Jorja Johnson and Hayden Patriquin became the first team to secure a spot in the mixed doubles final in Holly Hill, defeating No. 5 seeds Tyra Black and Pablo Tellez with a decisive 11-8, 11-5 victory.
The duo, consisting of 18-year-old Johnson and 19-year-old Patriquin, delivered an outstanding performance on Friday, remaining undefeated and not dropping a single game in their four matches together.
This pairing is a fresh one for 2024, as Jorja Johnson has primarily played mixed doubles alongside her brother, JW Johnson, throughout the year.
Without her brother by her side this week, Johnson has embraced the unique dynamic that Hayden Patriquin brings to their partnership.
“[Hayden] definitely takes a lot more of the dinks, which is nice,” Johnson shared. “I just kind of sit back and watch, trusting that he’s going to get us to where we want to go.”
As the No. 2 seeds, Johnson and Patriquin are now just one victory away from their ultimate goal, preparing to face either Anna Bright and Dekel Bar or Tina Pisnik and Andrei Daescu in the Championship Sunday final.
Before that, both players will shift their focus to the gender doubles competition on Saturday. Johnson will team up with her Dallas Flash teammate Tyra Black, while Patriquin will aim for his fourth gold medal alongside Federico Staksrud.