Broadcast commentary of a PPA Tour semifinal pickleball match (Built Red Rock Open, St. George, Utah) between teams Ben Johns/Annalee Waters and Tyson McGuffin/Lauren Stratman. Julian Arnold and Morgan Evans provide play-by-play and tactical analysis: serve quality, positioning, third-shot lobs, defensive/offensive transitions, and key points (timeouts, crucial rallies). Johns/Waters win the game reported here (11–7), with commentators noting sustained pressure from Johns/Waters and moments of resurgence from McGuffin/Stratman.
Chapters
Good match.
Competitive match. Let's have some fun watching this one.
All right, folks, you heard it. Let's have some fun and play pickleball.
Oh, that is what I would like to see their strategy be.
I think they'll be in. In decent shape if all the returns head towards Stratman and McGuffin gets to attempt that kind of intercept.
Oh, and that stretch backhand seems to find the court.
Or I think it did. I think it did. But, you know, I'd say both those points.
Oh, apparently not.
Must have been wide. Yeah.
I did not see it. So.
And McGuffin just catching the top of Waters paddle there. And that's given them the serve Back Stratman ball in hand.
Fantastic drive, good first volley. And unfortunately, next one just caught the net. But I'd say these points are being played the way they want them.
Agreed. Well, he had a good look at it so far. Just some execution errors.
This game could be 20 already.
John's was there, but Waters wanted it as well. So still no points.
Bless you.
John's getting that paddle up high enough, early enough to then bring the ball down. Well played. So they are on the board. Big serve from John's.
And looks like he has a lunch commitment and wants to get out of here quickly.
Springy. Yeah, he is a young man. He can move.
Might actually be getting younger as well. That's a bit of a problem for the field.
Spent a lot of time in Florida. I remember Ponce de Leon did say that that's where the fountain of youth was.
Well, if it is, I might be making a trip back. Yeah.
Going to D.
Second, third.
Well, it was a good look at a drive. And I think if she really starts making those balls and can be accurate with the positioning, it's really going to set up McGuffin well.
Just get under that ball a little bit more. The combination of Tyson's heavy topspin with Ben's slicing return. There's a lot of spin on that ball, so you don't commit to getting under it.
And there's a third shot lob a la AJ Cola and Matt Wright. You know, I don't want to discount the.
No, it works.
Yeah.
I don't know if I necessarily agree with that, but it worked.
That's why we're up here.
Oh, she was in motion. Got exactly what she wanted.
One, two, two.
Beautiful serve.
Night. Night.
Yeah. And I think if you manage to land a serve of that quality, it's easy to think, well, now I should be able to drive this ball right.
Unfortunately, the kind of height of the drive did not set them up well.
So it looks like Ben hit it so hard that the ball turned into an egg. Right.
Johns was ready for it. McGuffin made a good move.
Oh, and Annalee Waters. That is a game changer.
That is an incredible point.
Turning defense into office.
Exactly.
Blink of an eye.
Great defense. And then whipping out probably your best offensive shot. That two handed backhand.
Yeah, that, that is a game changer. And I'd be surprised if there isn't a timeout coming.
Yep.
And there we go. The familiar sounds of a paddle dropping after a red hot start from the number one seeds, Ben Jones, Annalee Waters, McGuffin and Stratman. They've got some work to do. We'll find out if they can pull it off after.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Did, did you want to scoop? No.
All right.
Irina?
Yes, please.
All right.
Just say.
All right. We are back in St. George, Utah. Morgan Evans here alongside Julian Arnold and Waters and Johns off to a 51 lead.
And it is constant and relentless pressure from Waters and Johns.
We saw one of the best points Anna Lee has played just prior to this.
I think Ben gave him one maybe. Still, it was a.
Impressive backhand nonetheless.
Ben makes good calls, so that's sometimes the way it goes. Don't always let everyone out for sure.
I think when you're the goat, you kind of have a luxury of being generous with your calls.
And no one called anything wide, but it was understood. Stratman dismissing that dink one six.
That's a better drive.
Water's sort of indispensable indecision there in terms of whether to block or to, to really punch back. That in between ball gave McGuffin everything he ever wanted.
It's so tough to take the pace off and drop it into the kitchen. So sometimes electing to go for the counter like she just did, it might be the easier.
And a good lead. And it was Waters to call. No first.
I'm always so impressed with people who can leave a ball. I just get way too enthusiastic out there.
