How Funemizu and Acevedo Pulled Off the Biggest Upset at the 2026 PPA Arizona Open

The biggest upset at the 2026 PPA Arizona Open came from an unlikely duo: Yuta Funemizu and Nico Acevedo. Here is exactly how they beat Ben Johns and Federico Staksrud in straight games.

The PPA Arizona Open delivered a result almost nobody saw coming.

Ben Johns and Federico Staksrud, two of the most decorated names in professional pickleball, lost in men's doubles to a brand-new pairing that had barely played a point together.

Yuta Funemizu and Nico Acevedo did it in under 30 minutes.

When Acevedo was asked how they pulled it off, his answer was simply: "I honestly have no idea."

That kind of win does not happen by accident.

There are real strategic and physical reasons this upset unfolded the way it did, and every one of them teaches you something about how doubles is won and lost at the highest level.

Love pickleball? Then you'll love our free newsletter. We send the latest news, tips, and highlights for free each week.

New Partnerships Cost Points You Do Not Even Notice

Ben Johns and Federico Staksrud had never played together before. That matters more than most people think.

When two elite players form a new partnership, the chemistry gap shows up in the smallest moments.

Staksrud was late covering the fourth shot early on, and Johns pulled a full crossbody attack out of what appeared to be frustration.

These are not the kinds of mistakes either player makes with a long-term partner.

The commentators called it clearly: new partnerships bring stress, even for decorated champions.

That stress compounds across a match, especially late at night after a full day of competition.

Why Kitchen Line Communication Decided This Match

Watch the match closely and you can see Johns and Staksrud building strategy on the fly.

Johns appeared to signal for Erne opportunities to pressure Acevedo in the backhand corner.

It was a smart plan. But executing a coordinated system for the first time in a live match is a different challenge entirely.

This is what mixed doubles strategy experts point to constantly: the cost of poor kitchen line communication is real, and it shows up in points lost, not just discomfort.

What Did Funemizu Actually Do to Win This?

Yuta Funemizu was the tactical anchor of this upset.

His post-match quote said it all: "We communicate a lot on the kitchen line so we could make clear decisions and stay aggressive."

That is the formula. Clear decisions lead to aggressive execution. Here is what that looked like in practice during this match:

• He repeatedly used a windshield wiper backhand, striking with the opposite side of the paddle to redirect pace and catch Johns off guard at the line.
• He targeted the middle of the court consistently, splitting the Johns-Staksrud partnership and forcing late decisions on shot ownership.
• He held his paddle position for extended periods during dink exchanges, then found Staksrud's feet with precision when the opening arrived.
• He kept his serve aggressive, using pace to rush the return and take time away from a duo that had not yet synced their transition game.

The windshield wiper backhand is worth understanding here. It involves using the back face of the paddle on a backhand swing to generate an unusual angle or spin.

It is disorienting for opponents because the visual cue of the swing does not match the expected ball flight.

Funemizu went to it twice in succession during one stretch of the match, and both attempts caused problems for Johns.

That is not luck. That is a practiced weapon deployed at exactly the right moment.

Understanding how to win a hands battle comes down to having a go-to move you trust under pressure. Funemizu has that.

PPA Tour Takes Over Pickleball Operations at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Landmark Multi-Decade Deal

The Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour and Arizona Athletic Grounds announced a sweeping multi-decade partnership Thursday that will give the PPA control of year-round pickleball operations at the massive Mesa, Arizona sports complex.

The Dink PickleballErik Tice

Why Did Nico Acevedo's Legs Become a Factor?

Acevedo had played an intense mixed match earlier in the day with almost no recovery time.

Commentators noted him shaking out his leg and stretching his left quad during several points.

Here is the interesting part: instead of retreating, Acevedo leaned into his hands game.

When your legs are not at full strength, you do not grind out long baseline rallies. You shorten the point.

Acevedo went behind Ben Johns repeatedly from the backhand side, pulling for quicker points rather than extended dink battles he might lose to fatigue.

That is the kind of shot selection discipline that separates players who read their own body from those who play the same way regardless.

The match started around 9 p.m. local time, and everyone on that court had been playing all day.

Acevedo and Funemizu had clearly discussed energy management before the match began. Johns and Staksrud were still sorting out their system.

Why Your Pickleball Reset Fails and How to Fix It

Most players blow the fifth shot reset by fighting the ball instead of absorbing it. Fix your pickleball reset with these leg-driven techniques that actually work.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

How Did Ben Johns Try to Take Control?

Ben Johns is one of the most strategically precise players in pickleball history. Even in a loss, his adjustments are worth studying.

Early in the match, Johns identified Acevedo's backhand as the target.

His apparent goal was to isolate Acevedo in that corner and make Staksrud feel confident jumping to the Erne, knowing Acevedo could not comfortably bail out.

Johns also adjusted his serve and drive patterns mid-match.

He shifted toward more dinking toward Funemizu's side rather than attacking, apparently out of respect for the hands speed both opponents were showing.

