? Yeah, he put the finger up. Side out. Time out. We have a challenge of the out call. The out call puts us at side out, 5-10. We'll proceed with video review. The ball was out. No free challenge remaining. One free challenge remaining. We'll resume play at side out, 5-10. Time in. 5-10. Point. There's one. You actually see Stachsrud slightly changing his ball distribution on the approach shots to the forehand. It's a little more even now where he was peppering the backhand early in the game. Point. He's got that one. He's missed that one a few times. And you have to do it. With how quick Hunter Johnson is, you have to play that outstretched forehand volley. Sometimes cross court, sometimes straight ahead. And here's three of the five. Fed is finding his footing. 8-10. And he's within one. No timeouts available. 9-10. Shot so good, Hunter can't hit it with topspin. He has to slice the backhand, and that is advantage fed. 10-10. So how about that? Switch it up. First time decides to follow the return in and actually did not hit it clean, but it was perfect because it was short. 10-10. Point. Oh, and when the grunts carry over into cheering and last for five seconds, he's on it. Game point three. Five second grunt. 11-10. There's the grunts get louder. So Staxford has saved three. 10-11. Just gets tagged with the slowest ball ever. Nothing he could do. All he can do is just puff the chest out. It's like a soccer player just taking it off his chest to his feet there. 11-10. Game point four. That's a frustrating miss there. Hunter was looking to follow that ball in too. 10-11. Side out. Rich just pulled a high risk, high reward shot to rip that ball inside in. He's taking that inside out mostly. Game point five. 11-10. So after a 10-5 lead evaporated the two-e comes clutch at the end and 12-10. What a battle. They all said the same thing. Different players, same conclusion. Stable, repeatable, shot after shot. Easily one of the best paddles, no the best paddle I've ever played with. The diamond grip and 6-0's innovation puts it back on top. Reviewer voted. All-court paddle of the year. 6-0 Coral. Go next level. Time in. 0-0. Point. You do not get extra points for hitting the right sign, Adam. 1-0. Oh, man. He tries to body him. Yes, he did. All the options, maybe five of them, and that is the choice and it was not a good one for Stacksrud. How about pulling the emergency break so he didn't plow over the net. 0-1. Point. 1-1. Side out. Very definitive call. Yeah, I think that had something to do with the discussion. It didn't have something to do. 1-1. Stacksrud to pull the inside end approach and then cover the sharp angle on the forehand side. Impressive. Osbo's paddle with his name on it destroys that volley. And handled the cross-court two-handed backhand roller from Hunter. 3-1. Side out. Have to clear the body and have the feet situated. Not easy to do with the pace that Hunter is bringing. 1-3. Side out. Yeah, and there's a verbal out call there from Stacksrud. Doesn't want to get scolded again. Yeah, he doesn't want to go to the principal's office a second time. Point. Nasty dropper. Just didn't count because the previous shot was out. 4-1. Point. Man. That kind of pace on the slide, Dave. Just don't get it. Is this Roland Garros? Is there Clay? Here comes a frustrated timeout for Hunter Johnson. 6-1. Side out. 1-6. Side out. Verbal warning from Vanity Hunter. We heard that from our corner. So now we've had both players and Drew have some interactions. 6-1. And the patrons as well. Drew's going to probably talk to us next. Side out. 1-6. Great dipping shot from Hunter. These are clearing the net by like half an inch, Adam. 2-6. Point. 3-6. Point. Cracks the top of the tape. I mean, we haven't had a real point in a while, Dave. It has been early point mistakes to get Hunter back in this. Side out. And Stachsrud stops the bleeding. Still has a one point lead. 6-5. And if you wonder why sometimes your paddle has an indentation, he was using it to push off all over the place. 5-6. Oh no. Part of the game, sir. So Stachsrud is complaining about the length of the grunt. That it's drawn out all the way to his contact. And this is not good nature right now. They're yapping at each other. This is chirping. 6-6. Oh. Oh no. Hunter screams a couple grunts past Stachsrud. I'm about to call the score. You have the option to call the head referee in. There's consequences with that. Play. 7-6. Side out. Missed it. Missed it deep. He hit it where he thought was perfect. Trying to make eye contact with anyone that can give him a flat hand right now. And there's not one available because he missed it. He's on 6. 