The Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships marked a special tournament for Connor Garnett. For the past year, Garnett hadn’t made it to a final since 2024. 

But for the final grand slam of the tournament season, Garnett will not only compete for bronze in men’s singles and he’ll be going for gold in men’s doubles with Roscoe Bellamy. 

“It’s honestly been driving me nuts that I haven’t made it to a Saturday or Sunday this year in any event,” admitted Garnett. 

“I’m so happy with the fact that I made it back to the semis in Atlanta. 2024 was the last time I made a final. I know I can do it because I’ve done it in the past. So being able to pull out a win in these big moments is great and I’m super stoked about it,” said Garnett. 

Additionally, after Garnett and Bellamy’s win in the semi-finals, Garnett has enough points to make it to the PPA Finals next week in San Clemente. 

“For the last two years I’ve been number 17 in the race, so I’ve missed it by one. Last year someone actually had food poisoning but played through so I really freaking wanted to get to the finals,” said Garnett. 

So what has Garnett done to level up his game to bring him success? 

“I’ve been really focusing on fitness, recovery, and the mental side of things. I’ve been hitting the gym and have been more diligent with that,” he explained. 

“One of my buddies in San Diego, his name is Austin, and I went out and saw him this week and he’s just a really insightful guy. He’s one of the three people in pickleball that I bounce ideas off of. So I went out there and practiced with him and added a few new things to my game,” Garnett said. 

That included watching film and adding new weapons to his game. 

“I’ve been working on the flick, it’s not there yet, but I’ve been watching Eric Oncins’s flick and trying to add that. Another one is Hayden Patriquin’s dinking with his forehand, it’s so impressive. So I’ve been incorporating those two into my game,” said Garnett. 

“I’ve really been focusing on stretching and mobility. I’ve realized that the more flexible you are, the better you recover. So I’ve been putting more time into stretching, even today during the semis I stretched out three times. That’s what the top guys do to be up there and to compete with them, you’ve got to be stretching out,” he added. 

Garnett also recently relocated to Arizona, a pickleball hot spot where a few other pros live including Augie Ge and Craig Johnson. 

“There’s a ton of pros out there. And it’s been great to get that home base and really lock in and find my routine. We’re traveling so much of the year that creating a routine is key for success,” he said. 

Another notable change for Garnett is his clothing. He’s certainly been leveling up and wearing some fun, more vibrant fits on the court recently. Is that helping level up his game? 

“Zyia, my clothing sponsor, has some amazing outfits. Some polos can be a bit stuffy but Zyia’s are really nice and breathable. Some of my best wins in tennis, I was wearing a polo. It's nice getting to rock them again,” said Garnet.

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