This weekend in St. Louis was an absolute bloodbath. Although it was overshadowed by the Ben Johns trade, this event was the most impactful regular season event so far, with significant shakeups in the playoff picture.
Crucial Updates Before the Event
Before everything kicked off, MLP shared some key updates. First up, there's the Noe for Craig change, which sees Noe joining the 5s and taking my place in the starting lineup. If you missed the full scoop, I’ve got that video linked in the description. Excitingly, MLP announced that the challenger winner would be promoted to Premier for 2026, raising the stakes in challenger significantly. Still, I believe that we should also demote the last-place premier team to challenger level, but that seems unlikely to happen, despite the Hustlers' efforts to get demoted. MLP extended the trade deadline for the second time—closing today at noon, July 21st if you’re watching later. It's crazy to me, considering the season is nearly over. Columbus and Brooklyn have finished up! Imagine if they’d missed the playoffs and ended up offloading their best players to a playoff team—what chaos that could cause in the league!
Quick Shoutout and the St. Louis Recap
Congratulations to last week’s winners of the unreleased ProXR Jolt paddles: TrangBang on Instagram and Adam Jones on YouTube!
Now, back to St. Louis. Thursday was rather uneventful. AJ filled in for Dekel on Brooklyn, leading them to a regulation win over Chicago. Chicago then beat Atlanta in a dreambreaker, while the Shock swept the Bouncers. When people question whether pickleball is a real sport, point them to this: 14 shots in 4.88 seconds—that’s nearly 3 shots per second. Unreal!
An Action-Packed Friday
Friday showcased some solid matchups. Brooklyn swept the Bouncers. Chicago took women’s doubles against the Sliders but lost in regulation. Jackie Kawamoto hit an unbelievable topspin lob to defeat the best women’s team in MLP: Jorja and Tyra. If you’re only here for the recaps, I get it and appreciate you. But check out my instructional content, too! I’ll be breaking down how to hit offensive lobs like Kawamoto’s, so subscribe so you don’t miss it. Dallas clutched up, winning their next three. St. Louis women fell to Lea and Parris but completed the reverse sweep to win in regulation.
The Ben Johns Trade Shakes the Weekend
Saturday brought some of the year’s biggest matches, unnoticed beneath the Ben Johns trade's shadow. Assuming you've seen the trade video if you’re watching this, but if not, I’ve linked it below and at the video’s end. I describe the suspicious circumstances around the trade deadline change and whether the Mad Drops are MLP’s first superteam, a major chemistry concern I have for them, and whether this is good for the league.
Growing Interest in Pro Pickleball
Typically, I’d plug a sponsor or do a giveaway here, but not this time. Instead, do me a favor and share this video with a pickleball buddy. My videos aim to inform folks about the pro pickleball scene and pique general interest. Sharing with friends might just mean they won't blank out when you bring up Quang Duong's contract termination or Ben Johns’ new team.
Saturday: A Day of Shattering Streaks
Saturday was the wildest regular season day yet. The Flash had a 20-match winning streak going, but Columbus ended it with a dreambreaker win. Parris and Lea took women’s doubles 11-5; the Flash won men’s 11-9 over Andrei and CJ. JW and Jorja pushed the Flash close to victory, but Andrei and Parris defeated Augie and Tyra to force a dreambreaker, winning 21-16. Post-match, Parris called out the rollout courts' dangerous conditions—and she's right. The bubbles and ridges on these courts can cause unnatural twists, risking severe injuries. While I love what rollout courts bring to venues like Cheifitz Arena and Central Park, are their risks worth it?
The Rise of the Sliders
The Sliders have quietly been making waves this year. Ahead of the season, Lea and Parris seemed like the team's weak link, while Andrei and CJ were rated among MLP's top men’s teams. Yet, Lea and Parris have been unstoppable, beating the Shock, The Flash twice, and Brooklyn. The worrying factor for the Sliders is Andrei and CJ struggling against top-tier doubles teams. However, both mixed lines are strong, and arguingly, the Sliders have the best dreambreaker team in the league. If the women maintain momentum and the men step up, the Sliders are championship contenders.
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