Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu defeated first-time partners Ben Johns and Hayden Patriquin 11-6, 10-12, 11-5 in the Proton Tucson Open men’s doubles semifinal. The No. 4 seeds overcame a second-game comeback to secure their first final as a team.
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Battling Through a Tough Semifinal
Alshon and Daescu nearly won in straight games, leading 10-7 in the second. But Johns and Patriquin saved two match points and won five straight points to force a third game. Despite the setback, Alshon and Daescu regained control, dominating the final game to claim victory.
Alshon emphasized their belief in their strategy.
“Based on the score in the second, we knew that we could win the third,”. “We knew that we had a winning strategy—we just had to execute it.”(Christian Alshon)
A key factor was Alshon’s aggressive play at the net, putting Johns and Patriquin under pressure. Daescu praised his partner’s intensity, saying,
“We just had to hit the reset button and play one really good game to finish it, and we did. I’m just super proud to be competing next to Christian. He’s got a lot of heart, a lot of skill, and I’m looking forward to being in one of the three finals he’s gonna play tomorrow.”(Andrei Daescu )
Alshon Chases Triple Crown
Alshon now has a chance to win his first career Triple Crown after also reaching the men’s singles and mixed doubles finals. He spoke about the challenges of playing three finals in one day.
“It’s starting to set in right now because I spent all day actively trying not to think about it. I know it’s gonna require a lot of physical endurance and stamina—that’s probably the hardest part,”. “I don’t know how Ben has done it for so many years, but it really takes a toll on your body to compete in every single match of a tournament.”(Christian Alshon)
Standing between them and the men’s doubles title are No. 2 seeds JW Johnson and Gabe Tardio.
News in Brief: Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu
Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu defeated Ben Johns and Hayden Patriquin in three games to reach the Proton Tucson Open final. Alshon, also competing in singles and mixed doubles finals, is chasing his first Triple Crown. They will face JW Johnson and Gabe Tardio for the championship.
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