St. Louis Shock MLP Domination: The St. Louis Shock dominated Major League Pickleball St. Louis, held at a packed indoor sports arena, by winning all five of their matches. With strong fan support and top-level performances, the Shock moved into first place in the standings, passing the Dallas Flash.
The St. Louis event raised the bar for MLP tournaments. The games were held at a large arena where the crowd was close to the court, making the atmosphere exciting and loud. Fans were given souvenir jerseys and took part in a “whiteout” theme, which made the event look great on TV. Most importantly, the crowd cheered hard for the home team.
St. Louis Sets New Standard for MLP Events
The setup in St. Louis showed how powerful home-court support can be. The stands were close to the action, so fans could clearly see every point. There was not a single bad seat. Free jerseys and the whiteout added color and energy, creating an unforgettable visual scene.
The fans brought their full energy throughout the event. The hometown crowd was “110% behind the home team,” which clearly helped the Shock on the court. Many are now saying every other city hosting MLP should follow St. Louis’s example.
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Shock Leap Over Flash in Standings
With five wins and 14 points gained, the St. Louis Shock jumped to the top of the MLP standings. The Dallas Flash, who led before the event, lost two of their matches—one against the Shock and another to the Columbus Sliders—and only earned 9 points. This gave the Shock a 5-point lead over Dallas.
So far this season, St. Louis has played 9 matches and has 6 remaining. Dallas has played 8 matches and has 7 left. The race for the top spot is close, but St. Louis is on a hot streak.
Star Players Shine for the Shock
One of the biggest reasons for St. Louis’s success is their lineup. Every team member is strong in doubles and singles. One standout is Gabe Tardio, who plays on the team’s #2 mixed doubles squad.
There’s talk that Gabe Tardio might be the best pickleball player right now—even better than Ben Johns. Tardio has won many mixed doubles matches at MLP events with Kate Fahey. He also earned gold medals at Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) events with Jessie Irvine. These are achievements Ben Johns hasn’t matched lately.
The St. Louis Shock have four solid doubles teams and are also great in DreamBreaker tiebreakers, where singles skills are tested. Each player on the team is above average in singles, giving them another edge.
“St. Louis was our pick at the start of the year to win it all, and I see no reason to change the pick,” the article stated.
What This Means for the Season
The perfect record at home and strong crowd support have made the St. Louis Shock the team to beat. Their 5-0 showing pushed them into first place and could help them secure the top seed going into the playoffs.
With both St. Louis and Dallas still having several matches to play, the fight for the top spot is not over. But St. Louis now holds the lead and the momentum.
News in Brief: St. Louis Shock MLP Domination
The St. Louis Shock went 5-0 at home during Major League Pickleball St. Louis. Their performance pushed them past the Dallas Flash into first place in the standings. With strong fan support, a packed arena, and standout players like Gabe Tardio, St. Louis raised the standard for how MLP events should be run.
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