The dust has settled, my friends, and the madness of Major League Pickleball's second event of the year is now a tale for the ages. It went down in Daytona Beach, Florida, and let me tell you, it was a wild ride. Ben Johns and his Seattle Pioneers emerged as the kings of the Premier Level, snatching the championship in true grandeur.
But hold on, let's not forget the Challenger Level. The Bay Area Breakers went on an absolute rampage, clinching their second consecutive victory, leaving the revamped Dallas Pickleball Club in their wake. The burning question on everyone's minds: did former tennis pro Sam Querrey's audacious prediction of becoming a top 10 player in the world come true at MLP?
Let's dive into the Premier Level, my fellow enthusiasts. Ben Johns, the pickleball deity, has reclaimed his throne as an MLP champion. This time, he teamed up with Etta Wright, Meghan Dizon, and Tyler Loong to secure the victory. They faced off against the formidable California BLQK Bears, led by the dynamic quartet of Andrea Koop, Maggie Brascia, Federico Staksrud, and Dylan Frazier. Although the BLQK Bears couldn't seal the deal, Staksrud showcased his prowess in all facets of the game, proving he's more than just a singles specialist.
In the semi-finals, the Los Angeles Mad Drops, defending champs from MLP Mesa, fell to the relentless onslaught of the Pioneers, losing all three matches. The Mad Drops had to play without the injured Thomas Wilson, enlisting the help of a Challenger Level player, Hunter Johnson. Meanwhile, the New York 5s, featuring Waters, Lea Jansen, James Ignatowich, and Hayden Patriquin, were defeated 3-1 by the BLQK Bears. The match between Waters/Jansen and Koop/Brascia, which ended with a mind-boggling 25-23 scoreline, will be etched in the annals of pickleball history. Surprisingly, Waters/Jansen struggled as a duo, defying expectations.
Now, let's shift our focus to the Challenger Level, where the Bay Area Breakers pulled off a back-to-back victory. They faced off against the restructured Dallas Pickleball Club in the finals, triumphing with a 3-1 scoreline. However, they did stumble in the men's doubles match, which went to the newly acquired duo of Daniel De La Rosa and Brandon French from the Dallas team, besting the renowned Tweener King, Christian Alshon, and Pablo Tellez. It was believed that Alshon/Tellez would be the Breakers' ace team and perhaps the most dominant men's doubles duo in the tournament, but they fell short of the hype.
Speaking of hype, the semi-final clash between the Chicago Slice and the Breakers was a nail-biter. It was evident that the team emerging victorious in that showdown would go on to claim the ultimate prize. And lo and behold, the Breakers secured the win in a thrilling dreambreaker, sealing it with a 21-18 score.
Now, let's talk about Sam Querrey, my friends. The former world no. 11 tennis player showed significant improvement compared to his first MLP outing a couple of months ago. However, his team, the DC Pickleball Club, couldn't find their way out of the group stage, leaving them second to last in the standings with a dismal 0-3 record for the tournament. But fear not, for if Querrey can continue his meteoric rise over the next two months, just as he did in the last two, mark my words,