The 2024 Major League Pickleball (MLP) Premier season has come to an electrifying close with the final showdown at the USTA National Campus in Orlando this past weekend.
After months of intense competition, strategic team changes, and unforgettable moments, the best of the best battled it out for the coveted MLP Premier Championship title.
This season was filled with incredible performances, dramatic upsets, and the emergence of new stars.
If you missed the action, here's a recap of the thrilling conclusion to the 2024 season and everything that made it one for the books.
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Image credit: @majorleaguepickleball
2024 Season Recap: The Road to Orlando
The 2024 MLP Premier season was unlike any other, with 16 teams competing across multiple events throughout the year.
As the season progressed, fans were treated to high-level pickleball featuring some of the sport’s most dominant players.
The teams faced off in a series of regional tournaments, culminating in the highly anticipated finals in Orlando, Florida.
Finals Location: Orlando, Florida
Held at the USTA National Campus, this venue provided a world-class backdrop for the season’s biggest event. The finals attracted a record crowd and streamed live to millions of fans around the world.
Championship Prize Pool
The prize for first place is $80,000, second place $40,000, and third place $20,000.
Finals Recap:
Coming into the finals, the regular season record of the New Jersey 5s was 14-3 across 23 matches, and Dallas came in with a record of 14-6 across 23 matches.
Dallas chose the first game to be men’s doubles; they did not lead the game in score, so their strategy of going for an early lead looked questionable, presenting a bigger challenge for the Flash.
Two games after men’s doubles would put the formidable Anna Leigh Waters on the court.
Just 12 minutes into this rally-scoring game of up to 25 points, the 5s had the lead 12-9, with their loyal fanbase cheering and supporting them throughout the game.
Both sides played the game strategically and patiently, demonstrating resetting and dinking to set up their winning opportunities.
It was refreshing to see this dynamic play kick off the final match, as pickleball this year has really evolved into a power game.
A timeout by Dallas at 14-18 proved to be a good choice, as they earned the next point and got the serve back, taking the next point after that too.
But it wasn’t enough, and the team of the 5s, Will Howells & Zane Navratil, took down Augie Ge & JW Johnson in a close game 25-23.
Women’s doubles followed the men’s game, showcasing the impossibly strong team of Anna Leigh Waters and Mari Humberg vs. Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black. The score stayed neck and neck, pressuring both teams.
This was evident with the few unforced errors that occurred mid-game, including unlikely errors from Waters.
Due to smart play by Dallas and a lack of synergy from the 5s, the end score was a convincing 25-17 for the underdogs, Dallas Flash, and the match was tied at 1-1 after the two gender doubles games.
The first mixed matchup was an interesting choice, with the Johnson siblings playing Humberg and Navratil, so the 5s had to wait for the final mixed game for Waters to get back on the court.
At this point, it seemed that both teams were anticipating the singles dreambreaker. Humberg appeared to be affected by nerves and pressure, as she would have had little time to shake off the result of women's doubles.
Navratil worked hard to support his teammate, but at times she looked lost or unsure of what shot she wanted to commit to.
Yet despite all this, the long and gritty rallies kept the score neck and neck until the latter half of the game.
A heartbreaking moment for the 5s came at 18-23, when Navratil served the ball into the net, gifting game point to the Flash, who tried their best to take advantage of it but could not close out the game until 8 game points later, with a final score of 28-26.
Now, with all the pressure on the New Jersey 5s and down 1-2 in the series, Anna Leigh Waters and Will Howells took on Tyra Black and Augie Ge of the Dallas Flash.
I watched this game fully anticipating a dreambreaker following this game, one because it’s a finals, and we always want to see a close match, but the 5s had the greatest player of all time on their side.
But the consistency and pressure of Black and Ge were relentless, and they secured the championship title at 25-21 to round out the fairytale ride that Dallas endured.
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Image credit: @majorleaguepickleball
According to an article by the New York Times: Valuations of pickleball teams reportedly range anywhere from $1 million to $10 million.
As the 2024 MLP Premier season wrapped up, both teams took a moment to thank their dedicated fans for their unwavering support throughout the year.
The season was a true test of endurance, with players working nonstop for six months to prepare for every match. The energy from the fans, both in the stands and online, pushed them to give their all on the court.
With the 2024 season now in the books, the sport’s rising popularity, as seen in its growing team valuations, signals an exciting future. All eyes are already on what’s next for pickleball.
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