Ben Johns vs Quong Duong at the Veolia Houston Open Presented by Just Courts

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Watch the Men’s Singles Quarter Finals match: (1) Ben Johns Vs (10) Quong Duong at the Veolia Houston Open Presented by Just Courts

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new ball game one time in
0 so kuang dang on the other
side as that’s just a little bit wide
here in the side out to
start z z
[Applause]
fight out and that is in side out to
Dong The Avatar as he is known by his
friends and this guy’s game is
absolutely Wicked isn’t it it it really
is something to watch and uh don’t want
to be on the receiving end of it he has
the uh ball Bender nickname because of
of what he can do and I think he’s shown
a lot of us
what uh pickle ball can really be about
with the shots and kind of placement
that he he brings to the
game so much of this game is reading and
it is so hard to read what is coming off
the paddle of
dang and that is a winner by
Quang I remember when he was first
playing like kind of a year ago go the
extreme Western grip is just really uh a
sight to see you can see it here even on
the on the serve which he goes for a lot
he can create a lot of tops out of some
funky funky positions
so the mood immediately changes when
dang comes here to Humana Championship
court so exciting to watch him play and
right now a 30-0 lead on Ben
John’s and John’s pops that up
uncharacteristically so four straight
now by
Quang
4 about five in a row and we won’t see a
timeout from Ben he he doesn’t do it
unless he’s pretty gassed in the third
game and slow starts are not really too
foreign for him but Wong is firing on
all cylinders right now
out yeah sometimes when Ben loses that
first game it’s almost like he’s got the
opposition right where he wants them
right in a in a sick twisted way by the
living goat that that is actually how it
is happened for the last few
years
wow beautiful kind of a hybrid drop
there from Ben crosscourt kitchen Kang
coming in
so Ben Johns finally on the board here
it’s
[Applause]
one5 there’s the best of Ben coming
through for sure classic kind of Ben cat
and mouse he he can play certainly a lot
of game styles you see when you’ve only
lost 19 times total and you play the
most matches of anyone you’re certainly
very good but his OG cat Mouse is is a
fun pickle ball specific thing that many
folks still haven’t caught up
to oh how about that point good recovery
there from Quang duning it riing back
in you’ll notice how low he gets you
know there’s certainly a little bit of
wrist movement but you know the brushing
up on the on the outside and underside
of the ball is what really gives him the
ability to kind of drop that in
[Applause]
anywhere so they’ll switch out the ball
here 5-2 lead for the number 10 seed 52
facing the number one
[Applause]
here ATP not even close that time for
dwan been a longtime proponent of
apologizing for The Accidental in net
cord there knows he kind of get away
with one especially as that ball
traveled way out way out
wide looking forward here Ben John’s
throne in singles has been threatened
just a bit in 2024 who do you think is
the greatest long-term threat is it Z
rout is it sock is it Garnett is it
alsan I’ll let you take in this point
and then come up with your answer
[Applause]
here out I think fed certainly been so
consistent this year and so threatening
um but over the long term if we take a
maybe a year or two long time frame I
think Christian alson is the one that
may be facing Ben in the finals the most
or you know but it’s not to take
anything away from fed he’s certainly so
so good and and earned it and he’s put
in the Reps to really be a top
competitor in
singles meanwhile dang is like guys what
about me as he is able to score again
and make it
63 we talked about consistency here on
the caravana pp tour not just having a
few good events and tour stops but being
able to be consistent throughout the
year and Dong could he potentially be
that next guy he’s looking like it right
now great crash there from Wong
ready ready to clean up whatever he got
back and that’s the second really funky
Mis return there from
Ben but we’ll go to I think our third
ball here in game one
but the thing that impresses me about
kuang is obviously there’s the Flash and
the uniqueness of stroke but he’s really
put in the work and when you’re facing
guys week in week out they’re going to
find the holes and I think he’s really
started to clamp down on on the things
that he may have been missing to be able
to get to the round of 16 and get to the
quarters as consistently as he’s doing
and then shot making like that is
there’s only a few on tour that can
consistently pull that against the
number one player in the world hard to
believe too just 18 years old for kuang
dang as he’s taken a 9-3 lead on the
best in the game Ben
John’s quarterfinal action here from
Houston and right now Ben shots are
going arai here and that’s got to be the
velocity the spin coming from dong for
for sure and I think Ben knows that he
needs to get in on on that return cuz if
he’s not in a a split Ste and stable
position he may have a passing shot
going against them
