Johnson and Klinger Clinch First Title Together with Impressive Victory

JW Johnson and CJ Klinger just made a major statement — and picked up their first title as a team — with an impressive straight-games win over Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio, taking the match 11-9, 11-9, 11-7.

Turning Point in Game 2

One of the key moments of the match came during Game 2, when Johns and Tardio built a commanding 9-4 lead. It appeared they were poised to level the match, but Johnson and Klinger had other plans. The pair stormed back, scoring seven consecutive points on a single side out, flipping the script and taking a critical two-game advantage.

Consistent and Opportunistic Play

From there, Johnson and Klinger didn’t look back. Their game was marked by consistency and opportunism, making smart plays and capitalizing on key moments. Klinger in particular stood out, playing at an exceptionally high level. He consistently applied pressure at the kitchen line, using his length effectively and demonstrating elite hand speed in fast-paced exchanges.

“I think a lot of that comes from practice, hard work, and dedication,” said Klinger after the win. “My dad’s a big part of it, so big thanks to him. He’s the best coach out there.”

A Bittersweet Revenge

This victory was especially meaningful for Johnson and Klinger, as they had previously lost to Johns and Tardio in the quarterfinals of last month’s Veolia North Carolina Open. This title win served as the perfect redemption.

From the other side of the court, Ben Johns reflected on the match:

“Those guys played really well. They both obviously have great hands, and that made it tough when we got into some of the long, extended points,” he said. “I think our thirds could have been better. They got into the net more than we did, and oftentimes matches come down to that.”

Bronze Medal Match Recap

In the battle for third place, the No. 3 seeds Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu came out on top, defeating No. 4 seeds Dekel Bar and Dylan Frazier with a 13-11, 11-7 victory.