How Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin won big at PPA Tour Pickleball World Championships

Tony Roig

Contributor

Last Edited

Nov 13 2025

1. Staksrud set ego aside

In the pro game, there is this idea that the left side player is the “alpha.” In mixed doubles – unless the male player is left-handed – the male player plays the left side. In men’s doubles, the “dominant” player plays the left side. It had been clear for a while now that Hayden was potentially a better fit on the left, as it better utilizes his skillset. But … him playing on the left would require Staksrud – a top doubles player – to move to the right side. Credit to him, he agreed to it and this allowed his team to play out of its strongest formation.

Coaching tip: This is an oft overlooked aspect of doubles pickleball. We are playing a team sport. Granted a small team of two, but a team nonetheless. If you want to have the best chance to succeed in doubles pickleball, structure your team in its strongest formation. If that puts you on the right, then you are on the right. Big props to Staksrud for setting ego aside and helping his team play its best.

2. Hayden was his disruptive best

Patriquin is one of the most dynamic male players on the tour. He can attack out of the air or bounce. Forehand or backhand. There is no way to know what Patriquin is going to do with a ball. Playing on the left allowed him to roam free. He would regularly step in front of Staksrud (who, again, is a TOP pro) to take the shot. Sometimes he would just dink it back. But sometimes he would rip it into the opponent. Scary stuff. There is a line here that Patriquin must walk. There are times when being “big” and aggressive can be too much and backfire a bit. But in Dallas, Big H lived up to his moniker.

3. Staksrud played impeccable on the right

Staksrud agreeing to play the right side is one thing. Him playing amazing on the right side is another thing entirely. Pros spend most of their time practicing one side or the other. This gives them a natural comfort with that side. For instance, as a lefty player, I spend most of my playing time on the right side. I know the angles, how to cover them, how to attack, etc. Put me on the left side and I am like a beginner player over there. It’s even more extreme for pro players. Staksrud has been a left side player for years. With lefty Pablo Tellez. With his mixed partners. And with Patriquin. All of sudden he is a full-time right-side player. At the PPA World Championships. Not easy. But he played impeccable. His dinking was spot on. Defense spectacular. And his slide backhand counter was deadly. During the semi-finals match, Staksrud was directly opposite the No. 1 male player on the planet, Ben Johns. He shut down Johns' favorite weapon: the attacking roll volley. Toward the end of Game 2, Staksrud slid to his right to counter Ben’s roll. After a devastating backhand volley, he looked across the net at Johns. “No mas, Ben” is what that look said to me.

4. Both players kept their composure

There have been times in the past where Staksrud and Patriquin have been plagued by mental dips in their play. Not at Worlds. In the Championship Match, Johnson and Klinger took Game 1. Staksrud and Patriquin kept cool and kept working.

Coaching tip: This is a part of the game that you can gain tremendous advantage in. If you are like most players, there’s a good chance that your performance is being hampered by negative, clouded or other unproductive mental processes. Want an easy entry point to a stronger mental you? Check out the Pickleball Therapy Podcast. It is available on Apple, Spotify, and all podcast platforms. Listen and get your mind “right.”

5. Fundamentals

Don’t tune out here. Whether at the pro level or at your local courts, the outcome of most games comes down to the most “boring” parts of the game: Returns of serve, making thirds, unattackable dinks, etc. The “basics.” Staksrud and Patriquin were spot on in the fundamentals of the game. Here is one example: During Game 4 of the Championship Match, they were in a dead heat with Johnson and Klinger in getting to the line when they were serving. Yet they won the game 11-8. The reason? Staksrud and Patriquin gave up no points when Johnson and Klinger were off the line. They were, however, on the receiving end of 3 such points. Specifically, Johnson and Klinger missed 2 returns of serve and one volley when they were at the line and Staksrud/Patriquin were back. Final score: 11-8. The difference – 3 points – all coming from those “gifted” points. And gifted points all originate from flaws in fundamentals.

If you want to see more about this match, including how the dinking patterns used by Johnson and Klinger limited them at the kitchen line, check out the full video at the In2Pickle channel on YouTube. There’s a lot we can all learn from watching the best in the game play. The key is to look for areas that are most relevant to where you are currently playing the game. That is what articles like this one can help you navigate.

Tony Roig is a nationally-recognized coach, Sr. Pro Player, developer of “Respect the X” on the In2Pickle YouTube channel, and the voice behind the Pickleball Therapy podcast. Visit BetterPickleball.com for information on coaching from Tony and the BP team through their Camps, Academy, and No. 1 online training program: The Pickleball System.

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