PPA Arizona Quarterfinals Extended Highlights

Remember, Kiara took Annalie Waters to three games in Atlanta back in May, so she has given Annalie a handful. And she's going to do it again right here, right now. Let's play. So Greg, I'm going to ask you to finish my statement here. For Kiara to win today, she must do what? Nearly 850 days since her last defeat in women's singles. Hard to imagine. Point game, 11-3. Completely went off the tracks for Kiara Kunimoto. How do you explain that, Greg? I've been a lobster hater a little bit. I still think in doubles it's eh, but in singles, I'll tell you what, it's definitely a weapon. Annalie's smartly using it every single time. Annalie's playing her younger sibling in basketball or something, and you're not allowed to post up because you're bigger, you know? You shouldn't be able to use the lobster. It's almost like an unfair advantage. Oh, beauty. Side out. 1-4. First point for Kunimoto, trying to follow it up. Oh, what a get. Not that time, though. Really nice. Point. Side out. Tell you what, not many players can do that right there to Annalie Waters. No. That ball skips out. Annalie Waters does it in two games, putting out the fire that Kiara Kunimoto has brought to the court here in Mesa. The world's number one, finally a chance to smile after using the lob serve to the utmost degree. Can't wait to hear what she has to say about that. We'll talk to Annalie. Both of you come out all guns a-blazing, and then at some point you change things up and start using that lob serve. I've never seen you use it that much. Have you ever used it that much in one match? Honestly, I think the only time I've ever used it that much might have been the first match I ever used it, period. So yeah, it was definitely a lot of lob serving, but she came out firing. She was really pushing me back, I felt like, and taking balls early and hitting it really hard. And I felt like I was hitting good passes, but it was still pretty close, so I was like, why don't I try to kind of mix up the tempo. We had a pretty tight match in Atlanta, and I remember not using the lob serve, so coming into this match I kind of wanted, you know, was thinking in the back of my head about using it, and then I used it. And it worked on the first point, and I kind of strayed from it a little bit. And then when I came over to the bench, my mom was like, Annalie, you've got to hit that like every time. So I started hitting it every time I listened to her. Annalie, great match. You're obviously not playing women's doubles in this one. You're used to playing three events. What's it like playing two events body feel a little more fresh? Do you like it, not like it? For sure, yeah. I haven't played two events in a while, so I kind of forgot how nice it is just to play two. It's a lot easier to focus on each event. I feel like sometimes when you're trying to, not even like on the physical side of it, obviously physically it's a lot harder, but mentally, you know, focusing and changing your mindset three times in one day can be difficult, because the three disciplines are honestly so different. Especially because on the women's I play the left, but I'm especially thankful here that I'm not playing gender, because the matches are finishing really late, so I'm getting to go to bed a little earlier than everybody else playing gender doubles. And a little bit later on, Annalie, you and Ben Johns are going to team up against Elliot Shupp and Kunimoto again, so you're going to face her one more time here. What's it like having that target on your back and taking everybody's best shot, game in and game out? Yeah, I mean, honestly, like growing up when I was playing on tour, I went out and I felt like, you know, I had nothing to lose and everybody else had something to lose, and then kind of when that switched, it took a little bit of adjusting, but now I just go out there kind of with the same mentality I did when I was 12 years old, just kind of going out there, nothing to lose, just go for it. I feel like I play my best that way, so whether I'm facing the same person twice in one day or different opponents, I'm always trying to bring my best stuff and really worry about myself. All right, Annalie, great stuff. We'll see you later on today. Thank you. Circa 2023 singles Ben Johns, so he's back. And how about that passing shot to start things off? Three times from Johns. On the run from Benny. That last play before the switch, Fed was going for the body bag there on Ben. I think that was kind of the best shot in the moment, but he did go for the Ben Johns. We're still playing. Maybe the singles point of the season thus far here in the Caravana PPA Tour. 6-1. Open court, he knows what to do with it. What a point, Drew. Two highlight reel points there in the last three. Unbelievable. 