Andrei Daescu has earned gold medals in gender and mixed doubles alongside a variety of different partners, including Ben Johns, Anna Bright, and Christian Alshon.

He also made notable runs with Tina Pisnik, James Ignatowich, and Meghan Dizon.

The towering Romanian plays on Championship Sunday pretty regularly, so what makes him such a good partner?

Daescu most recently claimed gold with Johns at the Veolia Cape Coral Open, so it was only fitting that the winningest player in pickleball history share some knowledge on the subject.

“He’s a super fierce competitor, and he’s encouraging at all times. He doesn’t really tire out and he stays resilient the whole match,” praised Johns. “He’s basically exactly what you want in a partner in every way. It’s really a pleasure to be on the court with him.”

Alshon provided some valuable insight as well. 

“Andrei’s awesome to play with,” he said. “Pickleball-wise, he’s got all the tools to be a great player. He’s very consistent. He’s got the offense. And personality-wise, he’s one of the hardest workers on tour, and I respect that a lot.”

Like Johns, Alshon acknowledged Daescu's positivity and enthusiasm as well.

“He’s got a very positive way about him when we’re playing, so that’s something I really like as well with a partner. He’s always telling me positive things,” explained Alshon. “He’s never negative towards me or his partners, and I think that’s a unique quality.” 

When tensions are high in a match, especially when you’re down, it’s easy for players to get negative and frustrated. That’s something every pickleball player can relate to, whether it’s at the pro level or at your local courts. 

But a partner that continuously reminds you to keep your energy up, that’s special. 

Alshon elaborated on the power of positive thinking during his matches, and how Daescu helps keep him grounded.

“Negative thinking is probably going to lead to negative outcomes and negative results, so you never want to be outwardly negative. The negative thoughts that come in, you want to just let them go back out as quickly as possible,” he shared. “Having a partner who’s so positive on the court makes a big difference.”

Admittedly, Daescu isn't actively thinking about being positive on the 20x44.

That just comes naturally, like his dinks and drives. 

“There’s a lot of tactical things that make a good partnership like positioning, but it’s just as much about the chemistry and personality between the players,” he explained. “With any partner, the goal is for all of us to win, so I just try to do the best I can to gel with them and keep the energy high.”

Daescu’s optimism has delivered eight gold-medal victories over the course of his career, so it’s clearly a strategy worth keeping.

Is optimism the key to making a gold medal run in doubles? Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).