The 2026 Major League Pickleball Finals kicked off with dominant performances from the top-seeded teams, as both the St. Louis Shock and the New Jersey 5s asserted their authority on the court. With the semifinals now underway, the Shock have already secured their spot in the championship round, while New Jersey maintains a commanding lead over their opponents.
Semifinal Results and Tournament Outlook
Day one of the competition saw the top seeds largely living up to expectations, resulting in the following outcomes across the three scheduled matches:
- St. Louis Shock vs. Dallas Flash (Match 1): The Shock opened the day with a decisive 3-1 victory, putting the Dallas Flash on the defensive early in the series.
- New Jersey 5s vs. Brooklyn Pickleball Team (Match 1): New Jersey displayed total dominance, sweeping the Brooklyn squad in a clean 3-0 victory.
- St. Louis Shock vs. Dallas Flash (Match 2): St. Louis repeated their earlier success with another 3-1 win, officially eliminating the Dallas Flash and punching their ticket to the Finals.
While the Shock have moved on, the semifinal battle between New Jersey and Brooklyn continues. Despite the overall success of the top seeds, there were notable individual struggles; specifically, the St. Louis men’s doubles pair of Gabe Tardio and Hayden Patriquin dropped both of their matches against the Dallas duo of Augie Ge and JW Johnson.
The path forward for the remaining teams is clear as the tournament heads into the weekend. Saturday’s action begins at 10:00 am EDT with the second match between New Jersey and Brooklyn. The tournament structure dictates the following scenarios for the remainder of the weekend:
- Scenario A (New Jersey loss): If Brooklyn manages to win the second match, the two teams will be forced to play a third, deciding match later on Saturday.
- Scenario B (New Jersey win): If New Jersey secures the victory in the second match, they will advance to the Finals, and the afternoon schedule will shift to feature the first championship matchup.
- Sunday Finale: Regardless of Saturday's specific outcomes, the final deciding matches will take place on Sunday, culminating in the crowning of the 2026 MLP champion that evening.
