Orlando, and the Fans Showed Up
There are events that get won on the scoreboard, and events that get won on atmosphere. MLP Orlando took home both.
From July 30 through August 2, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World hosted the close of the regular season — and from the very first serve, it was clear this stop was going to feel different from any other on the 2026 calendar.
A Packed Venue, A Different Vibe
Saturday and Sunday, the stands at the State Farm Field House looked nearly full — something that completely changes the energy around every match. It's not the same playing in front of empty sections as it is playing in front of a crowd that reacts, cheers, and gets invested in every point. The players felt it, and it showed: there was a constant good vibe between athletes and fans, with the pros making time to interact, take photos, and connect with people between matches — the kind of connection that makes someone who paid for a ticket feel like every dollar was worth it.
The Rallies Worth Remembering
The action on court matched the atmosphere. One of the most talked-about points of the weekend was the rally between Ben Johns and Jade Kawamoto against Anna Leigh Waters and Noe Khlif — the kind of impossible-ball exchange that gets any arena on its feet, exactly what a fan is looking for when they buy a ticket.
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And then there was Sunday's final: Waters/Khlif vs. Hayden Patriquin/Anna Bright, a match that felt different from every other one. That's where the energy got a bit tenser — some of Patriquin's gestures and dance moves toward his opponent split the crowd: part of the stands celebrated it, cheering along with the energy; another part, not so much. It was the kind of moment that draws mixed reactions, but it also confirms something: when a crowd reacts — for or against — it's because the event managed to generate real emotion, not indifference.
Orlando Delivered
In the end, the venue itself was the weekend's quiet star. The ESPN Wide World of Sports facilities at Disney turned out to be an unbeatable choice — covered courts, controlled climate, top-tier infrastructure. It was a massive contrast compared to previous stops on the calendar, where fans had to endure Florida's typical sun and heat out in the open for hours just to enjoy the event.
Orlando didn't just deliver high-level pickleball. It delivered a complete experience — and that combination, more than any result on the scoreboard, is what's going to make people want to come back.
What Happened on Court
Everything was decided Sunday, on "Zipfizz Super Sunday," with a head-to-head clash between the league's two best teams: New Jersey 5s vs. St. Louis Shock, tied at 93 points heading in.
New Jersey won 3-1, avenging the sweep they'd suffered against Shock three weeks earlier in the Mid-Season Tournament final — a rematch that came after New Jersey paid $400,000 to Orlando Squeeze for Federico Staksrud and Milly Rane at the trade deadline.
How the 3-1 unfolded:
Anna Leigh Waters/Jorja Johnson opened with an 11-5 win over Anna Bright/Kate Fahey
Shock tied it up with Hayden Patriquin/Gabe Tardio (11-5) over Staksrud/Will Howells
Waters/Khlif came back from down 1-7 to win 15-13 over Bright/Patriquin — their third straight comeback win after facing match point, closing out the weekend undefeated with a league-best 29-3 record
Johnson/Staksrud sealed it with a commanding 11-2 win over Fahey/Tardio
With the No. 1 seed locked up, New Jersey will choose their opponents in every playoff round and play as the home team in all of them.
Playoff qualifiers (12 teams): New Jersey 5s, St. Louis Shock, LA Mad Drops, Columbus Sliders, Brooklyn, Dallas Flash, Palm Beach Royals, Texas Ranchers, Atlanta Bouncers, SoCal Hard Eights, Las Vegas Night Owls, and Chicago Slice — who stole the final spot with back-to-back DreamBreaker wins.
What's next: playoffs kick off August 7 in Dallas, and New Jersey debuts directly in the quarterfinals on August 14 in Newport Beach, California.
There are events that get won on the scoreboard, and events that get won on atmosphere. MLP Orlando took home both.
From July 30 through August 2, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World hosted the close of the regular season — and from the very first serve, it was clear this stop was going to feel different from any other on the 2026 calendar.
A Packed Venue, A Different Vibe
Saturday and Sunday, the stands at the State Farm Field House looked nearly full — something that completely changes the energy around every match. It's not the same playing in front of empty sections as it is playing in front of a crowd that reacts, cheers, and gets invested in every point. The players felt it, and it showed: there was a constant good vibe between athletes and fans, with the pros making time to interact, take photos, and connect with people between matches — the kind of connection that makes someone who paid for a ticket feel like every dollar was worth it.
The Rallies Worth Remembering
The action on court matched the atmosphere. One of the most talked-about points of the weekend was the rally between Ben Johns and Jade Kawamoto against Anna Leigh Waters and Noe Khlif — the kind of impossible-ball exchange that gets any arena on its feet, exactly what a fan is looking for when they buy a ticket.
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
And then there was Sunday's final: Waters/Khlif vs. Hayden Patriquin/Anna Bright, a match that felt different from every other one. That's where the energy got a bit tenser — some of Patriquin's gestures and dance moves toward his opponent split the crowd: part of the stands celebrated it, cheering along with the energy; another part, not so much. It was the kind of moment that draws mixed reactions, but it also confirms something: when a crowd reacts — for or against — it's because the event managed to generate real emotion, not indifference.
Orlando Delivered
In the end, the venue itself was the weekend's quiet star. The ESPN Wide World of Sports facilities at Disney turned out to be an unbeatable choice — covered courts, controlled climate, top-tier infrastructure. It was a massive contrast compared to previous stops on the calendar, where fans had to endure Florida's typical sun and heat out in the open for hours just to enjoy the event.
Orlando didn't just deliver high-level pickleball. It delivered a complete experience — and that combination, more than any result on the scoreboard, is what's going to make people want to come back.
What Happened on Court
Everything was decided Sunday, on "Zipfizz Super Sunday," with a head-to-head clash between the league's two best teams: New Jersey 5s vs. St. Louis Shock, tied at 93 points heading in.
New Jersey won 3-1, avenging the sweep they'd suffered against Shock three weeks earlier in the Mid-Season Tournament final — a rematch that came after New Jersey paid $400,000 to Orlando Squeeze for Federico Staksrud and Milly Rane at the trade deadline.
How the 3-1 unfolded:
Anna Leigh Waters/Jorja Johnson opened with an 11-5 win over Anna Bright/Kate Fahey
Shock tied it up with Hayden Patriquin/Gabe Tardio (11-5) over Staksrud/Will Howells
Waters/Khlif came back from down 1-7 to win 15-13 over Bright/Patriquin — their third straight comeback win after facing match point, closing out the weekend undefeated with a league-best 29-3 record
Johnson/Staksrud sealed it with a commanding 11-2 win over Fahey/Tardio
With the No. 1 seed locked up, New Jersey will choose their opponents in every playoff round and play as the home team in all of them.
Playoff qualifiers (12 teams): New Jersey 5s, St. Louis Shock, LA Mad Drops, Columbus Sliders, Brooklyn, Dallas Flash, Palm Beach Royals, Texas Ranchers, Atlanta Bouncers, SoCal Hard Eights, Las Vegas Night Owls, and Chicago Slice — who stole the final spot with back-to-back DreamBreaker wins.
What's next: playoffs kick off August 7 in Dallas, and New Jersey debuts directly in the quarterfinals on August 14 in Newport Beach, California.
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