LAKEVILLE, MN - Saturday was already going pretty well for Connor Garnett and Tyler Loong with their Round of 16 victory over the hyper-athletic team of Jack Sock and Julian Arnold.

Now into the semifinals after a three-game victory over No. 2 seeds Federico Staksrud and Pablo Tellez, things are just getting better.

The No. 6 seeds emerged victorious from a highly competitive battle 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 to keep their title hopes alive.

The key for the lefty-righty combo was bringing their best at the match’s crucial moments and staying engaged even when their opponents reeled off a few points in a row.

“I think we just played big on the big points,” said Garnett. “[Staksrud and Tellez] get hot at times, so we just had to weather the storm.”

The lefty Loong was especially impressive and found ways to be aggressive at the kitchen line from the right side.

“That’s something I’ve been working on, just being a lot more aggressive,” he shared with PickleballTV. “I have long arms, so I want to be utilizing that the best I can.”

The pair will face the winner of the match between the teams of Hayden Patriquin and Callan Dawson and Dekel Bar and DJ Young.