Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio won the men’s doubles final at the 2025 Select Medical Orange County Cup on Championship Sunday in Southern California. They beat Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin in five games: 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 4-11, 11-3. The match was held at Life Time Rancho San Clemente.
The top-seeded pair of Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio played for over two hours in a thrilling battle. With this win, they have now won three of the five tournaments they have entered together since forming a team in February.
A Back-and-Forth Final
The match started with a close first game, where Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin edged out a 12-10 win. But Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio bounced back quickly. They won the next two games 11-7 and 11-8 with strong teamwork and smart plays.
Just when it seemed like Johns and Tardio might close it out in four games, Staksrud and Patriquin fought back with an 11-4 win in the fourth. That sent the match to a deciding fifth game. There, Johns and Tardio stepped up their level and took full control, winning 11-3 to seal the championship.
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Top Seeds Battle for the Title
This final featured the top two seeds in the men’s doubles draw. Both teams came into the match with 28,100 PPA ranking points. Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio were seeded first because Johns is the No. 1 ranked men’s doubles player.
Ben Johns said the match was tough but fun to play.
“Obviously, it’s nobody’s goal to go to five games. You want to do it faster, but a win is a win. [Federico and Hayden] played some really great games, and it definitely swung back and forth; those are the matches that I think people enjoy a lot,” Johns said. “I think we executed well in that last game, so I’m happy to come away with a W.”
Growth and Confidence
Gabriel Tardio, currently ranked No. 5 in men’s doubles, credited his growing success to his new partner.
“I think my ranking hasn’t been the best for a while now, so getting to play with Ben has definitely helped that,” he joked.
Ben Johns also said the partnership keeps getting stronger.
“The first tournament and fifth tournaments are just worlds apart, and I think we’re only getting better,” he noted. “Gabe is the best right-sider in the world right now, and it’s just a pleasure to play with him.”
What This Win Means
This victory shows that Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio are becoming one of the strongest teams on tour. They’ve reached the finals in every event they’ve played so far. With their teamwork improving, they could become the team to beat in future tournaments.
News in Brief: Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio
Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio won the 2025 Select Medical Orange County Cup men’s doubles title in Southern California. They defeated Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin in five games: 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 4-11, 11-3. This is their third title together out of five tournaments played.
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