Brooke Buckner Battles Past Kaitlyn Christian: Brooke Buckner secured her place in the women’s singles at the Carvana Mesa Cup 2025 final with a hard-fought 13-11, 11-8 victory over No. 2 seed Kaitlyn Christian. The No. 3 seed overcame an early deficit and showcased mental toughness to claim her first final appearance of the 2025 season.
Strong Start and Key Comeback
Buckner started strong, racing to a 6-0 lead in the first game. However, Christian responded with a seven-point run, gaining a game point at 10-8. Undeterred, Buckner saved the game point and closed out the opener 13-11.
“In the beginning, Kaitlyn gave me a lot of errors that she doesn’t usually give you, so I was not expecting her to continue to do that,”. “She came up with some good shots, but I really just needed to get back to the game plan and try to come forward before she did because she’s so good when she’s dictating and coming forward.”( Brooke Buckner )
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Closing the Match in Game 2
Christian took an early lead in the second game and appeared poised to force a decider, going up 7-4. Buckner, however, maintained her composure and won seven of the final eight points to secure the straight-sets win and advance.
Christian Reflects on Streak Ending
This loss ended Christian’s streak of four consecutive tournament final appearances. During that run, she won her first two career PPA titles, claiming gold in Daytona and Australia.
Reflecting on her experience,
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is that I’m not going to be 100% every week. This week I think my game wasn’t 100%, but mentally I was 100%.”(Kaitlyn Christian)
She also acknowledged the consistency of top players, stating,
“That’s why it’s amazing what Anna Leigh is able to do. She’s such a good player, but to have those results every single week is amazing.”(Kaitlyn Christian)
Looking Ahead
Buckner now prepares for her first final of the year, aiming for a strong finish. Christian will look to regroup as she continues her push for more PPA titles in the 2025 season.
News in Brief: Brooke Buckner Battles Past Kaitlyn Christian
Brooke Buckner defeated Kaitlyn Christian 13-11, 11-8 to reach her first women’s singles final of 2025. Christian, who had made four straight finals, saw her streak end. Buckner overcame an early deficit in both games to claim the win. Christian reflected on the mental challenges of competing every week.
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