4-7. What that was, honestly. Oh, nice. Cold net court that time. A little bit of luck for Stachsrud. That went just a bit wide. Stachsrud will take it. In game one, 11-8. You said backhand failing him. Does that tend to happen more when temperatures get where they are right now? I think so. I think we just hit the triple digits as well, Drew. I heard from the truck, so yeah. He's there. One more. Oh, yeah. Wow. Put your hands together for that one. Here for the chance to advance to the semifinals. Well done. At the doorstep of a semifinal berth. Match point. Stachsrud gets it done as he takes down Ben Johns. 11-8, 11-3. Thought this match would come with some emotion. I think at the end of the day, these guys are still friends, but definitely fierce competitors. It was just all Fed in this match. When we come back, we hope to speak with Mr. Stachsrud in the winner's circle. All right, Fed. Out of the gates. You didn't have the best start. Ben was having his way, and then things change, and you just took over the match. What was the difference, middle part of that first game? Yeah. Ben is the overall, when it comes to the history of this tour, is the best singles player, best doubles player as well in the history of the sport. He's going to hit good shots. That's what happens. He hit a couple of good shots. I had a couple, but usually when I play him, when that happens, I start being negative. I show bad body language, but I think what I did today was stay positive. Stay positive. Life is good. I stay positive until the last point. He gave me a couple of serves. I hit a couple of good shots. It's like this. It can change in any moment, and that's what happened. I think I played a solid match. I don't think we both played our best, so it was tough to get a rhythm, but it was a pretty straightforward strategy. He's going to my backhand. I'm going to his backhand and try to come in whenever we can. I think I did that a little better than him, and that's why I get away with the win. Fed, I hate to bring it up, but you did play with Ben Johns last night. Guys did lose, upset by Nico and Yuta. Was there any, I don't know, maybe not bad blood, but kind of weird feelings between you two before the match? Was it different at all? What do you think about that? Zero weird feeling. I played Ben every single time we came to Mesa in singles, so I'm used to playing him here in singles. Literally since 2023 that I came here for the first time, I've been playing him every single time in this tournament, so I play him a lot of times in this court, but no, zero weird feeling. We text after the match, and I told him, man, I really want us to do a good tournament, but at the end of it, also, I talked to someone, I don't remember who I talked to about this, but nowadays it's really hard to come up with a partnership out of nowhere and try to win a tournament. The level is too high where Nico and Yuta have insane chemistry. They understand each other so well, and they're great players. For us to come up and try to win a tournament just like that, it's hard. So I think you've got to be realistic, too. He's an amazing player. I think I'm pretty good as well, but when two players come up out of nowhere, you're not going to win right off the bat. I mean, sometimes it happens, but it's weird. Yeah, great perspective there, Fed. Final question. Conditions like this, we're hitting triple digits today out here. We do have the roof over us, but do you feel like you're conditioning and being such a fitness freak like you are? Does that kind of give you an edge here whenever it gets to conditions like this? Yeah, I mean, you use it mentally in between points. You're like, hey, you're in better shape. Let's go. I don't know if it's true, but I'm telling myself to believe that, and that gives you belief to play. Shout out to my host. We did a lot of breath work this morning, and that helped me relax before the match and kind of forget what happened last night, because it was kind of weird to play Ben after losing with him in the doubles at 11 p.m., you know, to come up in the morning and afternoon and play. It's not simple, but I'm glad this is over, and I can focus on later on. We have a tough match with Kate, so we're going to have to get ready, eat some good food, and hydrate for sure. Great stuff. Federico Staxer, congratulations. We'll see you later today. Thank you. One of her best friends, those two going at it. Here we go. Unit to serve. Point. I really like that point from Unit. Don't think she can survive the baseline with Brooke. That is really good. Unit makes that one, but... Side out. How about Brooke Buckner? Unit Castillo was having her way for a while there, but Buckner does not panic. She sticks to the game plan, and again, very workmanlike, 11-9. Side out. Here as we head into 20-27. Side out. That was nasty by Unit. Best point of the match goes to Castillo. So good from Unit. There it is. Let's see. Will Castillo challenge this? I think she may. Yes, she will. We have a challenge of the out call. The result to the rally is 11-5. The result to