Team USA Sweeps Latin America to Win the First MLP Nations Cup
USA, THE FIRST CHAMPION IN HISTORY! Team USA Sweeps Latin America to Conquer the MLP Nations Cup
The host didn’t miss. Undefeated from start to finish, Team USA was crowned champion of the first MLP Nations Cup presented by DoorDash after a 3-0 win over a Team Latin America that reached the final with its heart on its sleeve.
We told you before it started: this was the team everyone wanted to take down. Nobody could.
This Sunday, at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, Team USA became the first champion in MLP Nations Cup history. In the final, it swept Team Latin America 3-0, by scores of 11-9, 11-1 and 11-6.
Undefeated From Start To Finish
The USA’s road was perfect. It won all three of its Group A matches, against Asia Domestic, Europe – West and Canada, and finished first with a 3-0 record. It wasn’t a walk in the park: against Asia Domestic, it had to win the tournament’s first DreamBreaker, taking it 21-18.
In the semifinals, it dispatched Team Europe – East, the team of our June cover star Lina Padegimaite and Andrei Daescu. In the final, it showed its best version.
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
The first game was the toughest: 11-9. From there, the USA hit the gas and gave Latin America no room to breathe: 11-1 and 11-6.
The Champions Speak
Captain Johnny Goldberg highlighted the chemistry of a team that came together in record time: “The team bought into everything. We came together in 24 hours, and I felt like we were playing our best pickleball in that last match.”
For Anna Bright, the experience was unique. It was her first time formally representing the United States on a pickleball court: “The crowd’s support made us feel like we were playing for more than ourselves. It was way more fun than I expected.”
Latin America: Falling With Honor
If any team earned everyone’s respect, it was Team Latin America. It opened Friday with a loss to Europe – East, and many counted it out. But the team led by captain Juan Manuel Benítez, a friend of DINK Authority and a former cover star, fought back: it won both of its Saturday matches, reached the semifinals and beat Asia Domestic to earn its place in the championship match.
Mari Humberg, Alexa Schull, Charlie Treviño, Eric Oncins, Nico Acevedo and Rafa Lenhard carried the flag of an entire continent all the way to the tournament’s final match. They didn’t win the title, but they proved that Latin American pickleball now plays in the big leagues.
The Champion Team
Captain: Johnny Goldberg
Players: Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Tyra “Hurricane” Black, CJ Klinger and Will Howells
What’s Next
The party doesn’t end in Dallas. On Tuesday, the main draw of the Opendoor Pickleball World Championships, the PPA Major, gets underway at the same venue, running through November 8.
The United States has its crown. And Latin America, its pride intact.
USA, THE FIRST CHAMPION IN HISTORY! Team USA Sweeps Latin America to Conquer the MLP Nations Cup
The host didn’t miss. Undefeated from start to finish, Team USA was crowned champion of the first MLP Nations Cup presented by DoorDash after a 3-0 win over a Team Latin America that reached the final with its heart on its sleeve.
We told you before it started: this was the team everyone wanted to take down. Nobody could.
This Sunday, at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, Team USA became the first champion in MLP Nations Cup history. In the final, it swept Team Latin America 3-0, by scores of 11-9, 11-1 and 11-6.
Current Issue
Domenika Turkovic: Fighting Her Own Demons
Read Now →
Undefeated From Start To Finish
The USA’s road was perfect. It won all three of its Group A matches, against Asia Domestic, Europe – West and Canada, and finished first with a 3-0 record. It wasn’t a walk in the park: against Asia Domestic, it had to win the tournament’s first DreamBreaker, taking it 21-18.
In the semifinals, it dispatched Team Europe – East, the team of our June cover star Lina Padegimaite and Andrei Daescu. In the final, it showed its best version.
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
The first game was the toughest: 11-9. From there, the USA hit the gas and gave Latin America no room to breathe: 11-1 and 11-6.
The Champions Speak
Captain Johnny Goldberg highlighted the chemistry of a team that came together in record time: “The team bought into everything. We came together in 24 hours, and I felt like we were playing our best pickleball in that last match.”
For Anna Bright, the experience was unique. It was her first time formally representing the United States on a pickleball court: “The crowd’s support made us feel like we were playing for more than ourselves. It was way more fun than I expected.”
Latin America: Falling With Honor
If any team earned everyone’s respect, it was Team Latin America. It opened Friday with a loss to Europe – East, and many counted it out. But the team led by captain Juan Manuel Benítez, a friend of DINK Authority and a former cover star, fought back: it won both of its Saturday matches, reached the semifinals and beat Asia Domestic to earn its place in the championship match.
Mari Humberg, Alexa Schull, Charlie Treviño, Eric Oncins, Nico Acevedo and Rafa Lenhard carried the flag of an entire continent all the way to the tournament’s final match. They didn’t win the title, but they proved that Latin American pickleball now plays in the big leagues.
The Champion Team
Captain: Johnny Goldberg
Players: Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Tyra “Hurricane” Black, CJ Klinger and Will Howells
What’s Next
The party doesn’t end in Dallas. On Tuesday, the main draw of the Opendoor Pickleball World Championships, the PPA Major, gets underway at the same venue, running through November 8.
The United States has its crown. And Latin America, its pride intact.
