New Jersey 5s Triumph at MLP New York, Securing Third Consecutive Title

The New Jersey 5s showcased their resilience by winning the MLP New York title, marking their third consecutive victory in the Major League Pickleball 2026 season. After a setback against the Texas Ranchers, they bounced back with a decisive 3-0 win over the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. This victory not only solidified their position at the top of the MLP standings but also set them up as the top seed for the upcoming Mid-Season Tournament. Team members Anna Leigh Waters and Noe Khlif expressed pride in their performance and emphasized the importance of focusing on the playoffs ahead.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 29, 2026, 06:26 IST

New Jersey 5s Bounce Back Strong

After experiencing a halt in their impressive 15-match winning streak against the Texas Ranchers, the New Jersey 5s demonstrated their resilience by clinching victory at MLP New York. They decisively defeated the Brooklyn Pickleball Team with a score of 3-0, marking their third consecutive title in the Major League Pickleball (MLP) 2026 season. This follows their earlier successes at MLP Columbus and MLP Austin. With this latest win, the New Jersey 5s reclaimed the top position in the MLP standings, accumulating 87 points, four points ahead of the St. Louis Shock. This victory secures their entry as the top seed into the upcoming MLP Mid-Season Tournament in less than two weeks.

Despite their earlier loss to the Texas Ranchers, the New Jersey 5s advanced from Group A due to a superior net game differential. Meanwhile, Brooklyn emerged as the leader of Group B after narrowly defeating the Dallas Flash in a DreamBreaker. The final match between the 5s and Brooklyn commenced with a strong performance from Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson, who dominated Jackie Kawamoto and Hannah Blatt in the women's doubles match, winning 11-1. This victory extended their unbeaten partnership to 22-0 this season.

The New Jersey 5s further solidified their lead to 2-0 when Noe Khlif and Will Howells triumphed over Christian Alshon and Riley Newman with a score of 11-8 in the men's doubles match. This victory was particularly significant as Alshon and Newman had only lost once throughout the season prior to this match.

'Super proud of the whole team'

With the momentum on their side, Waters and Khlif concluded the tie by defeating Rachel Rohrabacher and Christian Alshon in the mixed doubles match, achieving a straight-match victory and securing New Jersey's third consecutive event title after their wins in Columbus and Austin. Khlif reflected on his evolving partnership with Waters, stating, "I know it took a little bit of time for us to get adjusted, but I feel like we're meshing well right now. It's a blast out here, and I'm just super proud of the whole team." While celebrating their latest title, Waters emphasized the importance of focusing on the bigger picture, saying, "Obviously wins like this mean a lot, but we all know that nothing really matters until the playoffs. I think we're just trying to get a good seed right now and focus on building for the postseason."