Collin Johns hits a forehand dink.
Collin and Ben Johns competing at the Vizzy Atlanta Open presented by Acrytech. PPA Tour

Sweet revenge: Johns bros sweep Daescu, Tardio

PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA - The last time Ben and Collin Johns played against Andrei Daescu and Gabriel Tardio, they lost in three games at the Selkirk Red Rock Open.

The storyline from that match, though, wasn’t that they lost. It was how they lost: by getting pickled in the final game.

That’s the type of loss that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, that has you counting down the days until you get a shot at revenge.

That opportunity came Friday afternoon for the top-seeded brothers, and they took full advantage with an 11-7, 11-5 victory.

This was their first victory in three matches against Daescu and Tardio.

“This season is the first time we’ve seen that pairing, so I feel like it occasionally does take some time to figure teams out,” B. Johns said of the win.

It was clear that they had figured their opponents out on Friday, as the brothers put forth a clinical performance guided by a palpable sense of urgency on the court.

“I feel like the energy was a little higher, which is always helpful for us,” B. Johns shared. “Collin played super steady with very few errors, and that’s really what works well for us.”

Looking as if they have found their best form at just the right time, the Johns brothers are into the semifinals where they will face No. 3 seeds Matt Wright and Federico Staksrud.