LIVE BLOG: Sunday's news and results from Miami Faigrounds
It's Day 4 of MLP Miami, and I've got all the latest updates from the final regular season event of 2024.
Check back here throughout the day, as this article will be modified as results come in.
You can watch the action for yourself on the Pickleballtv and the MLP YouTube, starting at 10:00 a.m. EST.
4:45 p.m. EST: DC outlasts Arizona in DreamBreaker, claims No. 4 seed
The DC Pickleball Team ended its regular season with a victory that has massive implications for the upcoming playoffs.
The team representing the nation's capital had already earned a playoff berth, but this win moves them ahead of the Texas Ranchers and into fourth place in the standings.
That's significant because it means that DC won't have to face the Dallas Flash in the first round of the playoffs; as the No. 3 seed, Dallas can choose to play against either the No. 5 seed (Texas Ranchers) or No. 6 seed (New York Hustlers).
I would expect to see a Dallas-New York and DC-Texas matchup next week.
3:15 p.m. EST: Mad Drops end season with W, hand Hustlers third straight loss
The LA Mad Drops triumphed in their final match of the 2024 season with a 3-1 victory over the New York Hustlers.
LA jumped out to a 2-0 advantage, thanks to gender doubles wins from the pairings of Catherine Parenteau/Jade Kawamoto and Hunter Johnson/AJ Koller.
From there, Johnson/Kawamoto clinched the win with a 25-15 victory over New York's Lea Jansen/Jack Sock in the second mixed doubles game.
Even though this result doesn't change anything for the Mad Drops—will still miss the playoffs—it’s a tough one for the Hustlers.
It's their third straight loss, and they are now guaranteed to finish at the No. 6 spot in the standings after having a shot at the No. 4 spot earlier in the week.
They will face either the Dallas Flash or Texas Ranchers in the first round of the playoffs next weekend in Dallas.
1:55 p.m. EST: Frisco steals final playoff spot with win over Miami
Coming into Sunday, the Frisco Pandas knew there was only one way that they could make the Challenger level playoffs: with a victory over the Miami Pickleball Club.
That's exactly what they got, thanks to the stellar play of Michael Loyd, Stefan Auvergne, Ewa Radzikowska, and Tammy Emmrich.
Frisco came out hot and took the first three games to come away with three regulation points and inch ahead of the Bay Area Breakers and Brooklyn Aces, who both ended their seasons with 32 points.
It was a true team effort, as each player took part in at least one of the Pandas' three victories.
With the win, Frisco claims the final playoff spot at the Challenger level; they join the Chicago Slice, SoCal Hard Eights, Miami Pickleball Club, Atlanta Bouncers, and Las Vegas Night Owls as the advancing teams.
1:45 p.m. EST: 5s outlast shorthanded DC squad in DreamBreaker
Sunday's second contest on Championship Court was a rematch of the final from the Midseason Tournament, where the New Jersey 5s squared off against the DC Pickleball Team in one of the best matches of the year.
This time, though, DC had a different roster: Ryan Fu filled in for James Ignatowich, replacing the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Still, the bout went to a DreamBreaker (like it did in Grand Rapids), with New Jersey eventually taking the victory by a 21-13 score line.
Mari Humberg shined in singles for the 5s, outscoring DC's Vivian Glozman 7-1 through two rotations.
This win brings New Jersey up to 51 points on the season; they are trailing the St. Louis Shock by one point for the top spot in the standings, with one match remaining on their schedule.
The 5s, however, aren't too worried about postseason placement, especially since they've already secured a first-round bye.
"We want to win, no matter what's at stake," Humberg explained. "We're just looking to do our best and get as many points as possible."
New Jersey will close out its season against the Orlando Squeeze later Sunday afternoon, while DC will do the same against the AZ Drive.
11:40 a.m. EST: Fu to make MLP debut, fill in for DC's Ignatowich
We have another substitution at the Premier level: Ryan Fu will replace James Ignatowich for the DC Pickleball Team's two remaining regular season matches.
He will join forces with Dekel Bar, Rachel Rohrabacher, and Vivian Glozman as the squad looks to take advantage of the New York Hustlers' earlier loss and make a push for a top-4 spot in the standings and better playoff positioning.
DC is set to close out its regular season against the New Jersey 5s and AZ Drive.
11:30 a.m. EST: AZ hands New York second straight loss
The AZ Drive—featuring Andrei Daescu, Dylan Frazier, Lacy Schneemann, and Jessie Irvine—might have already been eliminated from postseason contention, but that didn't stop them from sweeping the New York Hustlers on Sunday morning.
AZ has been much more competitive in its final two events since acquiring Irvine at the trade deadline, boasting a respectable 5-4 record since making that move.
"Adding Jessie has helped us win quite a few matches," Schneemann said. "It's a bummer not to continue, but I've really enjoyed playing with this squad. Getting to play with different people and learning different matchups has been fun."
For New York, the Hustlers have now been swept in two consecutive matches. They are still in the playoffs no matter what, but they'll want to find a way to end their regular season on a positive note in their final match.
New York will face the LA Mad Drops while AZ will take on the DC Pickleball Team in what will be each teams' last regular season contests later Sunday afternoon.
9:55 a.m. EST: Scarpa to join Hustlers, fill in for Klinger
Anderson Scarpa will replace CJ Klinger on the New York Hustlers for the team's two remaining regular season matches on Sunday.
He will join forces with the squad also featuring Jack Sock, Jackie Kawamoto, and Lea Jansen as New York looks to make a push for a top-4 spot in the standings.
The Hustlers are set to face the AZ Drive and LA Mad Drops.
Scarpa, formerly a member of the Las Vegas Night Owls at the Challenger level, played for the Texas Ranchers at MLP Las Vegas to fill in for an injured Christian Alshon and finished with a 3-7 overall record.
9:30 a.m. EST: Sunday's Order of Play released
There are eight matches set to be played on Sunday. Check out the full order of play below.
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