Garnett gets to go for gold again

Ben Johns has the trophies; Federico Staksrud has the consistency.

So, what’s the deal with Connor Garnett?

In men’s singles, where the new norm is qualifiers making deep runs and upsets happening on the regular, there’s only been Ben and Fed as things you can count on.

But, man, if Garnett isn’t a close No. 3.

He medaled five times in singles last year, which included three silvers and a pair of bronze finishes, and now Sunday, he’ll have another chance to win a first gold, and another chance to put himself at the top of the PPA singles pedestal. 

“Fed and Ben have both won multiple golds,” Garnett said. “That’s kind of the big thing I have to keep in mind. I need gold. Until then, I’m fine being the underdog.”

Garnett is the No. 2 seed here at the PPA’s Indoor Championships in Minnesota, but if he’s an underdog, it’s not by a lot.

Ben Johns took the week off, and Garnett will face Staksrud in the final, after beating Jack Sock in the quarterfinals and then Christian Alshon in the semifinals. 

Win or lose, Sunday will be Garnett’s first medal of the 2024 season, but with a win, he’ll secure a spot among the elite. 

“I’m still out of breath,” Garnet said after beating Alshon in the semifinals, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7. “It was a battle.”

All of Garnett’s matches Thursday were a battle. All four went three games.

“Yeah, I’ve been grinding at three sets,” Garnett said after losing the first game 11-3 to Sock in the quarterfinals and then winning the next two 11-6, 11-7. “I was ready for another battle and I was in survival mode. I got a few lucky bounces and some momentum and tried to hold on to that the rest of the match.”

Now, Garnett will take on Staksrud, who has been in the final for all four events of 2024. He had far fewer issues than Garnett did Thursday, winning all of his four matches in two games. He gave up four or fewer points four times in those eight games. Total dominance for 2024’s best singles player. 

Staksrud is 1-2 in finals this year, falling to Johns and Dylan Frazier. He beat Jaume Martinez-Vich for gold at Desert Ridge.

“In the offseason, I didn’t go to Mexico and lay down on the beach,” Staksrud said. “I worked hard. Now it’s paying off.”

Now we’ll find out if Garnett is good for his first gold on tour.

“Fed is no joke,” he said. “I’ll have to bring my ‘A’ game. I’m hoping to have a fun battle out there.”