Ben Johns and Christian Alshon Pickleball Debut: The PPA Tour Asia’s Panas Malaysia Cup opened Wednesday evening in Kuala Lumpur with exciting first-round matches across all five pro events. The spotlight was on men’s doubles, where Ben Johns and Christian Alshon survived a tight three-game battle to win their debut as a team. They defeated Hien Truong and Quan Do 11-0, 9-11, 11-8 after scoring the final four points in the deciding game to seal the victory.
Strong Start for a New Pairing
Ben Johns and Christian Alshon entered the tournament as the top seeds but faced an early scare in their first match together. After dominating the opening game 11-0, they dropped the second 9-11 and trailed late in the third before rallying to claim the win. Despite the pressure, the pair showed steady teamwork in their first outing as partners.
“I feel like we’ve been across the net from each other quite a few times, so we know what each other can do. Obviously, we both play our roles pretty well, and it seems like it can be pretty seamless playing together, so this partnership made a lot of sense,” (Ben Johns).
“Like Ben said, we know each other so well, so we just kind of try to play off of each other. It was a lot closer than I think either one of us thought it was gonna be, so PPA Asia, you guys are doing a really good job, especially here in Malaysia.”(Christian Alshon)
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A Thrilling Opening Day
The close contest between Ben Johns and Christian Alshon and the Vietnamese duo of Hien Truong and Quan Do highlighted a night filled with competitive play. Other matches in the opening round also featured tough three-game fights, proving the high level of talent at this event. The Panas Malaysia Cup marks the first stop of the PPA Tour Asia, drawing top pickleball pros to the region and giving fans thrilling matchups from day one.
What Comes Next
The victory moves Ben Johns and Christian Alshon into the next round with momentum as they continue their first tournament together. Their strong start sets the stage for more exciting men’s doubles action as the Panas Malaysia Cup continues. With close matches already unfolding, fans can expect more dramatic games in the coming days.
News in Brief: Ben Johns and Christian Alshon Pickleball Debut
Ben Johns and Christian Alshon won their men’s doubles debut at the Panas Malaysia Cup in Kuala Lumpur. They rallied past Hien Truong and Quan Do 11-0, 9-11, 11-8 in a tense three-game match. The opening day featured early-round action in all five pro events, showcasing strong international competition.
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