Squeeze Out Epic Comeback Win Over DC in Dramatic MLP Atlanta Final
Orlando Storms Back from 2-0 Deficit to Claim Premier League Title in Dream Breaker
ATLANTA — In a dramatic turn of events, the Orlando Squeeze completed an improbable comeback to defeat the DC Pickleball Club and win the Premier League title at the Major League Pickleball (MLP) Atlanta Open.
After falling into an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five final, Orlando battled back to force a decisive fifth game, ultimately prevailing in a tightly-contested dream breaker that left the crowd on their feet.
The hero of the comeback was Rachel Rohrbacher, who put the team on her back with lights-out play to key the late rally. Rohrbacher was sensational all tournament long, but peaked at the perfect moment to earn Squeeze the trophy.
"Rachel was our daddy out there this weekend," said teammate Zane Navratil of Rohrbacher's dominance. "She really balled out when it mattered most."
The win caps a remarkable underdog run for Orlando, who entered MLP Atlanta as a sizable longshot but gelled at the right time. DC, meanwhile, was left stunned after coming agonizingly close to the title.
Premier Final
The Squeeze and DC booked their spots in the final after winning their respective semifinal matches on Sunday.
Orlando knocked out #2 seed Arizona 21-19 in a dream breaker, while DC handled Miami in straight games to set up the championship clash.
Friday
On the first day of Premier competition Friday, Orlando Squeeze got off to a strong 2-0 start by taking down Atlanta handily. Squeeze cruised behind dominant showings from Navratil and teammate Andrei Daescu .
"We were pretty loose and free out there because we jumped out early," said Navratil after the win.
DC also went 2-0 on Friday, although they had a tougher time getting by the Utah Black Diamonds in a tightly-contested affair. Still, DC's Kawamoto twins impressed with their high level of play to help the club emerge unscathed.
Playoffs
The quarterfinals held plenty of fireworks on Saturday, especially #3 seed Arizona's heated matchup against the Bay Area Breakers. Tempers flared between Arizona's Julian Arnold and Bay Area's Rafa Hewitt, with yelling and finger pointing throughout the contest.
"There's always going to be chirping when Rafa is playing Arnold" said Navratil of the contentious rivalry. "It gets fun when it's like that."
Arizona would eventually prevail in a dream breaker behind the stellar play of Arnold, who led the Drive in an inspired comeback effort.
In the other quarterfinal, #4 seed Chicago Slice battled past Miami's scrappy squad in dramatic fashion. After Miami shockingly took the opening game, Chicago turned to Eric Lange to right the ship.
Lang was simply sensational, pounding winner after winner to key Chicago's rally. He high-fived partner Ben Johns so hard post-point it seemed he was trying to injure the pickleball legend.
"The big man wanted to be big, so I let him," chuckled Johns of Lange's breakout performance.
Miami rebounded to take game three and force a climactic fifth game. Deadlocked at 20-20, it was Federico Staksrud who delivered in crunch time, curling a picturesque around-the-post winner that stunned Chicago and clinched Miami's semifinal berth.
Sunday
With a spot in the final on the line Sunday, Orlando Squeeze squared off against the AZ Drive in a back-and-forth semifinal tussle. The Squeeze claimed a tight 21-19 dream breaker win to advance.
In the other semi, DC Pickleball made quicker work of Miami, sweeping them in three games behind commanding performances from Riley Newman and the Kawamoto sisters. Miami had no answer for DC's crisp play at the net.
"The boys are happy, the girls are happy," Miami's Tyson McGuffin said after the loss. "Let's slam some lattes and call it a night."
That set up a DC-Orlando final for the Premier League crown. Given Orlando's underdog status, DC was both the favorite and the higher seed. But the Squeeze had other plans.
Orlando Squeeze vs DC Pickleball Club
After dropping the first two games and facing match point on multiple occasions, Orlando completed an unbelievable comeback to stun DC and win the title.
DC took the opening game 21-15 in women's doubles as the Kawamoto twins out-hit Rohrbacher and partner Anna Bright. The men's doubles game was also tight, but Newman and partner Christian Alshan prevailed 21-12 to give DC a commanding 2-0 lead.
Down but not out, Orlando showed signs of life in game three. The Squeeze erased multiple match points before finally breaking through to get on the board 21-20 and force a fourth game.
"We just needed to get a good rhythm and make Rachel hit more balls," said Navratil about the team's mindset heading into the must-win game four.
The strategy paid off beautifully. With DC just one game away from the title, Rohrbacher took charge for Orlando. She slammed winner after winner, breaking down DC's defense on her way to a transcendent performance. Squeeze cruised 21-15 behind Rohrbacher's heroics to complete the improbable comeback.
