Ranchers blank Sliders to start 2024 campaign
PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA - Opening day of the MLP season went about as well as it could for the Texas Ranchers.
The team made up of Christian Alshon, Etta Wright, Tina Pisnik, and Pablo Tellez achieved a clean sweep of the Columbus Sliders with four strong performances.
Alshon was especially impressive in his matches, which saw him team up with Tellez in men’s doubles and Pisnik in mixed doubles.
His reach at the kitchen line helped him put consistent pressure on his opponents and win a large number of hands battles.
“We have four really solid players,” he said of the Ranchers 2024 squad. “We really just wanted to come out and set the tone for the rest of MLP.”
The team certainly did that and probably put the nine other Premier level teams in Atlanta on high alert.
The Ranchers will next be in action Friday morning when they take on their in-state rivals, the Dallas Flash.
The Sliders will look to rebound later Thursday evening when they take on the New York Hustlers.
Related articles
Must-try singles pickleball drills, straight from the pros
Take your game to the next level with practice tips from the world’s top players.
2 days ago
-Victoria Radnothy
Everything you missed in pickleball pop culture in August 2026
There was plenty more happening on the court beyond the MLP Finals—here’s what you may have missed.
6 days ago
-Victoria Radnothy
MLP Finals on CBS set all-time league viewership record
The second-most watched pro pickleball event in history generated 773,000 average viewers on Sunday.
8 days ago
-Pickleball.com Staff
MLP 2027: A look ahead to next season for all 20 teams
So many good players will be available, and there is a new system with a cap and a floor on player acquisition costs.
9 days ago
-Jim Kloss