Riley Newman/Noe Khlif closed out Semifinal Saturday in Daytona Beach with an 11-4, 11-9 victory over No. 4 seeds CJ Klinger/Jaume Martinez Vich.

Klinger/Martinez Vich threatened to send the match to a third game when they got up 9-7 in Game 2, but the No. 7 seeds scored four in a row to close out the contest in straight games.

This is a notable result for both Newman and Khlif.

For Khlif, this win propels him into his first career final on the PPA Tour and guarantees him his first career doubles medal.

For Newman, he will have his first look at a title since winning Worlds alongside Hayden Patriquin in November of 2024.

The 32-year-old spoke about what it means to be back in a position to compete for a title.

“It’s special. It’s definitely been a long year where I have not been able to make it to gold in men’s doubles for a while. The competition is getting so stiff and tough, so what I’ve had to do is just go back to the drawing board: practice two times a day, watch film, and just get reinspired with the sport,” he revealed. “There are a lot of losses that can wreck your confidence, and you can get down on yourself, but I’ve never wavered.”

This partnership has also seen Khlif, who had traditionally played the left side in men’s doubles, shift over to the right side.

The Frenchman gave some insight into the experience of adjusting to a new role.

“It’s cool to work on a different side. When I started a few years ago, I only played on the left, so now I kinda feel like I’m discovering new shots and new tricks, so it’s kind of fun,” he said.

Newman/Khlif will take on No. 3 seeds JW Johnson/Augie Ge in Sunday’s title match, while Klinger/Martinez Vich will face No. 5 seeds Eric Oncins/Dylan Frazier for bronze.