Max Freeman Pickleball Upset Victory: Max Freeman stunned No. 5 seed Ben Johns in the men’s singles draw at the Veolia Bristol Open on Wednesday, winning 11-5, 0-11, 11-9 to reach the Round of 16. Freeman made a late comeback in the final game after trailing 9-5, pulling off one of the tournament’s biggest early surprises.
Fast Start and Sudden Shift
Max Freeman, seeded No. 32, started strong, winning the first game 11-5. However, Ben Johns responded with complete control in the second, delivering an 11-0 shutout. At that point, Johns appeared to have taken over the match and quickly built a 9-5 lead in the deciding game.
Freeman then called a timeout to slow the pace and refocus.
“It was a pretty weird match,”. “I think Ben got off to a little bit of a slow start, and I was able to capitalize on that early and got a little bit of confidence in that first game. Obviously, I got pickled in the second game—I cooled all the way down, and I don’t think [Ben] missed a ball.
And when he went up 9-5 in the third, things were looking pretty bleak, so I called a timeout, strung a few points together and got lucky at the end.”(Max Freeman)
Turning Momentum at the Right Time
Freeman’s timeout turned the tide. He scored six straight points and stopped Johns from advancing to the Round of 16. The result added to a list of early-round upsets seen at this year’s tournament in Bristol.
“This is a very momentum-based game, very trendy one way to the other so you’ve just gotta tell yourself that anything can happen out there and just keep playing one point at a time,” (Max Freeman).
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Looking Ahead to the Round of 16
Max Freeman now moves on to face No. 21 seed Grayson Goldin. A win in that match would take him to the quarterfinals, continuing his impressive run as one of the lower seeds in the draw.
What It Means for the Tournament
Freeman’s upset adds even more unpredictability to the tournament. Ben Johns, one of the top players, is now out of the singles bracket. Meanwhile, Freeman’s victory gives him confidence and momentum as he prepares for his next challenge against Grayson Goldin.
News in Brief: Max Freeman Pickleball Upset Victory
Max Freeman beat No. 5 seed Ben Johns 11-5, 0-11, 11-9 at the Veolia Bristol Open. After trailing 9-5 in the third game, Freeman called a timeout and made a late comeback. He now faces Grayson Goldin in the Round of 16 with a chance to reach the quarterfinals.
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