The St. Louis Shock have continued their winning streak, claiming back-to-back championships in the Major League Pickleball (MLP) events, MLP St. Louis and MLP St. Petersburg. This achievement comes after their loss to the New Jersey Fives in the championship match of MLP Columbus, and they have since earned the #1 seed into both Championship Sundays in the events they played.
The Shock's performance has been impressive, with a perfect 11-0 record in matches since their loss to the Fives, and a games scoreline of 38-4 in their 42 total games. Their four starters are also in the top 6 overall ranking for MLP players this season. The team's storyline is not about their regular season performance, but rather their ability to perform under pressure in the playoffs.
Other Notable Performances
The Palm Beach Royals had a notable weekend, despite injuries to Dekel Bar and Tyson McGuffin, and Grayson Goldin being ill. They benefited from Casey Diamond signing with the UPA and becoming a second on-site alternate, in addition to Stefan Auvergne. Diamond played seven games, going 2-5, but had two crucial wins with his partner Sofia Sewing. The Royals finished in fourth place, taking away 12 standings points from the weekend.
The Florida Smash, despite not winning a match, were entertaining to watch, with storylines including Travis Rettenmaier's emotional breakdown after the crowd's cheers, and the improvement of younger players like Chris Crouch and Cason Campbell. The Brooklyn Pickleball Team had a good event, finishing third overall and earning 15 standings points, with Rachel Rohrabacher persevering through a heavily wrapped/taped leg, and Riley Newman showing no signs of injury.
Other teams, like the Chicago Slice, had a more subdued performance. The MLP St. Petersburg event was unique, being the first event in 2.5 years with only a Championship Court, and no Grandstand Court, which meant play had to begin on Wednesday to accommodate all 29 matches.
The event also saw some notable moments, including Casey Diamond's behind-the-back winner, which made it to the SportsCenter Top 10 plays twice. The MLP season is now past the halfway mark, and teams are looking to make their move in the standings. The third waiver period is this week, with waiver bids due by noon, and picks commencing at noon tomorrow.