"Rachel was killing it all weekend," Navratil said. "Especially in this final match."
Dream Breaker
With the match deadlocked 2-2, a dramatic dream breaker would decide the championship. Navratil and Newman took the court first in a battle of Squeeze vs DC's top men's players. Navratil set the tone early, jumping out to a 6-2 lead that energized the crowd. He rode the momentum to a commanding 11-6 win that applied pressure squarely on DC's shoulders.
In the next dream breaker matchup, Rohrbacher once again rose to the occasion against Jackie Kawamoto. She clinched a gritty 11-7 victory that put Squeeze just one win away from the improbable comeback.
Now trailing 9-4, DC called upon Newman to keep their hopes alive against Lescu. But the vertically-gifted Lescu had an answer for everything, winning a hard-fought matchup 11-6 that set up championship point for Orlando.
Fittingly, it was Rohrbacher who sealed the deal. She left no doubt with a dominant 11-3 win over Jade Kawamoto to complete the three-game sweep in the dream breaker. Rohrbacher launched her paddle in the air as Squeeze rushed the court to mob their new hero.
"I cannot believe that they pulled this off," exclaimed podcast host Chris Cali in disbelief. "The Squeeze were about to lose. They were down two games to none, DC had match point...and now all of a sudden we're in a dream breaker!"
Rohrbacher's clutch performance under pressure delivered Orlando an unlikely MLP Atlanta title to remember. She transformed from underrated pickup to team MVP over the course of a shocking Sunday comeback.
Championship Point
Despite the devastating loss, DC showed tremendous heart and skill in defeat. The Kawamoto twins impressed all tournament long, establishing themselves as rising young stars. Newman also contributed with his usual steady, tenacious play.
For Orlando, the fairy tale run to the Premier League crown cements their status as a team to watch out for. Led by rookie standout Rohrbacher and evenly-matched top-tier players in Navratil and Lescu, the Squeeze are dangerous when firing on all cylinders.
"We took Zane Navratil from last place to first place," Anna Bright said proudly after winning Atlanta gold. "He won a championship here."
Orlando Squeeze Interview
In their post-match interview, the newly-crowned champs were ecstatic about realizing their underdog dream. Navratil got emotional discussing the significance of winning Orange County's first ever MLP title.
"The last thing I want to say is that we took Mr. Zane Navratil from last place to first place," he said fighting back tears. "I won a championship."
Rohrbacher credited her teammates for their constant support and for pushing her to be at her best. She hopes her breakout showing in Atlanta makes a lasting statement.
"I'm really proud of how our team came together," said Rohrbacher. "We have a great chemistry that showed when it mattered most."
Anna Bright Merch
Although Rohrbacher was the clear MVP, official league honors went to Anna Bright for her steady play throughout the tournament. Never one to miss out on self-promotion, Bright's family had championship merchandise ready to go.
"I don't even know what this really means, but her mom sells these shirts and they're hilarious to me," said host Chris Cali about Bright's "My Come On is Louder Than Your Honk Up" t-shirts. "I guess she's a peacock? That's her thing."
Challenger Final
In the Challenger division final, SoCal Hard 8's completed a perfect 6-0 run through MLP Atlanta, sweeping the Las Vegas Night Owls in the final match.
SoCal's 17-year-old phenom CJ Clinger continued his meteoric rise with a dominant dream breaker performance to seal the championship. He defeated Night Owl's Yates Johnson in a battle of promising young stars on the game's biggest stage.
"Lights out, especially today, came in clutch moments," said a reserved Clinger after securing the title. "I'm so glad they drafted me."
The triumph marks SoCal's first MLP title and further establishes Clinger as arguably the top male prospect in pickleball. His next test will come at MLP Indianapolis in May, where he'll look to defend his Challenger crown on the sport's biggest stage.
Dream Breaker Finale
In the end, MLP Atlanta 2022 will be remembered for its dramatic dream breaker finishes. Both the Premier and Challenger finals needed extra games to determine a champion, producing epic conclusions that capped a spectacular weekend of pickleball.
Orlando's unprecedented rally in the Premier final delivered heart-stopping excitement that won't soon be forgotten. Down and out on multiple occasions, the Squeeze showed incredible resolve to emerge victorious from the brink of defeat.
Rohrbacher, Navratil and Daescu now become the first MLP Atlanta Open champions, etching their names in the history books with an unbelievable Sunday comeback. They proudly lifted the Premier League trophy together to celebrate pulling off the impossible dream.
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