MLP Atlanta:

Major League Pickleball (MLP) kicked off the 2024 season with their first event in Atlanta, Georgia. After a rain delay on Thursday, the weather wasn't the only thing heating up. Both the Premier  and Challenger Leagues saw intense match-ups and fiery competition as the weekend progressed. MLP Atlanta featured a new format, showcasing only head-to-head matchups rather than pool play. Thus, the standings will be based on results over the course of the entire season. 

Premier League:

Thursday:  The Premier League action at MLP Atlanta kicked off on Thursday with the Texas Ranchers dominating the Columbus Sliders with a 4-0 victory, showcasing their prowess early in the tournament. Following that, the New York Hustlers faced off against the Columbus Sliders, securing a hard-fought 3-2 Dreambreaker win.

Friday: Friday saw intense clashes as the Dallas Flash displayed their skills by defeating the Texas Ranchers 3-1, while the New Jersey 5’s narrowly edged out the LA Mad Drops with a 3-2 victory. The Dallas Flash continued their winning streak by sweeping aside the New York Hustlers with a commanding 4-0 triumph. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Shock asserted their dominance with a 3-1 victory over the Texas Ranchers. The New Jersey 5’s secured another close win (3-2), against the New York Hustlers.

Saturday: As the weekend unfolded, the New Jersey 5’s continued their impressive performance with a 3-2 victory over the AZ Drive. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Shock battled past the LA Mad Drops with a narrow 3-2 win. The DC Pickleball Team showcased their skills with a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Sliders. While the St. Louis Shock delivered another strong performance, defeating the Orlando Squeeze 3-1. The DC Pickleball Team continued their winning streak with a dominant 3-1 victory over the Dallas Flash. To finish the day, the Texas Ranchers clinched a flawless 4-0 win against the Orlando Squeeze.

Sunday: Sunday’s action in the Premier League saw the LA Mad Drops emerge victorious in a thrilling 3-2 encounter against the Dallas Flash. The DC Pickleball Team continued their impressive form, securing a hard-fought 3-2 win over the St. Louis Shock. Meanwhile, the Orlando Squeeze claimed a 3-1 victory over the New York Hustlers. In a rematch, the DC Pickleball Team once again triumphed, this time defeating the Dallas Flash with a solid 3-1 performance. The St. Louis Shock ended their campaign on a high note with a resounding 4-0 win against the AZ Drive. Star of the STL team, Anna Bright, finished with a 10-0 record on the weekend. The Texas Ranchers also closed out MLP Atlanta with a convincing 4-0 victory over the Orlando Squeeze. 

Challenger League:

Thursday: In the Challenger League at MLP Atlanta, the Frisco Pandas kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the SoCal Hard 8’s, setting the tone for an exciting tournament. The Bay Area Breakers also secured a close 3-2 win against the Florida Smash in a tight Dreambreaker.

Friday: Friday’s action in the Challenger League saw the Frisco Pandas continue their winning ways with a 3-1 victory over the Bay Area Breakers. Meanwhile, Miami PC edged past the Atlanta Bouncers with a narrow 3-2 win. The SoCal Hard 8’s bounced back with a strong 3-1 victory over the Frisco Pandas.

Saturday: The Brooklyn Aces started Saturday on a high note with a solid 3-1 victory over the Florida Smash. The Atlanta Bouncers secured their first win going 3-2 against the SoCal Hard 8’s. The Bay Area Breakers maintained their momentum with a close 3-2 victory over Miami PC. The Breakers dominated in the Dreambreaker, holding Miami to only four points. In another match, the Brooklyn Aces defeated the SoCal Hard 8’s with a strong 3-1 performance.

Sunday: Sunday’s action in the Challenger League saw the Bay Area Breakers emerge victorious once again with a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Bouncers. Meanwhile, the Florida Smash claimed a 3-1 victory over the SoCal Hard 8’s. The Bay Area Breakers closed out their campaign and MLP Atlanta with a flawless 4-0 victory over Miami PC.

Premier Standouts:

As stated before, Anna Bright went undefeated on the weekend, going 10-0 in match play. With these victories, she helps her team (STL) secure the #1 spot in the rankings. Alongside Anna Bright, Kate Fahey had a stand-out weekend. Her first time in MLP, Fahey went 6-4, ending up #8 in the rankings. Etta Wright also had a good weekend, ending up #6 in the rankings overall for MLP Atlanta.

Challenger Standouts:

The Bay Area Breakers topped the podium for the Challenger League at the end of MLP Atlanta. Team member Rachel Rettger went 10-2 on the weekend, securing the #2 spot in the rankings overall. Alongside Rettger was Vivian Glozman, going 8-4 for the Breakers and ending up #5 in the rankings. MLP MVP Ewa Radzikowska also had a stellar performance, landing herself at #3 in the rankings overall.