SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Sunday was the fourth and final day of play at MLP Salt Lake City.

 

There were only six matches, but it was a chance for two top teams to solidify their place in the standings, and an opportunity for several lower-ranked teams to make a move.

 

So, how did they all do?

 

 

1. Texas shows their power. The Texas Ranchers have looked like a playoff team all year. On Sunday, they took advantage of two lesser teams, to show they have championship aspirations. Texas defeated an undermanned Orlando team 3-1, and then demolished Carolina 4-0, to score six teams points on the day.

 

 

2. Texas is balanced. As we have pointed out before, the best teams are the balanced teams, the ones that can send out four doubles teams all capable of winning. Texas finished the day with their four players all ranked in the top six for the event. That is balance.

 

3. St. Louis does enough. St. Louis was the other strong team in action Sunday. They did not dominate like Texas did, but STL did score five team points. STL defeated Utah 3-1, and then beat Columbus 21-18 in a Dreambreaker, for a 3-2 victory. St. Louis continues to show an ability to win close matches, a sign of a mentally tough team.

 

 

4. Fill-ins show they can play too. Orlando was hampered by illness, with both Federico Staksrud and Tyson McGuffin out Sunday. Vivienne David was already out for this event. Spencer Smith and Roscoe Bellamy filled in (Milan Rane was filling in already for David). Smith and Bellamy held their own, both winning their mixed matches against Utah to send the match to a Dreambreaker, where Orlando triumphed. Rane was the star of the Dreambreaker, and she added a big 25-16 win on the day (with Parris Todd) over Tina Pisnik and Etta Wright.

 

 

1. Sunday was another tough day for Collin Johns. He was 1-4 on the day, “highlighted” by an ugly 25-12 mixed loss in the Texas match. The Johns brothers also lost 25-13 in the Texas match to Christian Alshon and Quang Duong. As I said in a separate column last week on pickleball.com, I have now changed my mind and think it is time for Ben Johns to find another men’s doubles partner. Collin is just not playing with any energy and has not adapted his game to the new, more offensive style that is dominating pro pickleball in 2024.

 

2. Newman was not a new man. Riley Newman had a tough day for Columbus. Columbus had shown a little life on Saturday, but could not make a move on Sunday. Columbus could only net one team point in two matches, with Newman going zero for four on the day. When your first round pick has an o’fer day, it is tough for the team to win.

 

 

Sunday’s play wraps up MLP Salt Lake City. I will take a closer look this week at where everything now stands in MLP.

 

Next up is MLP Kansas City, beginning August 3. That will get us to the halfway point of the MLP season.

 

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