the rally stands. The result of this point game match, 11-5. So the final announcement right there, ball was in fact out. Brooke Buckner moving on to the semifinals, 11-9, 11-5, over Unit Castillo. For everybody watching on Pickleball TV, be sure and tune over now to FS1 for our coverage of the Veolia, Arizona Open, and much more is coming up next. Side out. 2-0. See if Jaume can take advantage. Oh yes. Side out. Hunter. Time in. Again, Gates alive going into today, taking on Chris Hayworth. That's just so good. Point. Such great touch from Jaume. So casual. Hunter Johnson has been stuck on 3-4 in eternity. Side out. Seems like right now Hunter is pressing and Jaume is just having fun. And the lead is just one. He's rolling right now. 10-8. Fourth match. We're just, we're a little slow right now I guess. I don't know. I'm a little slow. Nothing gets by Ireland Horvath, and I mean nothing. Good call Now a slug fest. Nice. And Jaume wins it. Really nice shot by Jaume. Pretty big. 9-10. Long arms and speed. Tough to get a ball by him. This crowd is alive and well. That's the only spot that wins that point, and he struck it perfectly. Feel like the crowd is on his side here in Mesa. A game one victory, and now Hunter Johnson will have to come from behind to advance to the semi-finals. We have got a good one. Jaume. He's a little dance. Loving life right now. Generally not the same with doubles, so it causes a lot more upsets. Like the first game, Jaume's up 8-3. Hunter just gets hot for a couple minutes, and boom it's 8-8. That is vintage. 6-4 in game two. Jaume, Martinez, Vick in the near court. These two slugging it out. Let's keep playing. Crazy get by Jaume there in the middle of that one, but Hunter. Side out. A pivotal game three. Look at this. Finally does it. Hunter Johnson says give me something Mesa crowd. I'm here to play as well. So one game apiece, and we'll go to game three to take it and advance to the semi-finals. Johnson and Martinez, Vick don't go away. We got a great one. That's really good. Side out. He's just got to be perfect with those volleys. He was there. Oh. Wow. What gamesmanship. Time out. 6-4. Battling tooth and nail. Hunter Johnson getting the better of things, and get to the semi-finals. Crazy get from Hunter in the middle of that one. Point game match. 11-4. So that ball just a little bit wide, and Hunter Johnson takes it. 11-4 in game three. You think he's pumped up? It has been Hunter Johnson's world lately in men's singles. We're just living in it. Game one. So multiple. Time in. Tests for her here today. Here we go. Yeah. Point. Points. Jonathan's playing with Catherine right now. Something happened. He's not playing this tournament. It's a last minute kind of partnership. How about this? Just tremendous gets on both sides. Finally. Definitely keep the ball to her right now. Pops up again there. Time out. Receivers 5-8-1. Catherine gets there. Couldn't recover though. Point game. 11-5. Scrambling a little bit too much, and it's Rohrabacher and Olshan taking game one. 11-5. A couple speed ups, and the finisher right there. Point. Time out. Change in. 6-2-2. Rohrabacher and Olshan. Textbook over the last few points. One thing I love about Rachel's game, rarely does she try and do too much. Yeah. Yeah. Totally agree. She's very smart on the court when she attacks. Doesn't seem to be overextended very often. Waits for the right ball. High pickleball IQ. Point game match. 11-2. So match point. Christian Olshan, Rachel Rohrabacher will move on in convincing fashion. They get it 5-2. Christian Olshan waving to the crowd here in Mesa. The two seed advancing. Here we go. Didn't find it there. Yeah. That one was left a little bit high. There's that Ernie from Kunimoto with Walters. Shuts it down. No way. What a shot. They're going to get out of this? Still going. My goodness. Defense is so important. The ability to extend those rallies. But 4-4-1. I don't think you're going to be able to connect on many. Is that in? That was out. Nice. That point, Kunimoto needs her kudos. She was hanging in there with Ben Johns in the backhand. The backhand. A dig from Schupp. Able to get back to the kitchen line. 10-6-1. And they close out this opening game. Heavy third there for Ben Johns. Seven point run is the difference for Annalee Waters and Ben Johns there in that first game. Game two coming up after this. Yes, after a slow start, Ben has really settled in. Wow. Extension back-to-back. Second serve. Each year she becomes a better pitcher. In that court. Schupp is there. Hits the deck. I mean, I love the fact that he swung for it even as he was on the ground. Sharp angle and then Schupp coming in. To the put away from Kunimoto. And sealed. With a missed dig. 11-6-11-3 for Annalee Waters and Ben Johns. The run ends for Kiora Kunimoto and Elliot Schupp. But there is no shortage of positives to take away from this week for those two ladies. Absolutely. What a great run for them and they're