Tennis is still Quang Duong’s life, but pickleball is his expertise.
And after a win against Ben Johns at the PPA’s first event of the season – the Hyundai Masters – it’s easy to see why.
Duong outlasted world No. 1 ranked Johns in three games, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6 in the round of 16 and now is two wins from earning his first medal on the PPA Tour.
“I still train and play hard at tennis,” Duong said. “Because my dad is my coach, we make tennis training to help my pickleball game. And competing in pickleball is helping my tennis game. I can attack lower balls, create angles, I’m patient and my volley is incredible when I play tennis.”
Well, pickleball is working out well, too. Duong, the No. 17 seed, is into the quarterfinal where he will take on eighth-seeded Pablo Tellez, who got past Chris Haworth Wednesday in the round of 16, 11-5, 10-12, 11-2.
Duong practices tennis and pickleball every day, is coached by his father and Duong says he makes things as simple as he can.
“My dad does all my training,” Duong said. “I just listen to what he says and then do it. We worked on lots of patterns to counter. I play my game without thinking too much. I’m just trying to survive one point at a time.”
He survived and advanced, getting a win against the measuring stick for all pickleball players, but it’s not the breakthrough win Duong is working for.
“My breakthrough will be when pickleball skills surpass other racquet sports I play,” he said. “When that happens I will be very tough.”
Well, it’s onto the quarterfinals for Duong on Thursday, which has to feel good, and actually smell good, too.
Duong recently had a nose septoplasty surgery three weeks ago and said, “Well, I can actually breathe now.”
That will only help him achieve his pickleball goals.
“My goal is to get a few more wins against Ben Johns,” he said. “But my ultimate goal is me and my little brother taking out the Johns brothers.”
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