The Major League Pickleball quarterfinals kicked off today in sunny San Diego, with the four lowest-seeded Premier-level teams battling to keep their hopes alive in the race for the season-ending MLP title.
How it works
Ten teams qualified for the San Diego event, but day one will feature a single-elimination round for the bottom four seeds. The two winners advance to round two on Saturday, Aug. 16.
The top four seeds have the advantage of selecting the team they’d like to face in round two, which will determine who moves on to the semifinals in New York City. Unlike the single-elimination format used in round one, round two will be a best-of-three matchup.
Rohrabacher: game-changer for Brooklyn Pickleball Team
Rachel Rohrabacher has been on a hot streak for the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. She is currently the ninth-best-performing player at the Premier level, boasting a 44–15 record. The only players ahead of her represent the top three teams in the standings so far: No. 1 St. Louis Shock, No. 2 Dallas Flash, and No. 3 New Jersey 5s.
In the last MLP event in St. Louis, Rohrabacher and Jackie Kawamoto defeated standout pairs such as Lea Jansen/Parris Todd (11–4), Anna Bright/Kate Fahey (12–10), and defending MLP champions Jorja Johnson/Hurricane Tyra Black (11–9). Rohrabacher will look to continue her roll in San Diego starting Saturday, Aug. 16, when the No. 4 Brooklyn Pickleball Team competes for a spot in the semifinals.
Parenteau leads the dangerous LA Mad Drops
The LA Mad Drops have struggled to maintain a consistent roster up until now, but they’ve still managed to deliver strong performances despite the hiccups. In the biggest trade of the season, Ben Johns joined the Mad Drops ahead of the playoffs, arguably propelling them into semifinal contention. Catherine Parenteau and Johns have been an increasingly impressive duo in the short time they’ve played together. In Dallas, they defeated the Ranchers’ Tina Pisnik and Eric Oncins, 11–3, before beating the hometown favorites, Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson, 11–8.
Parenteau will look to carry her momentum into Saturday’s matches with the sixth-seeded Mad Drops.
Tune in
Tune in on Pickleball TV to see which MLP teams reign supreme in San Diego and advance to the semifinals in New York City!
