Riley Newman/Noe Khlif became the first team to advance to the men’s doubles semifinals with a 6-11, 13-11, 11-9 victory over top seeds Andrei Daescu/Gabe Tardio.

The No. 7 seeds actually saved a match point in Game 2 and went on to build a 9-2 lead in the decider. Daescu/Tardio managed to get within one point 9-10, but Khlif called game a few minutes later with a forehand winner through the middle to close out the contest.

“I felt like I hadn’t hit that shot all match,” Khlif said of his match-winning forehand. “It was in the back of my head for a little bit, and when I saw the opportunity, I knew it was time to go for it.”

For Newman, matches like Friday’s are what make the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile.

“This is what I live for. This is why I play pickleball. I’ve had a lot of tough losses this year, but whether you win or lose, you just have to have belief in yourself, and I always have confidence in myself and my partner,” he said. “This was an incredibly fun match, and it could have gone either way. That’s always the beauty of a good pickleball match when any team can win, but it was us today.”

Newman/Khlif will face No. 4 seeds Jaume Martinez Vich/CJ Klinger in Saturday’s semifinal round.