Gabe Tardio’s Wins Singles and Doubles Mixed in North Carolina PPA
Pickleball is full of prodigies, but every now and then, one weekend turns a rising star into a household name. That moment just arrived for Gabriel Tardio.
At just 19 years old, the Bolivian-born athlete walked into the 2025 PPA Veolia North Carolina Open with buzz—but left as a breakout force. Ranked #8 in Men's Doubles and #17 in Singles before the tournament, he left Cary, North Carolina with two gold medals, a jaw-dropping run in singles sparked by a phone call from his mom, and a doubles title clinched beside the sport’s undisputed GOAT, Ben Johns.
Tardio’s climb has been fast, but not accidental. Introduced to pickleball at 14 by his grandfather in Bolivia, the two built courts together, eventually leading Tardio to pursue the sport full-time in the U.S. With a junior tennis background, raw athleticism, and a daily training regimen that rivals seasoned pros, his rise has always felt possible—but this weekend, it felt inevitable.
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The Setting: North Carolina’s PPA Open Delivers the Drama
Held at Cary Tennis Park, the PPA Veolia North Carolina Open ran April 1–6, 2025. The event offered 1000 ranking points per pro division—points that can swing seasons, seedings, and futures. Despite some buzz around the roll-out courts (Anna Leigh Waters notably skipped singles due to safety concerns), conditions held up, and so did the level of play.
Players like Jack Sock, Genie Bouchard, and Donald Young brought the tennis crossover energy. But it was Tardio, not the celebrity names, who stole the spotlight.
The Singles Run He Nearly Skipped
Tardio hadn’t even planned to play singles.
“I know my mom is going to be really happy,” he said after clinching gold. “She’s always pushing me to play... I’m playing this tournament because of her.” He later laughed, adding that she calls him out for being “a little lazy.”
That nudge changed everything.
Seeded #13 and with no expectations on his shoulders, Tardio stormed through the draw. He upset the #3 seed Connor Garnett in a thriller, took down #1 Federico Staksrud in a three-game battle, and handled 6’5” Roscoe Bellamy in the final with surgical precision.
“That was one of the best matches of my life,” he said post-victory. “I just tried to stay in it mentally. That’s been my focus this year.”
Here’s how the run looked on paper:
Tardio’s Singles Wins at the North Carolina Open:
Each match had its own flavor—comeback wins, high-pressure points, and long rallies—but the through line was Tardio’s ability to stay locked in.
“I know my mom is going to be really happy,” said Tardio. “I’m playing this tournament because of her.”
Doubles Chemistry with Ben Johns
If his singles run felt like a surprise, his doubles title felt like destiny.
This is now the second gold medal of the season for the Tardio–Johns partnership. While Johns brings decades of pickleball IQ (yes, decades—even at 25), Tardio brings raw power and youthful energy. Together, they’re quickly becoming one of the most dangerous duos on the tour.
“We’re jelling more and more,” Johns said. “I think we complement each other well. Gabe’s got great hands, great athleticism. We’re figuring out our patterns.”
Their path to gold was nearly flawless. They didn’t drop a single game until the final, where they met #1 seeds Hayden Patriquin and Federico Staksrud. In a match full of fireworks—lightning-speed hand battles, down-the-line attacks, and crowd-roaring comebacks—they held strong.
Down 8–1 in the fourth game and staring down multiple game points, Tardio and Johns flipped the script, clawing back to win 13–11 and clinch the match.
Doubles Results:
The 11 PICKLES Take
What Gabriel Tardio did in Carolina wasn’t just win—it redefined the ceiling for what a 19-year-old in pro pickleball can do. You could feel it in the crowd. You could see it in the way he moved. Confident. Electric. Unapologetically present.
That’s exactly the energy 11 PICKLES was built around. We’re not just covering pickleball—we’re building the culture around it. What you wear, how you show up to the courts, what players like Gabe represent. And yeah, we’ve got some merch on the way that channels that same mentality: bold, technical, made to move, built to win.
This moment? It’s not about coronation. It’s about acceleration.
If you’ve been waiting for the next era of pickleball—we’re already in it.
Buy Gabe Tardio's paddle here.
