Gabe Tardio: Playing With Ben Johns, Handling Pressure, and Becoming a Star | S5 E1

Gabe Tardio is the No. 2 player in the world and half of the best men's doubles team in pickleball alongside Ben Johns. He grew up in Bolivia chasing a tennis career and went from thinking pickleball was "the dumbest game ever" to one of the most feared right-side players on the PPA Tour. In this episode, Gabe sits down with Roscoe and Jared to open the Season 5 premiere. They trace his path from a COVID-shuttered tennis academy to his grandfather's pickleball courts in Florida, then to the Johnson family practice group that brought him onto the pro tour. It's a candid, funny conversation about strategy, partnerships, and what it takes to break into the top tier. Gabe breaks down the decision that changed his career: seeing that everyone wanted to play the left, so he committed to mastering the right. He explains how film study, thousands of backhand counters against JW Johnson's flicks, and deliberately borrowing shots from Ben, Anna Leigh, Tyson McGuffin, and Kyle Yates built the aggressive right-side style he's known for. Gabe also tells the full story behind partnering with Ben. He was nearly 80% set on leaving the PPA over a contract offer before Ben's Christmas text arrived while he was in Bolivia. That text helped him re-sign for almost 3x the money. He's honest about freezing up in their first tournaments in Mesa and how Ben's quiet belief got him back to his game. He also covers going from rivals to best friends with Hayden, life on the St. Louis Shock, and why he'd still pick tennis. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:12 — The Quiet Kid With the Glasses 2:09 — Growing Up in Bolivia on the Tennis Court 3:03 — COVID Shuts Down His Tennis Academy 3:21 — Grandpa's Backyard Pickleball Court 6:38 — Giving Up the Pro Tennis Dream 7:54 — "The Dumbest Game Ever" 9:37 — Dad Saw the Future First 10:37 — Meeting Jorja at a Money Ball 12:14 — The Worst Player in the Johnson Practice Group 14:14 — Winning 5.0s and Turning Pro at 16 15:39 — $1,000 Money Balls at 15 16:27 — Watching Every Ben Johns Match 17:18 — Why JW Was His Idol 18:20 — No Pressure, No Problem 19:39 — The Split Personality 20:37 — The Right-Side Bet That Changed Everything 22:31 — How to Become an Elite Right-Side Player 25:04 — Reinventing the Right-Side Role 27:08 — Training His Brother Matias for the Pro Tour 29:25 — Every Shot Is Borrowed 32:34 — Hayden vs. Anna Leigh Trash Talk 34:28 — Anna Bright or Jorja Johnson? 35:33 — The Ben Johns Partner Sweepstakes 36:27 — Almost Leaving the PPA 37:54 — Ben's Text and a 3x PPA Raise 39:00 — Why Ben Picked Gabe 41:00 — The Christmas Text in Bolivia 42:07 — Freezing Up in Mesa 43:13 — Finding the Groove With Ben 44:17 — Collin Johns and the Biggest Threat 44:59 — What Ben Taught Him 46:13 — Inside Ben Johns' World 47:07 — From Rivals to Best Friends With Hayden 48:27 — Life on the St. Louis Shock Super Team 50:37 — Ranked No. 5? His Response 52:58 — Dealing With the Keyboard Warriors 54:39 — Tama and the Next Generation 57:15 — Most Underrated and Overrated 58:28 — The Pro Player Animal Round 59:52 — Pro Pickleball Matchmaking 1:02:38 — Stranded on an Island 1:03:23 — Why He'd Still Pick Tennis Source: The Kitchen - A Pickleball Community

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