really going to carry this momentum forward. You have to think they're going to play more together. Annalee, it's always interesting facing a new partnership. What were you figuring out as the match went on, especially when they came out hot in the first? Yeah, we obviously haven't played a lefty team in a while. I feel like, too, he was being really aggressive as a lefty. He was coming over super far. Maybe taking some balls that usually I'm seeing from like a different angle or Ben is. So I think it took a minute just to kind of adjust to like his aggression in the way he was speeding up and attacking. But then I feel like once we switched sides at six, we kind of calmed down a little bit, started playing our game. But no, congrats to them. They had an amazing run at this tournament and they're very young, just like me. So I'm sure they're going to get better and keep competing. But it's nice to see some young blood. Yeah, speaking of that, Ben, you've been around the game for so long now. What have you seen in Elliott's game that's a testament to how much the mix game is evolving? Yeah, I mean, I feel like he takes a lot of court and, you know, as a lefty guy, you get a different matchup where you have the two girls in front of each other. So it allows kind of both guys to come over a little bit more just because you don't have cross-court dinks being hit. So, yeah, I feel like he did a good job of hitting like aggressive rolls and then closing hard off of it, which is a big, big thing. And you couldn't do that, you know, a few years back. And then just putting a lot of topspin on the ball in general just to apply pressure. Semis bound again for you guys. How much tougher have the draws been this year for you guys? Yeah, the draws, I just feel like are getting tougher and mixed, especially there's a lot of good women, good men that are pairing up together. I think maybe a couple of years ago, some of the matchups or the players were there, but the matchups weren't the same. So they weren't playing with these partners. And I feel like everybody's mixed around enough to figure out who they play best with. And I think you're seeing a lot of really good mixed teams that are gelling really well after playing together for a while, because Ben and I obviously have played together for so long, know each other's game. And I think a lot of other mixed teams are starting to kind of figure out the rhythm and, you know, what shot if I hit this, where are you going? That sort of thing. So, yeah, I think the draws are getting deeper because people are getting better, but also because matchups are kind of marinating. I don't know the right word. Well, absolutely. Thank you guys so much. Congratulations. We'll see you tomorrow. Well, it's going to be the only full bag we see. Yes. Jack Sock and CJ out on this court. Oh, no. Oh, wow. Nice. There by Jack. Sailing in a little bit long. Wow. A high initial attack. Nearly caught the neck of Jack Sock. That's Klinger up for the winner. Going in the middle with the lefty forehand sitting there. Great close there by CJ. Not an easy leave either. Combo from Sock. Oh, and he catches his former MLP teammate. Pretty. Oh, wow. We get the out call. Oh, a spot from Chafin goes back behind Sock. Jack was responsible for so many shots there and credit to camp for how it goes for each. It's going to take more than 11 here in game one. What a drop by CJ. Went for the home run, did good, but sends it into the net and it's game point all of a sudden. Oh, no. Great hands there by CJ, though. Very interesting that Augie sent that third over to camp. See if they can capitalize here. It's been tough so far. Again with that return. CJ Klinger. 13-11. Ice cold. Ice in his veins in game one in his pocket. 13-11. I do feel like this is his best shot. CJ Klinger and Cam Chafin, the hands have been up to the task. Miscommunication forcing the pop-up and it's 8-3. Well, they say Virginia is for lovers, but Ohio is for winners in the case of Cam Chafin and CJ Klinger. 13-11, 11-3. Winners standing by court side with Ireland. Take it away. Cam, a grindy 40-minute first game. What was your mentality going into the second, just knowing you had that one under your belt? Yeah, no, I definitely think getting that first game was huge. We played a lot of long points in that first game, so I think we just started coming out playing long points again in the second game and that seemed to be going in our favor. CJ, you were going back and forth a little bit with Jack. How much was the chirping just firing you up out there? Yeah, Jack's a funny guy. We played on the New York Custlers in 24. He's a good dude. And how much does it fire you up just getting you out there and you're wagging your finger? What's going on with that? Yeah, like in the first game, a gritty first game win. I trust in Cam and Cam trusts in me and we figure stuff out and make adjustments throughout the game. Cam, your first men's