Ben Johns & Gabriel Tardio open Hong Kong Slam with a thrashing

Ben Johns and Gabriel Tardio made their Hong Kong PPA debut look easy.

On Court CC at Kai Tak Arena, the duo rolled past Vietnam’s LE Xuan Duc and Nguyen Huy 11–1, 11–4 in the Pro Men’s Doubles Round of 32 — a first-round statement that barely lasted long enough for the crowd to settle in.

Two games. Fifteen points conceded. Zero drama.

For Johns, already one of the most decorated names in the sport, this was a first look at Hong Kong’s biggest stage. For Tardio, same story: new city, new arena, same ruthless tempo. The Vietnamese pair never found a foothold — Game 1 was over almost as soon as it started, and Game 2 only offered a brief flicker of resistance before Johns and Tardio closed it out.

Debut done. Box checked. Next round waiting.

The question now isn’t whether they can win in Hong Kong.

It’s whether anyone here can slow them down.

Can they keep this up through the rest of the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam? We’ll be watching — follow live scores as the draw unfolds.