MLP St. Louis Pickleball Showdown: Major League Pickleball returns Thursday at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, with eight matches kicking off a packed weekend of action. Both Premier and Challenger level teams will compete as part of the eighth regular season event, one of ten scheduled this year. The event runs across four days with 31 matches on Championship Court and Grandstand Court.
On Thursday, all six Challenger level teams and six Premier level teams will take the court. The day features important matchups, including a battle between the Chicago Slice and the Atlanta Bouncers, two teams fighting to stay in the playoff race.
Chicago Slice and Atlanta Bouncers Chase Playoff Hopes
The Chicago Slice (4-10, 14 points) and Atlanta Bouncers (4-11, 12 points) will open the day on Championship Court. With both teams sitting outside the top ten, a win is crucial to stay close to the Miami Pickleball Club (7-13, 19 points), which currently holds the last playoff spot.
There’s added drama to this matchup after a player-for-player trade in June. The Chicago Slice traded Vivienne David to the Atlanta Bouncers, and received Vivian Glozman in return. Now, both players will face their former teams in what could be a deciding moment for both clubs.
Brooklyn Pickleball Team Aims to Finish Strong
The Brooklyn Pickleball Team (14-5, 44 points) will begin its final regular season event with a match against the Chicago Slice. Brooklyn has already secured a spot in the playoffs, but they will once again be without Dekel Bar. This will be the fourth straight event without him.
AJ Koller will continue to fill in for Dekel Bar and Pat Smith, just as he has done in previous events. Brooklyn will face tough competition this week, including teams from Dallas, St. Louis, and Columbus.
Koller’s role will be important if the team wants to stay near the top of the standings and earn better seeding for the playoffs.
Young Talent Steps Up for Bay Area Breakers
At the Challenger level, 18-year-old Jonathan Truong will start for the Bay Area Breakers (6-9, 19 points), filling in for Sam Querrey. He will team up with DJ Young in men’s doubles and play mixed doubles with his sister, Alix Truong.
Jonathan Truong recently made headlines with a strong performance at the PPA Orange County Cup, where he reached the Round of 16 alongside Sammy Lee. Their run included wins over Rafa Hewett and Juan Benitez, as well as Roscoe Bellamy and Matt Wright.
On Thursday, the Bay Area Breakers will play the California Black Bears (5-10, 16 points) and the Florida Smash (4-11, 12 points), both key games for playoff positioning.
Thursday’s Match Schedule
Premier Level Teams:
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Chicago Slice vs Atlanta Bouncers
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Brooklyn Pickleball Team vs Chicago Slice
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Atlanta Bouncers vs St. Louis Shock
Challenger Level Teams:
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California Black Bears vs Bay Area Breakers
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D.C. Pickleball Team vs Las Vegas Night Owls
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Nashville Chefs vs Florida Smash
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Las Vegas Night Owls vs California Black Bears
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Florida Smash vs Bay Area Breakers
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What to Expect Next
Thursday’s matches in St. Louis are full of playoff implications, rising talent, and key lineup changes. For Premier level teams like Chicago and Atlanta, every point matters in the race to the postseason. For Challenger teams, standout performances from players like Jonathan Truong could help shape the future of the league.
As the season enters its final stretch, each match becomes more important—whether to stay alive in the playoff hunt or to build momentum heading into the final weeks.
News in Brief: MLP St. Louis Pickleball Showdown
MLP action returns Thursday in St. Louis with eight matches across Premier and Challenger levels. Key matchups include Chicago vs Atlanta, Brooklyn’s final event opener, and Bay Area Breakers’ Jonathan Truong stepping in. With playoff hopes on the line, teams and players will aim to deliver big performances.
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