ROCKWALL, TX - Ross Whittaker is into the Round of 16 at the CIBC Texas Open powered by Tixr after an 11-4, 2-11, 11-2 victory over No. 10 seed JW Johnson.

It looked like Johnson—who won gold at Nationals back in November—might run to a victory after handily taking Game 2 to tie the match, but Whittaker responded in an equally impressive manner in the deciding game.

“Well, JW is one of the most talented players on tour and when he’s on, he’s definitely on,” Whittaker said. “I just tried to weather the storm when it seemed like he couldn’t miss in Game 2 and just had to keep that self-belief going into Game 3.”

That mentality helped the former Walsh University tennis player find his best when it mattered most.

Whittaker has made a habit out of notching wins over some of the game’s best singles players so far this year. He beat Julian Arnold in North Carolina and Roscoe Bellamy in Atlanta, in addition to this morning’s triumph.

“I feel like I play my best when I go into a matchup where I might be the underdog,” he shared. “I’m usually a little looser, and that helps me go for my shots more.”

Whittaker will next face No. 30 seed Eric Roddy in the Round of 16.