so impressive here from Kang to bring
the fire power
out that said having been around Pro
pick a ball enough you’ll know that this
is as you were leading off Drew this is
not non-traditional for uh for Ben he’s
he’s been in these positions he’s bced
match points and we’re only here in game
one but
it really is a testament to how much he
he trusts himself to perform in the big
moments big overhead right there from
Ben 410 now time receiver 410
[Music]
really impressive kind of showing today
here on
Thursday Ben Johns trailing by six game
one easy picking there for
Ben 5 10
[Applause]
and a passing shot that time from Dang
if you are Ben John’s how tough is it
Ryan to beat a talent like this again
and then have to come back the next week
and do it again so
difficult gain point taken care of from
Quang dang 115
the official ball of the PPA tour
[Music]
Ben
Johns concedes game one trying to make a
comeback here in game two against a very
hungry Quang
dang good
start that’s how you draw it
up one
Z and dwan that two-handed backand
crosscourt
great rip there from kuang the thing
that stands out to me about the twoed
back end from him is you know he
generates so much Top Spin but he also
holds it and it really gives his
opponent Ben in this case you know a
freeze frame and he can kind of send it
any way after
that uncharacteristic Mis return there
from Ben but I think he had two in the
first game so um something about Quang
serve is giv a little bit of trouble
here
that strikes that Guaranteed Rate sign
Ben John’s 25 years
old had that short drive over from
Austin
[Applause]
one well played
Guang looking a little defeated there
but Ben look at Ben’s lateral movement
here just he knows where to be at the
right time cuz he’s most of the time
dictating
[Applause]
shots now got to mention too in the
earlier matches today Ryan the near
court has been the favorable side but
right now Ben John’s making it look like
that is not the case for sure Ben has
turned on his game remote here and
classic John’s inside out
forand there led to a clean
winner now Off the Mark here from dang
who has to be thinking at some point
perhaps
timeout for
[Applause]
sure wow great stretch from Ben but even
more important is in knowing that was
going to come back Cross Court we’re
reasonably predicting so so uh just a
veteran going of exis a nose move there
from
[Applause]
Ben dong finally able to put it away but
the damage is done Ben johns with a 5-1
lead in game number two and he has got
the momentum of this match back right
now there the problems with the return
continue for
sure Quang doing a good job of getting
those balls deep and you know generating
a lot of tops SP here at
the and once
again oh you rarely see this
I mean two or three per game is just not
something any of the top singles guys
can be really doing never mind
Ben just took a wicked hop that
time beautiful backhand roll no chance
from kuang
to get to that one after leaving that
one just a bit High that is the one shot
in Ben’s arsenal when he pulls that out
it is just about all over no matter who
you
are I know I feel like you could replace
that with that’s one of the five shots
Drew you know he’s just so he has so
many so many weapons so many
weapons side out back to dang 35
here looking to continue to pressure the
number one player in the world oh needs
that one did it get the line yes it did
no no it did
not doing a good job of not panicking
here staying within
himself 3
you watch dang’s serve it’s it’s almost
like he’s playing table tennis isn’t it
for sure and as long as that paddle tip
is is making contact with it below his
wrist he’s he’s in good he’s in the
clearer
but looking a little frustrated here not
happy even though he gets that clean put
away so think he’s going to try to start
to cruise
here as long as he doesn’t give away
points on the returns
he’s he been doing well here in game two
let serve will do it
again johns’s lead’s been cut to
[Applause]
one oh looked like it was a little bit
wide Johns decides to return
it and we play on I’m telling you look
like that that return turn shot from
dang did not get the line
there let’s take one more look right
there looks like clearly wide that may
have good call Drew that is a small Miss
there from Ben actually not so small
here in game two when he’s down a
[Applause]
game and Ben electing to go for the
tweener here playing a little bit casual
and
loose but all tied up here at
[Applause]
five
oh incredible point there as Ben shakes
his head able to handle that neck cord
that very unlucky kind of Bounce but
Quang doing a good job of ripping that
two-handed back end
clean so for the first time here in game
two Quang dang has the lead
65 over the number
one Ben with a finish
small note there is Ben kind of angling
that that put away down in a way it’s so
subtle cuz if you don’t make that kind
of one in adjustment with your wrist
you’re sending that ball back to Guang
at the Baseline to potentially rip
again and we may have a new
ball coming out here on the championship
court so switching balls here is that
good thing bad thing a little bit of
personal preference I think most folks
would like as long as it’s in in round