Yeah, I don't think I've ever left.
The ball in my life.
Amazing defense.
And the offensive cross court backhand Dink. After all that unbelievable stuff, I almost.
Wonder if Tyson's trying to do a little too much and that can leave you open to shots behind you.
Yeah, it's such a double edged sword, really.
It's really, you know, it's, it's obviously a tough call to make. You want to take those high balls as the guy usually try to put a little more something on it. But Lauren also has some great attacks in herself.
Very tough. And they are inspired to take another timeout, as will we. Let's see if they can mount a comeback as we return after these messages at the Built Red Rock Open.
So Ben Johns and Annalee Waters in command here in the second semifinals from St. George, Utah, sixth stop of the PPA Tour.
Yeah. Wow.
Waters saw some open space and played a.
Very 8:3 kind of shot.
Exactly.
The shut you play when you. You don't feel too much of a threat.
Great pickup.
Yeah.
There it is.
However, no one, no team out there should sleep on Stratman and McGuffin. No, they are very dangerous and if they can catch some real fire, I.
You know, I feel like they've been playing some awesome points and just.
All right, a little bit of luck helps him.
There you go.
That's an easy one. Yeah.
Some of the attacks haven't gone their way and obviously Ben and Annalee have incredible hands and defense, so that sometimes can be deflating in itself.
Yeah. When you feel like it doesn't matter what you do.
Yeah. Very good leave. And that's enough for Waters to call a timeout. So a at least a mental win from McGuffin and Stratman. Well, let's keep it here though. We can't take too much time off.
Yeah. McGuffin and Stratman. If the returns keep getting towards Stratman as she can tee off, well find some good locations, ideally off the back of a Big MacGuffin serve that doesn't let the returner really come in. They can really cause some problems if McGuffin disconnects early, feeds off those big drives. You know, this could be a different ball game.
Yeah, definitely. I think that's their go to Strat for early in the points. But, you know, I also like when I see him getting up to the kitchen, moving the ball around, keeping Ben honest. You've seen them move Ben and then maybe catch him off guard. Norton's got some good attacks. If you can attack him while he's still in transition, maybe moving back to his side.
To be successful.
Yeah, I mean, if all you had to worry about was was John's, then that's one conversation. Unfortunately, Anna Lee is playing lights out.
Yeah, I was going to say, when they've gone to attack Anna Lee, it hasn't worked. She's more stationary, she's in position and she has great attacks and counters in her own respect. So I think moving Ben around is making the command more of the court might be the lesser of two evils, so to speak.
Even this ball where it's moving Ben towards the middle.
Nope.
That point had it all.
Fast and furious stuff here with the built Red Rock open.
Yeah, that looked like a for sure winner. Ben reaches back and gets it.
We were both thinking the same thing, but that's why he is who he is.
And still I like giving Lauren a few more touches to do some of that. She's so creative. Off, off the bounce.
Nice. Come on.
The Duperrons are still with the.
Al and Jones.
Incredible point.
Unbelievable stuff. They got him on the ropes. It looked like the tables were about to turn back.
But again, sustained aggressive attacks from McGuffin and Stratman.
That'S brought them within one point.
Oh, that's a heartbreaker.
Still a worthwhile shot selection if that goes over. That's really setting things up well.
Love the shot selection.
Needs to get under that ball a little bit.
I think if McGuffin just allows that ball to get through to Stradman, even though that'll be her two handed back and she's got a great 200 backhand and it lets him disconnect early and apply some pressure.
Yeah, there's almost, almost a bit, little, little bit of indecision there. Even when he's letting her take it.
Oh, my God. So tough. Yeah.
Yeah.
And I feel like the wind has shifted.
Little shifty wind. You think?
Yeah, I'm looking at the.
Oh, yeah, yeah, you're right.
Oh, it's cute. And the stick didn't work, but the carrot certainly did.
Get to see some great defense from the other side. But ultimately the drop shot was a little too much.
This is game point. That ball catching the back of the line.
The attack.
Wow.
There was an outfall there. Perhaps, but.
We shall never know.
Big serve.
Oh, and to lose the game on that one. It's not the match, but the game. 11 7. Johns and Waters taking it well. Not without some real fights. So happy to see McGuffin and Stratman finding some good stuff. They will need more of it if they're going to make a meal of this one. Don't go anywhere, folks. More action coming from St. George, Utah. Morgan Evans here alongside Julian Arnold will be back. Don't go away.
