Gabe Tardio recounts nerves and a career shift alongside Ben Johns
Summary by Coachino Daily Digest · Original reporting by The Kitchen
Published
Gabe Tardio says joining Ben Johns in men’s doubles redirected his career—and brought nerves that initially held him back. Speaking on Pickleballers, he explained that he had been considering an Indian pro league and an overseas/APP Tour schedule before Johns approached him.
Tardio instead reached a PPA Tour deal. Their debut at the Mesa Cup in February 2025 ended with silver against Andrei Daescu and Christian Alshon. He said familiarity helped him regain his natural game; the partnership has since collected 19 gold medals and won more than 95% of its matches.
Coachino Insight
Tardio’s account highlights the pressure of a new partnership: he linked his early hesitation to unfamiliarity with Johns, and greater comfort to time spent playing together.
Tyson McGuffin defeated Jimmy Liong 11–4, 11–4 to reach the Hong Kong Slam’s last 16. After the match, he reflected on the change from his early pickleball days to a global professional circuit. The next singles test is Hunter Johnson, while McGuffin also remains involved in doubles at the event.
Coachino Insight
An experienced player’s perspective can help developing athletes separate a long career from one tournament. Coaches can pair match review with discussion of sustainable progress.
Tama Shimabukuro will play for Team Asia International at the MLP Nations Cup in place of Vietnam's Hien Truong, the league announced on Tuesday, according to Pickleball.com. The report does not say why the change was made.
The 15-year-old joins Jack Wong, Rika Fujiwara, Macy Ybañez, Lingwei Kong and Jimmy Liong in Group B alongside Team Australia, Team Europe – East and Team Latin America. The new team event runs from October 30 to November 1 at Brookhaven Country Club, just before the Opendoor Pickleball World Championships.
Coachino Insight
A 15-year-old earning a place on a regional all-star side shows how young the international game is getting. Junior programmes can point to his path through Asian tour events.
Zane Navratil has come out against any UPA rule limiting taunting or screaming, Pickleball.com reports. In an Instagram post, the pro said players should be free to show emotion and leave it to fans and social media to decide who has gone too far, adding that indifference harms the sport more than noise does.
He pointed to the NFL's unpopular taunting rule and to the UFC's trash talk, and described pros as entertainers rather than role models. Navratil also admitted regretting his own outburst at the MLP Playoffs.
Coachino Insight
Whatever the tour decides, juniors copy what they watch. Coaches can set their own standards for celebrations and respect, separate from what entertains a television audience.
