Andrei Daescu and Gabriel Tardio cruised to an 11-6, 11-6, 11-1 victory over No. 3 seeds James Ignatowich and Matt Wright in the men’s doubles final.

The No. 8 seeds were just a point away from missing out on the final thanks to their semifinal opponents Hayden Patriquin and Pablo Tellez, but they certainly made the most of Sunday’s opportunity.

A key component of Daescu and Tardio’s success was their stellar play at the kitchen line; Daescu’s length on the left, paired with Tardio’s propensity for attacks on the right, made for a winning combination.

In the match’s latter stages, they also found success driving on third shots while Ignatowich and Wright tried to unwind the stack on the return.

All of that helped them take the win with a shocking score line to claim the title.

This is Daescu and Tardio’s first PPA title together in a season that has also seen them take down Ben and Collin Johns two separate times.

“Andrei and I have made two finals before and couldn’t quite get the job done, so we’re super happy that this time we’re coming away with the gold,” Tardio shared.

Both players have won men’s doubles titles with other partners at other events, with Tardio doing so with Federico Staksrud in Kansas City and Daescu snagging a gold in Austin with Matt Wright.

For Daescu, winning one with Tardio is extra special.

“It means a lot to me to win one with Gabe,” he shared. “We started playing together at the start of the season, and we went through the ups and downs like everybody else, but I couldn’t be more excited to win with this guy. He’s playing so solidly right now, so I’m just happy to be along for the ride.”

In the bronze medal match, Augie Ge and Federico Staksrud defeated Patriquin and Tellez by an 11-8, 11-3 score line.