
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
Related articles

UPA Player Fining Committee to bring clarity to fining processes
The committee, formed in November, features pro player Allyce Jones, PPA Tour COO Conner Ogden, and senior pro Steve Deakin.
7 hours ago
-Pickleball.com Staff

Red-Hot Rafa: Lenhard stuns top seed Staksrud in epic quarterfinal
After winning the men's singles title at the Raleigh PPA Challenger last weekend, Rafael Lenhard is closing in on another gold in Daytona Beach.
9 hours ago
-Will Daughton

3 things to watch for on Wednesday at PPA Daytona Beach
Kaitlyn Christian will be looking to defend her women's singles crown in Daytona Beach.
16 hours ago
-Will Daughton

Raleigh Challenger Recap: Stratman, Arnold fall in mixed doubles as Kunimoto nearly Triple Crowns
17-year-old Kiora Kunimoto had quite the performance in the North Carolina capital.
2 days ago
-Pickleball.com Staff