JW Johnson and Gabe Tardio Overcome Early Deficit: JW Johnson and Gabe Tardio earned a place in the Proton Tucson Open men’s doubles final with an 11-8, 11-5 win over No. 13 seeds Rafa Hewett and Noe Khlif. The victory gave Johnson and Tardio a measure of revenge after losing to the same duo last month.
Overcoming Early Struggles
The No. 2 seeds trailed 4-8 in the first game but responded with seven straight points to take control. They maintained their momentum in the second game, closing out the match in two straight games to advance.
For Tardio, this win adds to an impressive stretch. He recently won gold in men’s singles and doubles at the Proton Australia Pickleball Open in Melbourne. Competing on different continents in a short span proved to be a unique challenge.
“It’s definitely been tough. I had two Tuesdays with the different time zones, so it was a little time travel for me,”. “I feel like both Tyson and JW have carried me in different ways at these past two tournaments. I’m super excited to try and go back-to-back tomorrow, and hopefully we can get it done.”(Gabe Tardio )
A Showdown for the Title
Johnson and Tardio will now face No. 4 seeds Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu in the championship match. Alshon and Daescu secured their own final spot with a hard-fought victory over Ben Johns and Hayden Patriquin.
With both teams in top form, the final promises to be an intense battle. Tardio has a chance to complete back-to-back title runs, while Alshon is aiming for his first career Triple Crown.
News in Brief: JW Johnson and Gabe Tardio Overcome Early Deficit
JW Johnson and Gabe Tardio defeated Rafa Hewett and Noe Khlif to reach the Proton Tucson Open men’s doubles final. Tardio, fresh off a tournament win in Australia, now looks to secure another title. They will face Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu for the championship.
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