Max Freeman Shocks Pickleball World: Max Freeman earned the biggest win of his career by defeating world No. 1 Ben Johns in a men’s singles match, overcoming early nerves and sticking to an aggressive return strategy. The upset came during a tournament where several top seeds had already been eliminated.
A Tournament Full of Surprises
With the top five seeds out of the draw, the men’s singles bracket was already unpredictable. Max Freeman noted that singles brackets may continue to have unexpected results, similar to college basketball tournaments, and predicted the same trend could emerge in doubles within a few years.
Strong Start in Game 1
Freeman’s plan was to hit big returns, even if that meant missing several.
“I haven’t watched it back but I bet I missed 7-8 returns of the 26 points he won. This was the plan,” he said.
He explained that he is improving at strategic rallies but cannot yet match Ben Johns in long exchanges. To avoid those rallies, he aimed to make Johns’ third shot difficult. After calling a timeout at 6-6, he regrouped and closed out the first game with strong forehands.
Adjustments in Game 2
Johns responded in the second game with deeper, harder serves. Freeman admitted that staying back on returns did not work and slowing his drives allowed Johns to control the net with short volleys.
Despite this, his mindset stayed consistent:
“I’ve missed enough thirds in front of hundreds of people to not give a f*ck anymore. And that’s what I did! I kept missing returns and thirds, but enough went in to give me a chance.”
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Closing the Match
Down 9-5, Freeman rallied to tie the game at 9-9, prompting Johns to call a timeout.
“At this point I am not nervous. I’m curious,”
he said, adding that he focused only on his best shots without overthinking. The shots landed, and he secured the win, calling it “pure elation.”
Although Freeman lost his next match to Grayson Goldin in three games, the win over Johns remains a highlight of his career.
News in Brief: Max Freeman Shocks Pickleball World
Max Freeman upset Ben Johns in men’s singles by using aggressive returns and mental focus, despite missing many shots. He rallied from 9-5 down in the second game to win. Though he later lost to Grayson Goldin, the match marked the biggest win of his career.
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