would elect to stay with the same one
but
um new ball in terms of starting new
game has really introduced the fact that
it’s going to happen sure many many
times in a long
match dang now serving with the
lead and tons of confidence he is
bringing right
[Applause]
now long just swinging free and loose
and and and really really ripping
pressure moment here for
Ben side
out well if you’re Ben Johns the time is
right
now otherwise at risk here of another
big
upset here in Houston we are on the
verge of it right now
[Applause]
7 wow Quang bringing a lot of pressure
there Ben able to fend it off but he
needs to get something
going feel like the to Bringing Quang up
to the kitchen it’s a little bit of the
soft drop game has been a little bit
more favorable for Ben ground strokes
have not been firing on all
cylinders
but gang in control right
now one of dang’s biggest goals really
promoting and expanding the game of
pickle ball in
Asia giving back to his native Vietnam
as
well helping grow this game
globally Ben John’s on top of it but
just a little bit
wide
wow so big miss that time for Ben and
now a three-point lead
Ben shaking his head quite a bit is is
not himself right now in game two back
is up against the wall he been stuck on
five for believe four side
outs okay gets one
there tough backand ATP sales in
[Music]
[Applause]
time in 6 it’s John’s battling dang here
on human Championship Court the violia
Houston open presented by J courts and
the number one player in the world
certainly frustrated to say the least
here over these last two games
[Applause]
out and that sa’s along so been a little
fortunate not to give away a point a
quick look at quang’s father who’s uh
you’ll see always on the side courts
training Quang up along with his brother
and uh certainly it’s kind of a a
Mainstay voice with him in the timeout
around the Box talk about also a big get
for selker and
the influence that dang is going to have
moving
forward in Asia in Vietnam
specifically 86 now
serving another winner from Quang dong
he is closing
in on a quarterfinal upset here
96
out dong burst on the scene back in
Atlanta last year PPA tour stop there
it’s getting better and better ever
since but what a bright future for the
18-year-old
[Applause]
great cover there from Ben that’s such a
hard forehand volley not knowing if
quang’s going to pull that cross cord
and he had to handle that that net cord
so uh big point there for Ben as he
tries to force a game
[Applause]
three
[Applause]
oh
wow wow an amazing get there from Guang
from I mean that’s one of the best atps
I think Champion Championship court has
ever seen how did he just do
that side out now for
dang and Ben comes right back little
luck with the net cord wind side out
once again but man oh man we are seeing
some high level singles pickle ball
good shots there from Ben may have gone
away with a a line call there by Quang
but that would just be returning the
favor from a an earlier game one miss
from Ben but within one now
then Johns puts it away very calmly
we’re tied at
nine see Dad doing a lot of talking did
not acknowledge Him but I guarantee you
he heard every single
word big moment here in this
match and Ben can’t get to it
9 oh what a
shot W with Match Point here in the
quarterfinal match point a potential big
upset let’s see if he can close it
out there he is oh he’s done it Quang
dang gets it done over the number one
player in the world when the world
sleeps greatness
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pickle ball Quang joins us now Courtside
you’ve got to be gassed some amazing
points and gets you came up with but
going toe-to-toe with Ben John’s you
know you’re going to see the best in the
world tell us what you’re going through
out there and especially in this match
this great
Victory um yeah like um like the same
Strat always against Ben um try not to
get Pickle always try to just do your
best gets every point I mean he’s the
best of the best so you couldn’t really
expect much um but yeah and then I go I
go through with some strategies with my
dad before the match and yeah basically
the always like the main goal is just to
fight every
point and that you did Quang uh question
about your dad did he change anything up
in the strategies while you were at the
timeouts or is he just reating what you
guys had established headed into the
match uh um a little uh reating a little
changing of the some strategies I mean I
mean Ben also adapted very uh very well
in the second set um it was very very
close um yeah we did change some uh
change of strategy for a bit and yeah
it’s
good kuang you’re one of the emerging
stars on this tour you got the nickname
Avatar you got all the tools do you ever
just stop and tell yourself man I am
living a dream right now in the car on a
PPA
tour no not yet I got to keep grinding
got to keep training every day even
harder every day now so but yeah I’m
still um as far as um as it goes I’m
enjoying every moment on the
court what Quang we enjoy watching you
play and best of luck the rest of the
way and keep it on going man thank you
and lastly I promised my brother um
what’s up Brothers special teams special
plays special players thank you