D.C. is the capital of the pickleball world

A bit of redemption for the D.C. Pickleball Team.

A bit of vindication against the Orlando Squeeze.

And a chance to exhale for Riley Newman.

Christian Alshon was named Finals MVP after D.C. earned a Major League Pickleball title in Dallas Sunday, Jade Kawamoto closed out the final game of the day, Jackie Kawamoto was the tournament’s top individual scorer and Newman finally made it back to the winner’s circle after a curious late summer and fall where he didn’t win a tournament.

All of it happened in one impressive weekend for D.C. as it got some revenge against Orlando and now is on top of the MLP world after dominating the Squeeze 3-0 in Sunday’s final.

“We lost to them in Atlanta and I probably lost five days of sleep,” Newman said. “My teammates killed it, the fans were incredible. I’ve been fortunate enough to win some other tournaments, but i haven’t won MLP.”

Newman is one of the most decorated players on the PPA Tour, but he hadn’t won since splitting up with Matt Wright in July.  

“When we won the final point, it was a weight off my shoulders,” Newman said. “I’ve had a lot of second places recently, so it was good to get over the hump and trust my game.”

After falling in a Dream Breakers in the final against Orlando in the MLP Atlanta event, things seem to set up for a rematch in Dallas. Both teams went 3-0 in group play and both teams cruised to the final. This time, though, there was no Dream Breaker necessary.

The Kawamoto sisters beat Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher for the second time in two MLP events, Alshon and Newman dominated Zane Navratil and Andrei Daescu, 21-10. In the third match, needing a win to clinch the title, Newman and Jade Kawamoto rallied from 20-17 down. Newman appeared to hit what was going to be an out-ball down 20-19, but it glanced off of Bright’s hat and D.C. ended up with a 24-22 win and the title..

“It’s great to do this with my sister, this and i couldn’t be happier,” said Jackie Kawamoto, who went 9-1 in her 10 matches during the weekend. “This was the matchup we wanted. We had it last time. We had a match point and we wanted to get it back.”

Alshon, who won a Challenger Level title last season, now has won a Premier Level title. He went 9-1 as well and earned the tourney’s MVP award. Jade Kawamoto and Newman each went 7-3 in their matches.  

“I’ve won in Challenger and in Premier,” Alshon said. “That level doesn’t compare. It’s the mino league compared to this. We have the best team, the best support and we have Riley Newman, Jade and Jackie.”