Gabe Tardio is the No. 2 player in the world and half of the best men’s doubles team in pickleball alongside Ben Johns. He grew up in Bolivia chasing a tennis career and went from thinking pickleball was “the dumbest game ever” to one of the most feared right-side players on the PPA Tour.

In this episode of Pickleballers, Gabe sits down with co-hosts Roscoe Bellamy and Jared Paul for the Season 5 premiere. They trace his path from a COVID-shuttered tennis academy to his grandfather’s pickleball courts in Florida, then to the Johnson family practice group that brought him onto the pro tour. It’s a candid, funny conversation about strategy, partnerships, and what it takes to break into the top tier.

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Gabe breaks down the decision that changed his career: Seeing that everyone wanted to play the left, so he committed to mastering the right. He explains how film study, thousands of backhand counters against JW Johnson’s flicks, and deliberately borrowing shots from Ben, Anna Leigh, Tyson McGuffin and Kyle Yates built the aggressive right-side style he’s known for.

Gabe also tells the full story behind partnering with Ben. He was nearly 80% set on leaving the PPA Tour over a contract offer before Ben’s Christmas text arrived while he was in Bolivia. That text helped him re-sign for almost 3x the money. He’s honest about freezing up in their first tournaments together and how Ben’s quiet belief got him back to his game. He also covers going from rivals to best friends with Hayden Patriquin, life on the St. Louis Shock, and why he’d still pick tennis.

Check out the episode on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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