That restraint is notable because Johns is capable of driving at will, but here he was recognizing that extra power was not the answer against this particular team.

He also hit one of the cleanest shoulder-fake drops of the match, drawing a forward lunge from Acevedo with a simple visual cue before placing the ball in an impossible spot.

The execution was elite. It just was not enough.

Johns historically performs well in Mesa, Arizona, and his serve-heavy, fast-ball style suits the conditions.

This loss does not change that, but it confirms something important: new doubles partnerships carry real risk, even for the best players in the world.

10 Proven Ben Johns Strategies You Can Steal Right Now

The GOAT doesn’t need to hit harder or faster than everyone else. He just makes better decisions, executes them more consistently, and never gives his opponents an easy point.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

What Can You Take From the PPA Arizona Open Into Your Own Game?

Five lessons from this upset apply directly to your doubles, regardless of level.

1. Communicate at the kitchen line before you need to. Make the decision before the ball comes, not during the exchange.
2. Know your go-to shot under pressure. You need one shot you can execute when the point gets tight.
3. Adjust your game to your body. Acevedo was cramping and pulled for quicker points instead of grinding.
4. New partnerships need a simple system. Agree on two or three non-negotiables before you walk on: who covers the middle, who calls the switch.
5. Do not let frustration change your shot patterns. That crossbody attack after a net cord is how high-level players give away close matches.

The third lesson is especially worth sitting with. Playing smarter when your body is limited is a skill in itself.

Most players try to compensate by working harder physically. The better move is to work smarter with your shot selection.

Also worth noting: Federico Staksrud was chasing Erne opportunities throughout the match. He found several but missed critical ones at key moments.

The Erne is a high-reward shot, but timing it poorly against a team that is already reading your patterns will backfire.

Getting your Erne timing right means reading the dink rally first, not just reacting to any ball near the sideline.

5 Pickleball Rally Lessons From the Best Point Ever

One pickleball rally from a Major League Pickleball season finale packed more coaching gold than most players see in a year. Here are 5 lessons you can actually use in your next game.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

What This Upset Means for the Rest of the Tournament

Acevedo and Funemizu advance to the quarterfinals. Acevedo said it clearly: "I want to be champion. We want to be champion."

That is not an empty quote from someone riding a lucky win.

This duo showed clear tactical intention, physical resilience, and kitchen line communication at a level that beat two of the sport's biggest names.

For context on where this event sits in the larger picture, the Veolia Arizona Open tournament preview outlined just how competitive the draw was expected to be. Nobody had Funemizu and Acevedo winning a match like this.

Acevedo also noted he quit his job to pursue pickleball full time.

That kind of commitment tends to produce exactly this kind of result: a player locked in, with no backup plan, competing like every point matters.

If you want to understand the broader competitive landscape on the PPA Tour right now, the PPA's growing footprint in Arizona is part of why events like this carry so much weight.

This match was covered by PPA Tour on YouTube, where you can watch the full broadcast including post-match interviews with both Acevedo and Funemizu.

The biggest takeaway from this entire match is simple: chemistry built before the match beats talent assembled on the fly.

Acevedo and Funemizu had a plan. Johns and Staksrud had elite skill. On this night, the plan won.

If you want to build that kind of doubles strategy that makes you a real threat, start by solving the communication problem before you ever step on the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are Yuta Funemizu and Nico Acevedo in pickleball?

Yuta Funemizu and Nico Acevedo are professional pickleball players who previously played together in MLP. Acevedo, originally from Chile, recently committed to pickleball full time after leaving his previous job. Their win over Johns and Staksrud at the 2026 PPA Arizona Open is considered the biggest upset of that tournament.

Why did Ben Johns and Federico Staksrud lose at the PPA Arizona Open?

The partnership between Ben Johns and Federico Staksrud was brand new, and the match exposed the communication gaps that come with playing alongside someone for the first time. Several unforced errors, late coverage decisions, and frustration-driven shot changes gave Funemizu and Acevedo control of key stretches. First-time partnerships carry real risk even at the professional level.

What is the windshield wiper backhand in pickleball?

The windshield wiper backhand is a shot where a player strikes the ball using the back face of the paddle on a backhand swing, generating an unusual angle or spin that opponents do not expect. Funemizu used it effectively multiple times against Johns in this match. It is disorienting because the swing visual and the ball flight do not match what an opponent has learned to anticipate.

How do new pickleball partnerships affect performance?

New partnerships often struggle with kitchen line communication, split-second coverage decisions, and shot ownership in the middle. Even world-class players show these cracks when they have not built a shared system through practice or match play. The fix is to agree on a simple, clear structure before the match rather than improvising under pressure.

What should you do when cramping or fatigued during a pickleball match?

When your legs are limited, pull for quicker points rather than grinding out long rallies that demand full court coverage. Acevedo did this effectively at the PPA Arizona Open by going behind his opponents from the backhand side and shortening exchanges. Winning without relying on power or movement is a real strategy, not a fallback.