Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio fought their way into the men’s doubles semifinals at the Carvana Mesa Cup presented by Proton. The No. 2 seeds secured a hard-fought 11-13, 11-9, 11-7 victory over No. 11 seeds Connor Garnett and Tyler Loong at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona.
Facing one of the strongest lefty-righty duos in Garnett and Loong, Johns and Tardio had to adjust to new challenges. After dropping the first game 13-11, they responded with a 7-point run in the second game to even the match. In the decisive third game, they trailed 3-5 before rallying with six straight points to take control and seal the win.
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Johns Highlights Unique Challenge Against Garnett and Loong
“They’re an interesting team. You almost can’t go too wide on Connor because he’s good at making that backhand ATP, and then just because of the lefty that’s in front of you, the spots to attack are a little bit different.” – (johns)
Johns and Tardio vs. Pablo Tellez and Dylan Frazier
With the win, Johns and Tardio advance to the semifinals, where they will face No. 3 seeds Pablo Tellez and Dylan Frazier. Both teams have been in strong form, setting up a thrilling showdown for a place in the finals.
News in Brief: Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio
Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio battled past Connor Garnett and Tyler Loong in a three-game men’s doubles quarterfinal at the Carvana Mesa Cup, winning 11-13, 11-9, 11-7. They will now face Pablo Tellez and Dylan Frazier in the semifinals.
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