![JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier hold up the trophy after winning at the Mesa Arizona Cup.](https://cdn.pickleball.com/news/1708897865673/EDITMAC_JW-DYLAN_SUNDAY_MD-14.webp?width=1320&height=528&optimizer=image)
Johnson, Frazier capture men’s doubles crown
MESA, AZ - JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier got to hold up the championship trophy for the first time in 2024 on Sunday at the Arizona Athletic Grounds.
The No. 2 seeds put a stop to the impressive run of Gabriel Tardio and Andrei Daescu with an 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 victory.
Their opponents had taken out the top two seeds in the draw already in Mesa, but Johnson and Frazier were able to out-grind them at the kitchen line and win the firefights when they needed to.
“They weren’t giving us many opportunities to attack, so we tried to stay patient and disciplined,” Frazier shared. “We’re comfortable in those long dink rallies, and we’re not afraid to get into the hands battles either."
The No. 16 seeds are a familiar opponent for the duo, since they play together often in South Florida. Knowing what Tardio and Daescu are capable of, they weren’t shocked to share the court with them on Championship Sunday.
“We weren’t surprised at all to see them in the final here,” Frazier said. “They’re playing really well, and they’re great competitors.”
Johnson and Frazier are coming off a 2023 campaign during which they had 15 podium finishes in men’s doubles to go along with five gold medals.
They know they’ll have to keep working if they want to find similar success in 2024.
“The sport is continuing to evolve and advance, and players are trying different stuff, so we’ve got to keep up with it,” explained Frazier.
They’re already off to a pretty good start.
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