semi and you get to do it with your friend CJ. How exciting is this moment for you? Yeah, no, this is so exciting. I'm super excited to be doing it with CJ and we have a great support crew here from back home and CJ's dad, Darren, has been great. So yeah, super excited, but job's not done. Well, congratulations, you guys. We'll see you tomorrow in the semis. Will, back to you. Can give the roll a problem. Oh, geez. No way. No way. Nearly. Would not say the spot usually on Parrishot is the backhand. Interesting decision not to unwind there. I'm interested to see if that's going to continue. The twisting people up with her forehand or Parrishot use her two-handed backhand. They're behind. They're just doing stuff like that. I mean, impressive out of the air here by Humberg. She's there. Yeah. A few airs creeping in here now. Unwinding the stack. Great slice drop. Watch. Oh, Parrishot. Yeah. Did a good job there protecting her body. High drop. Oh, no. Wow. Is that in? No way. The drop shot's got to go. What do I know? What do I know? Mari Humberg continues to use those drop volleys at long last. Oh, geez. And that is how Game 1 will finish 11-9. It goes the way of Mari Humberg and Yuda Castillo. Crazy game. So many momentum swings. And so she's going to go. She's got to go. There's that winning combination started by Rohrbacher, finished by Todd. Back on the side of Humberg and Castillo. Point. Time-out change-in. 6-4-2. They get to the end switch. 6-4, two-point advantage. Wow. Parrish Todd. Great reload there. Oh, interesting choice. They are going three. Interesting choice there by Castillo to go for that. Again, she loves that backhand counter. One of Todd's best shots just didn't find it there. Down swinging. Oh, my goodness. And again. A great drive. You do not. By Castillo to Parrish. Oh, that's out. Kudos to Parrish and Rachel here. They drew very tough, tough moments of the match. Have found a solution and a game plan and stuck with it. Match point here tonight. And that will end it. Sealed with a backhand winner by Parrish Todd. Three-game thriller on a Friday night in the desert. The top seeds survived, but they were pushed. They were down, but they were never out. Diascu will serve to kick off this quarterfinal. What an out call to start things off from Bellamy. Roscoe knew it right away. Oh, back to the old days. Diascu on the left. Now Sean on the right. And the trip down memory lane pays off. It still looks more natural that way. You know, it still takes a little while to get used to. Roscoe Bellamy shuts it down and hits him with a head shake. Oh, no. No love off the tape there and it's game point 10-4. What a get. Grind of a point. Goes the way of Christian Alshon and Diascu. A rally that had a little bit of everything in ATP and ATP defense. What an angle. Roscoe Bellamy. Impressive. Redefining a big right side there. Couldn't get it on top of the re-counter. That's the risk in the swinging counter. Oh, he heard the out call, but it was in. I thought I heard that. Yeah. Bellamy once again reaching in from the right. Look at that. I think he was signaling where to go and I agree. Short hop again. What a fake out there by Garnett. Connor Garnett closes out game two. Oh, my goodness. We are going three. How about this turnaround? They failed to do so. Alshon ready with that forehand counter. Great read there by Alshon. Knowing the ball was super low and to the outside, almost impossible for Bellamy to go anywhere else but forehand. Catching fire. Our Christian Alshon. We got a yeah from Garnett, but the out call and that's going to make it. Match point 10-2. 10-2-2. And staying alive. To send a statement on that one. That's point four. And that will do it. Three game victory for Christian Alshon and Andre Diascu. Inspired performance from Connor Garnett and Roscoe Bellamy, but too good from the number two seeds. They are moving on to the men's doubles semifinals. I'll tell you after this point. There it is again by Catherine, but Jamie's coming off an ankle injury and there's just been a few unforced errors. Oh, and the stay. Yeah, they're going to stay. Nearly a midpoint switch. Great reload there. Side out. Finds the counter. Great content for pickleball fanatics. Anyone looking to get better, understand the pro game better. Got to stay here. Too much there from Parenteau. Great flick by Catherine. Into the game plan here though. Two for two. Nice combination there from Seving. Great combination. Great finishing power. There it is again. Lob. And again. It missed overhead and it is match point 10-4. Ching at 2 22 a.m. I'm sure there are. Tomorrow's Saturday. Shout out to you guys and shout out to Seving and Parenteau. An impressive victory. That it certainly was. 11-6, 11-4, and a rematch is going to be set in the women's doubles semifinals. It was a quarterfinal in North Carolina. It's a semifinal here. Sophia Seving and Catherine Parenteau will face Paris Todd and Rachel Rohrabacher.