6-7. And there it is in the little box that it was indeed out. Going on the line. And Stachsrud had to take something off because that ball was so low and short. Perfect. 7-7. Fires the forehand with pace but it's that's halfway to the baseline. And keeps it in. 7-7. And what touch from Stachsrud. That's a dipping ball at his left foot and he short hop drop shots it. 7-7. Side out. And the wind is swirling like crazy right now. Almost even seemed like a top spin skid. 7-7. Cross court. I thought Onsens was over there for a second. Trying to get the crowd involved. And he has got them on his side. Second time it's gone off the tape when he's gone that way. And after being down 6-1 it is two points from a title. 9-7. Not sure that was going in but that was a just in case. Crazy good first volley from Stachsrud. Carving the outside of the ball, tailing away from Hunter. So does he have a run of his own here? 7-9. Oh baby. I don't know how right on the line maybe on the other side. I think so. 8-9. Free challenge timeout receiver. That was pretty late. Let me finish my announcement sir. Free challenge timeout receiver 8-9, 45 seconds. He's allowed to call timeout up until the time you strike the ball. He is allowed to call timeout up until the time you strike the ball. We're on a 45 second timeout. That is exactly the rule. You can call Don Stanley if you'd like. So this is crazy. Hunter waits till the 11th hour there and Stachsrud is out of sorts but what's wild, we've called enough of his it rarely affects his play. It's wild that he's able to do that. No timeouts, one free challenge. How about the DJ playing Why Can't We Be Friends? That was amazing. Yeah, but the thing is, is these Stachsrud frustrations it's not like he's getting blown out and getting frustrated. It is tight as it can be for both beefs that he's had. Time in. 8-9. Chance to tie. Insane approach shot. Yes. Perfect. 9-9. Wow, Hunter snuck forward again, Adam. Interesting, the timing of those sneak ins. They're in very tight moments. 9-9. 10-9. 12-10 11-9. Can't be any closer. Controversy strewn all over the place, but Hunter Johnson is back. We gotta rotate. Ireland, give this man a trophy. Hunter, Fed was clearly very frustrated in that match. Pretty frustrated on the grunt. After he made that call to Drew, you did it a little bit louder. Why did you decide to go a little bit louder on the grunt? Yeah, you know, I felt like maybe he was trying to change the momentum a little bit. I had to get it back in my favor. You know, I wasn't meaning to grunt before that. It's just what you do in tennis and pickleball, it just happens. Maybe a little nerves. I just kind of maybe did have to psych myself up a little bit, and luckily I made the backhand pass. But no, I mean, Fed's a great player. He always pushes you to the edge. I mean, he got me last time in Lakeland, so couldn't be more blessed to take this title. The fans were insane today. Thank you guys so much. I love Newport. I'm gonna move here one day for sure. And we talked about the pressures of being the world number one, but when you walk away from a tournament with a gold, how much does that have as eye relief for you? Yeah, I mean, I started this year just hoping to get one tournament. Now I got two. I think my goal this year was to get six, so it's a lofty goal, but I like to kind of push myself. You have to at this point. You know, everyone's kind of gunning for that number one spot. Hayworth's on my heels. Fed's on my heels, so yeah, I gotta keep myself motivated. Just keep putting in the work and yeah, it's working well. Let's keep it going. You're taking a week off next week. Where are you headed? Yeah, we're going to Necker Island. Gonna be a fun little getaway with some pickleball, some fun, some good eats and a good time. So yeah, just reset, have a good time and looking forward to it. Well, let's get the trophy in your hands Hunter. We bring in Mark Bonfigli, CEO and founder of SXY. Mark. Thank you. Here you go Hunter. Congratulations and incredible week. I think not only on the court with your feel and I know, right? Imagine I'm there ten minutes. I didn't know if I was going to drop the thing, but what I wanted to say also is your energy man. Way to bring it for the crowd. One more time for Hunter. Come on. And if you love pickleball, you have to own one of these. So thanks again and a reminder to everybody here, please go to SXY.com and enter for the thousand dollar shopping spree. Ten o'clock tonight we'll give someone one lucky person a thousand dollar shopping spree to all of our amazing gear. Thank you Mark. Congratulations Hunter. Dave, back to you. Adam, we need to enter. We have some of the stuff in the booth. It's fantastic. So cool.