
Staksrud shuts down Evans' magical singles effort in California
SAN CLEMENTE, CA - If you weren't familiar with 49th-seeded Tom Evans' name before the Select Medical Orange County Cup presented by FitVine Wines, you definitely are now.
The 23-year-old Australian enjoyed quite a singles run at Life Time Rancho San Clemente with outstanding play through qualifications, and main draw victories over Rafa Hewett and Tyler Loong, before running into top-seeded Federico Staksrud on Thursday in the Round of 16.
That's where Evans' momentum was ultimately stalled as Staksrud posted an 11-1, 11-8 win to advance to the quarterfinals.
"He's a great player. It's awesome to see players from Australia coming into the U.S. to play tournaments. That means the sport is growing. It's awesome to have time here," shared Staksrud. "The more reps that he gets in the U.S., the better. There's a great level of play here, and I'm really thankful that he's growing the sport somewhere else, too."
Staksrud will play No. 10 Collin Shick in the quarterfinals.
Shick defeated No. 7 Pablo Tellez to advance.
Related articles

The pros are going on the best side quests in Asia
From celebrating fake birthdays to ancient Chinese rituals, the pros are having a lot of fun abroad.
17 hours ago
-Victoria Radnothy

What makes Ben Johns so good at pickleball?
Zane Navratil breaks down the G.O.A.T.'s game to identify exactly what makes Ben Johns so tough to beat.
21 hours ago
-Pickleball.com Staff

Ready for her close-up: Anna Leigh Waters partners with L'Oreal Paris
ALW is only getting more iconic.
1 day ago
-Victoria Radnothy

Who is Elliott Schupp? The next up-and-comer pickleball athlete you need to watch
He just won his first title on the PPA Tour, here's how he got there.
2 days ago
-Victoria Radnothy