Marshall Brown has found incredible form in Vegas this week. The 30-year-old from Alabama was dealt a rather tough draw, facing three highly decorated singles opponents: No. 11 Dylan Frazier, No. 9 Michael Loyd, and No. 4 Connor Garnett on his way to his maiden semifinal appearance.
In all three matches, Brown lost the first game — 1-11 against Frazier, 6-11 against Loyd, and 0-11 to Garnett. “Even after losing 11-0 in the first game [against Garnett], I told my wife that I didn’t need the first game to win,” said Brown.
Brown mounted a strong comeback against Frazier in the round of 32, earning a 1-11, 11-3, 11-4 victory. In similar fashion, Brown overcame Michael Loyd in the round of 16, 6-11, 11-3, 11-3.
Connor Garnett represents Brown’s biggest singles victory to date. Brown was impressive in the cat-and-mouse battle, often outsmarting Garnett, who is arguably one of the quickest players on the tour. Despite Garnett leading for most of game two, Brown’s anticipation, composure, and accuracy in high-pressure moments allowed him to seal the game 11-9. By game three, Brown had really found his rhythm, while Garnett appeared to struggle. Brown took the match 0-11, 11-9, 11-2.
Brown now faces Federico Staksrud in the semifinals, after Jack Sock was forced to retire from their match due to injury. “I’m pumped! I’ve made five PPA quarterfinal appearances but hadn’t been able to push through to the semis until today,” Brown said. “My serve was massive thanks to the Boomstik, and I was able to mix up my thirds to keep him guessing.”
Tune in
Be sure to tune in to the semifinals on Saturday on Pickleball TV!
