After two consecutive years of falling just short in the finals, the New Jersey Fives have finally captured their first Major League Pickleball championship title. The 2026 season victory marks a career milestone for star player Anna Leigh Waters, who secured her first MLP trophy to add to her extensive collection of accolades.
How the Fives Secured the 2026 Title
The Fives entered the season with high expectations, bolstered by a roster investment that included an $800,000 draft price for Jorja Johnson. After a slow start at the Dallas event, the team dominated the remainder of the season, finishing first in four of their next five events to secure the #1 overall seed. This positioning proved vital, granting them home-court advantage and the ability to hand-pick their opponents throughout the playoffs.
The championship series against the St. Louis Shock was a hard-fought battle that required the Fives to overcome past postseason struggles. Here is how they dismantled the competition over two matches:
- Match #1 (Saturday): Despite a rough start where the Shock’s women’s team dominated 11-2 and the men’s team overcame an 8-2 deficit to win 11-8, the Fives rallied. They took both mixed doubles games 11-4 and 11-8. The match culminated in a high-stakes Dreambreaker, where Anna Leigh Waters secured the final two points to clinch a 22-20 victory.
- Match #2 (Sunday): The Fives flipped the script from the previous day, winning both gender doubles games 11-9 and 12-10. While the Shock split the mixed doubles games, the Fives maintained total control in the final Dreambreaker, cruising to a decisive 21-9 win to seal the championship.
The Fives’ success was a collaborative effort, but specific roster moves and individual performances were critical to their championship run:
- The Impact of Federico Staksrud: A late-season acquisition, the Argentinian provided essential poise and positive energy during high-pressure moments. His contribution was so significant that he was named the Finals MVP.
- Dominant Women’s Play: The pairing of Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson established itself as the premier women’s doubles team in the league throughout the 2026 season.
- Men’s Playoff Growth: Both Will Howells and Noe Khlif elevated their games during the playoffs and the finals, significantly increasing their value and performance metrics when it mattered most.
- Anna Leigh Waters’ Milestone: By winning this title and the regular season MVP, Waters has now claimed every major trophy available in the sport of pickleball.
While the St. Louis Shock—led by the $1.23 million acquisition of Anna Bright—remained a formidable opponent throughout the season, the Fives finally achieved the "win it all or bust" goal they have pursued for three seasons.
