Gabe Joseph Pickleball Upset Victory: Gabe Joseph pulled off a major upset at the Veolia Bristol Open on Wednesday, defeating No. 1 seed Federico Staksrud 11-8, 5-11, 12-10 to move into the men’s singles quarterfinals. The match lasted over an hour and ended with Joseph holding strong in a tight third game.
Turning Point in Final Game
Federico Staksrud seemed in control in Game 3, holding a 6-2 lead at the side switch. But Gabe Joseph came back with a five-point run that shifted momentum. After a series of close rallies, Joseph closed out the deciding game 12-10 to seal the win.
The two players had faced each other earlier this year at the Select Medical Orange County Cup. In that match, Federico Staksrud won in straight games, 11-7, 11-6.
This time, Joseph made adjustments and came in with a new mindset.
“I think the key thing I took from last time we played in San Clemente is not playing out of my comfort zone and going for too much,”. “I just wanted to trust my shots and stick to my guns.”(Gabe Joseph)
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Road to the Quarterfinals
Gabe Joseph, the No. 15 seed in the men’s draw, had to fight through a long and difficult match to reach the quarterfinals. His win over the top seed continues a streak of surprising results in the early rounds of the tournament.
Next, he will face No. 21 seed Grayson Goldin. The winner of that match will earn a spot in the semifinals on Saturday.
What It Means Moving Forward
Joseph’s win sends a strong message to the rest of the field. Beating the top seed shows that he can compete with anyone and could make a deep run at the Veolia Bristol Open. Federico Staksrud’s early exit also shakes up the top of the bracket and opens new chances for lower seeds.
News in Brief: Gabe Joseph Pickleball Upset Victory
Gabe Joseph upset top seed Federico Staksrud 11-8, 5-11, 12-10 at the Veolia Bristol Open on Wednesday. Joseph used a key five-point run in the final game to turn the match around. He will now face Grayson Goldin in the quarterfinals with a shot at reaching Semifinal Saturday.
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