MANILA, Philippines — One of professional pickleball’s biggest young names is making his way to the Philippines as Gabe Tardio brings his international experience, competitive intensity and on-court skills to Filipino players this September.
Tardio’s Philippine visit is part of a broader Asia tour organized with his paddle sponsor Facolos, taking the Bolivian-born professional through Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. Pickleball.com reported that the tour combines professional competition with fan and coaching activities across the region.
The timing is significant.
Before heading deeper into his Asian swing, Tardio captured two gold medals at the PPA Tour Asia 1000 Leapmotor Kuala Lumpur Cup, winning men’s doubles with Noe Khlif and mixed doubles with Jessie Irvine. His men’s doubles team defeated Augustus Ge and Len Yang, 11-9, 11-4, in the final, while he and Irvine won the mixed doubles championship in three games.
From Bolivia to the Global Pickleball Stage
Tardio’s rise has been rapid.
Born in Bolivia, he was introduced to pickleball by his grandfather at age 14. According to his player profile, the two even built pickleball courts in Bolivia before Tardio eventually moved to the United States and began playing regularly. He turned professional in 2022.
His partnership with Ben Johns has also become one of the most talked-about combinations in professional pickleball. The PPA Tour reported that Johns and Tardio won the men’s doubles title at the 2026 Veolia Pickleball National Championships in North Carolina on September 6.
The Dink reported earlier this month that Johns and Tardio had gone undefeated in the nine men’s doubles tournaments they entered together, highlighting just how successful their partnership had been during the first part of the 2026 season.
Philippines Stop Comes After a Strong Asian Campaign
Tardio’s trip to the Philippines follows his successful Kuala Lumpur campaign and additional fan-focused activities in Malaysia.
Pickleball.com reported that his Asia itinerary includes competition and coaching clinics, while Philippine promotional information from Facolos lists events in Pasig, Davao City and Las Piñas during the September 19–21 period.
The Philippine activities include an Elite X 2.0 launch and meet-and-greet, as well as opportunities for players to attend a clinic and potentially share the court with Tardio. Facolos Philippines announced that selected participants would have the opportunity to play with the professional during the events.
The schedule also places Tardio at Opus in Bridgetowne, where 2XU has a retail location. Robinsons Malls lists 2XU among the stores on Opus’ second level.
More Than a Meet-and-Greet
For Filipino pickleball players, Tardio’s visit represents more than another international sports appearance.
His current playing credentials give local enthusiasts a chance to observe techniques being used at the highest levels of professional pickleball—from fast hand exchanges and counterattacks to controlled placement and resets.
His equipment partnership is another part of the story.
Tardio signed with Vietnam-based Facolos in 2026 and has been playing with the company’s EliteX line. Reports on the partnership say the agreement runs through 2027 and includes collaboration on paddles, accessories and apparel.
Facolos has subsequently developed the Elite X 2.0 Gabe Tardio Signature Paddle, which the company says was co-developed around Tardio’s playing style.
Why Tardio’s Philippine Visit Matters
Pickleball’s professional scene has increasingly expanded beyond North America, with PPA Tour Asia providing an organized international competition platform. Tardio himself previously said he was attracted to Asia because of the enthusiasm surrounding the sport and the large crowds he saw during the tour’s inaugural season.
His current Asian campaign demonstrates that the region is becoming an increasingly important part of the professional pickleball calendar.
And after collecting two titles in Kuala Lumpur, Tardio now brings that momentum to the Philippines.
For Filipino players and fans, the question is no longer simply whether one of the sport’s rising stars is coming.
It is what happens when a world-class professional steps onto a Philippine court and gives local players a firsthand look at the modern game.
