
Staksrud, Haworth to battle for men’s singles gold in rematch of Texas Open final
For the second consecutive tournament, Federico Staksrud and Chris Haworth will meet on Carvana Championship Sunday with a gold medal on the line.
Both players—seeded No. 2 and No. 3 in this week’s men’s singles draw, respectively—advanced to the men’s singles final with straight-game victories early Saturday afternoon at Black Desert Resort.
Staksrud booked his spot in the final with 11-7, 11-5 victory over No. 11 seed Noe Khlif.
The Argentine has been in top form so far this week, as he is the only player on the men’s side to make the semifinals in singles, mixed doubles, and men’s doubles.
“I’ve been playing great. I’ve been feeling really good on the court and moving well,” he said of his performance. “The people [in Utah] are amazing. The energy is different compared to other places that we play, and I always love to come here.”
Just about an hour later, Haworth followed suit with an equally impressive 11-8, 11-4 victory over No. 9 seed John Lucian Goins.
Haworth will be out for revenge on Sunday after suffering an 11-2, 5-11, 5-11 defeat at the hands of Staksrud earlier this month in the final of the Veolia Texas Open.
The final in Utah will carry even more significance because the winner will overtake Hunter Johnson for the top spot in the PPA men’s singles rankings.
There will be more than just gold on the line in what promises to be a highly entertaining battle.
Related articles

PPA contracts earned at 2026 Challenger Showdown
While pickleball’s top stars were competing for the sport’s biggest title over the weekend, the champions of tomorrow were battling for coveted PPA Tour contracts.
12 hours ago
-Pickleball.com Staff

What’s wrong with Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio?
Ben Johns is still the best player in the world. Gabe Tardio is still the best right-side player in the world. But, the next ten players are closing the gap.
16 hours ago
-Jim Kloss

Best dressed at the Opendoor Pickleball World Championships
The fashion game was fierce.
1 day ago
-Victoria Radnothy

Worlds was Tama Time! (oh, and another ALW Triple Crown)
Worlds lived up to its billing as the biggest and best pickleball tournament anywhere.
1 day ago
-Jim Kloss