Johns/Tardio vs Garnett/Ge at The Carvana Mesa Cup

So Aggie Gov will start us. Let's play pickleball. Ridiculous angle there and Connor Garnett has also moved. We were told by the Arizona crew in town, so there are lots of good partners to find for practice around here. Streaking a cross powder blue and a nice two handed backhand. Yeah, yesterday for Ben and Gabe, Jonathan Tron played great couple high forehands for Wyatt Stone, and that match could have gone very differently. So as we move along in the draw, Ben and Gabe really need to stay locked in with their footwork and their knee bend or they could possibly take it out and sometimes. That intensity can wane when you're on a significant winning streak, so they need to stay locked in physically and mentally to continue to get doves. Mr. Tardio is locked in. Didn't get the memo to wear a black shirt, but otherwise going well here. 201 Conrad goes off speed and Ben looks across the net like I was expecting something with a bit more pace. I'm not sure Ben's paddle would ever been a factor there. Gabe was lurking. Short return. I mean you could see the intensity and the wind up in the lower body of Ben like Oh my goodness, you're going to hit it short and not low. I'm about to destroy this ball and he did. And also, excuse me, Dave. I was just going to say in the singles draw only makes your third shot drives and doubles even better 501. Wow, Garnett having a rough start. He Tardio so many doves. Second serve. 602 too easy. And you mentioned before the stoppage of play the gifts from Auggie got Conrad Garnett early so. 702 Ben and Gabe showing their best stuff, but getting a lot of help right now. She's wow, three shot come. Yes, the overhead Ben was a sitting duck, but he plays it through the middle and allows Gabe to recover. There's the lefty hook. Love that. Yeah, Augie. Obviously in MLP has been terrific as a member of the Dallas Flash but got the PPA gold added to his list with his Dallas Flash teammate JW Johnson in Daytona. And how big is that for him? Success in one place, but not the other until that. Oh yeah, definitely. Oh he knows he's a smart guy. He remembers his results. Just an absolute violent Tui Nation ATP. I don't think it would be prettier than that. That's a 10 out of 10 right there. Hard grader too. Yes, I am a hard grader. That's just spectacular. Great look from the truck. For Ben Johnson, Gabe Tardio and back to that point about Augie to have that MLP championship, and not that his results have been poor at all in the PPA tour, but to get a gold over here. It's a big OK, I have that one. I can continue to play free and probably and hopefully get a couple more added to my ledger. 382 all done in two over there on grandstand so JW Johnson and CJ Klinger are through. Just keep swatting the money. It's it's so casual and loose and there's just no retreat from Gabe ever. He holds the line whether you're on the line or you're backing up and just stands there and does his thing. See, that's that's the left love right there, because Ben is thinking that ball is going to travel to Connor Garnett. And when Augie gets the lefty paw in there, Ben's caught off guard. Oh mean, but the pace that gave because Connor so fast he's like it's right there but it is not right there 932 play behind the fast guy, yeah. Simple, but works. That Miss got the old tongue into the cheek there of Ben. John's not thrilled with the unforced error, even if he is about as loose as he can be. For him to swing and miss one, maybe not. I mean, Ben's face changes in the intensity. The minute he sees that duck just sitting there ready to get pummeled. Augie just waiting with the Southpaw in the middle. So well done there. Got it down, so the only thing that they haven't done well over the last two tournaments is finish off matches. Game point two here. An interview in Cape Coral. Were you like Ben? Oh, I didn't realize it. I knew it was a lot. I didn't realize it was 8. 8 in this tournament as well, so something teams can look at. I'm with the short angle, so I'm the third game point. They get it done double whammy. There's a way to start again. That was silky smooth, yes? Nobody in the vicinity now. Wow, yes please. Oh no, it's how does he drop it in there? How in the world did that spin in there as Augie is looking for a spectacular finish he thinks he's got an idea that Ben is going to Ernie give him an Ernie excuse me and right in there. And games just all over that and Adam. I coined the phase phrase excuse me, double triple that used to be a thing a lot for Ben and Annalee. The way he's playing and we have a L dub in all three. They're at least progressing nicely towards that a lot of a lot of high level play to get there, but it's in play for the first time in a while and stay laser focused in men's and have less court time. If you're in all three disciplines, not just in doubles, it all matters. I wanted. Augie got to be more involved offensively, but he is not seeing a lot of balls in the kitchen line. It's kind of forced in to being passive. Because he's not getting balls and because the dinks coming his way are not very attackable at all. So Adam, the bad news for the rest of the field is Annalee does not have to play a what could have been a pretty tough women's doubles match. And Ben has the chance to be out of here by 415. 415 might be generous if we keep that keep seeing things like that. It's just trying to be fair. But and then I see a shot like that. I'm like, OK. That's it. What a shot. I mean, Ben hit that. A foot behind him. As late as you will see him. It didn't even destroyed by Conor Garnett. Alright, let's see if they can find some mojo here. Corner pocket serve helps. Nice Augie cross body with the two hander moments ago and flicks one right up Ben's line. No paddle contact for Ben Johns on that counter. Yeah, and I'm not making any excuses. That was a wonderful speed up from Augie, but we do have that sun sunstrip on the Augie Ben side of the court right now. Something to keep an eye on. And something not that we've just pointed out, but we have both discussed with the players that it's a problem. 421 nice Conor Garnett knows it's coming. He's retreating and he blows that ball by gave up the line. But yeah, right side. Of Gabe's body is not available for a forehand, especially when he reads the speed up coming that quickly. Not sure that was going to be in so. Connor tried a wild stab at it and they are five points from the semis. 622 that's a beautiful combo planner from Augie got. Yes it is. And as I mentioned with Conor Garnett being targeted a little bit more, I would like to see Augie be the alpha in the middle of the court when all four players get to the kitchen. And that's that's heels and toes right there. Ben and Gabe toe in the line. Everything feeling good. Full retreat mode from Conor Garnett and Augie Guh. Sign up and that shots getting more and more popular from a lot of different players. Flick all the way cross court. Doesn't get the ATP there. I rarely see. Been late with the footwork on that shot. So good I pick whichever one the counter from Gabe or the let go from Ben. 822. At previous .2 Conor finally found the forehand side of Gabe Tardio and it was hit better than his backhand counter. 281 can't happen 282 side out 821 kitchen is CLOSED and how about the adjustment on the footwork? Yeah, the around the post from Ben Johns. He was all over that one. Markedly different two points from the semis. 921 black you got Gabe Tardio in the blue and Connor Garnett on the other side. Comes up short there. Yeah, yeah, you said his name. He's gotta come up with that forehand flying forward CG. Oh dear, I did say his name. You said his initials and neither worked. Ball back two points from the semis for Ben and Gabe here top seed looking to win here last year. They lost in the finals on this very court in their first tournament together. Ben Johns and black shows the youngster right there. Gabe Tardio, the Bolivian. And friendly game here. There's FS1. I promise you they make their serves. Yes, please. The sport look at him explode off the court and smash a winner right past all you got. I don't. I mean, the degree of difficulty on that Ernie where he hopped from and to be clean on the landing with the feet so impressive. All you gotta send it cross court. Tardio cannot come up with it and hasn't had a lot of looks but made the most of them for this match for all you go with the offense. Way too high from Garnett and that brings us to match point. What an emphatic punch your ticket for the semifinals. Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio look terrific, trying to right the wrong from last year when they lost in the finals and they are looking spectacular here today.