JW Johnson and CJ Klinger Stun Top Seeds: JW Johnson and CJ Klinger earned the final men’s doubles semifinal spot at the 2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships on Friday night. The duo, seeded No. 5, beat No. 1 seeds Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin in a tight match at Life Time Peachtree Corners.
They won 11-3, 6-11, 11-8 in front of fans on the Humana Championship Court, finishing strong to secure their place in the next round.
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Momentum Shifts in Deciding Game
After splitting the first two games, Johnson and Klinger jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third. Staksrud and Patriquin responded with a strong run, moving ahead 8-6.
But Johnson and Klinger didn’t panic. They scored five straight points to close the match and knock out the top seeds. Their quick start and calm finish made the difference.
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Preparation Pays Off
Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin had won the last meeting between these teams in Red Rock, 11-5, 11-3. This time, Johnson and Klinger came ready.
“They beat us the last time we played them, so we just had to watch a lot of film to prepare and really go out and play our ‘A’ game.” – (Johnson)
Their next challenge is against the No. 4 team, Dekel Bar and Dylan Frazier, in Saturday’s semifinal match. This win proves that hard work and game planning can lead to big results, especially against higher-ranked opponents.
News in Brief: JW Johnson and CJ Klinger Stun Top Seeds
JW Johnson and CJ Klinger upset top seeds Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin to reach the men’s doubles semifinals in 2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships. They finished with a five-point run in the third game and will face Dekel Bar and Dylan Frazier next. Their preparation helped turn a past loss into a win.