Anna Bright Shines as New Queen of Major League Pickleball
Orlando Squeeze star leads her team to championship glory
ATLANTA - "That was so amazing, we all crashed the court. It was unbelievable," said Pompano Beach, FL based Anna Bright, describing the moment her Orlando Squeeze team won the Major League Pickleball (MLP) Atlanta Open last weekend. Bright, the 5th overall draft pick this season, led her team to victory. The Squeeze defeated DC Pickleball Team and Arizona Drive en route to the championship title.
The 23-year old Bright exploded onto the professional pickleball scene just last year, quickly establishing herself as one of the top players in the world. Still, many were skeptical when the Squeeze selected Bright with their first round pick, passing over more seasoned stars.
But Bright quickly silenced the doubters, playing lights out pickleball all weekend long. When the dust settled, she was named tournament MVP after dominating opponents with her lethal forehand and competitive grit.
I. Introduction (5:57 - 6:33)
Bright remains on cloud nine from the victory, her voice still raspy from yelling and celebrating with her teammates. The championship moment on Sunday was pure jubilation mixed with disbelief. "It was so surreal, it was a more exciting finish than when I won in Newport," she said. While her first title in Newport last season came down to a dramatic dream breaker, Atlanta felt like destiny. This time, Bright knew she had the better team.
II. Atlanta Tournament (7:35 - 9:00)
The raspy voice is 75% from cheering on her teammates, with only 25% due to post-tournament festivities. Bright admits she's an adrenaline junkie who lives for the competitive pressure. "Rachel [Rohrabacher] is like 'That was so fun, I can't wait to play again.' I need at least a half hour to decompress," she said, comparing herself to her easygoing partner.
While Bright stays mum on any controversial heckling antics, she does confess to some good-natured ribbing of fellow MLP stars like Hayden Patriquin.
III. Drafting the Team (9:00 - 18:33)
Long before Atlanta, Bright endured many sleepless nights preparing for the MLP draft. She built mock draft software with her dad, running endless simulations of how she could build the ideal squad. While most expected Bright to draft more established partners, she saw hidden potential in rookie Rachel Rohrabacher.
"I watched a few of her streamed matches and did some scouting," Bright explained. At first, coach Altaf Merchant deterred Bright from picking Rohrabacher too early. But he soon changed his tune after witnessing her rapid improvement firsthand.
Bright also leaned on insight from Miami's coach Johnny Goldberger, who raved about Rohrabacher. In the end, she decided to trust her gut and take the rising star in the 4th round.
IV. Group Play (18:33 - 25:15)
Leading up to Atlanta, Bright and her Squeeze squad only practiced a few times together. Yet they gelled incredibly fast, going undefeated (3-0) in pool play matches. Bright credits good chemistry and two dominant performances in Women's Doubles by her and Rohrabacher.
"We really set the tone there," she said. They crushed both the Atlanta Bouncers and Bay Area Breakers in Women's, riding a wave of confidence into Mixed Doubles. Bright also praised teammates Andrei Daescu and Zane Naveratil for contributing clutch wins.
Veteran player Vivienne David even gave Bright some special advice on optimal positioning. While it seemed to help Bright in the moment, she may soon regret offering tips to her future Finals opponent.
V. Finals (25:15 - 42:26)
The Finals seemed over before they started, with DC quickly taking a 2-0 lead after Women's and Men's Doubles. But Bright and the Squeeze staged an epic comeback through two gritty Mixed Doubles wins.
First, Bright and Daescu edged out a close 24-22 victory to keep Orlando alive. Then Navratil and Rohrabacher upset DC's star duo Riley Newman and Jackie Kawamoto to force a dream breaker.
"We weren't gonna lose the dream breaker," Bright said. "I've never done better at swinging free in those high pressure situations." She cites Rohrabacher's aggressive power as a key factor in rattling DC's Riley Newman. Bright also praised Navratil for playing clutch.
In the end, Bright fulfilled her destiny as a draft day genius. But true to her fierce competitive spirit, she's already strategizing new ways to beat DC and dominant duo Jade and Jackie Kawamoto next time.
VI. Reflections (42:26 - 47:26)
Even if the Squeeze had fallen short, Bright felt validated just making the Finals. "After the first season with the Hustlers when we made the final, I felt like we'd gotten so lucky," she reflected. "This time I didn't feel lucky at all to make the Finals."
Of course, Bright has no time to rest as the target on her back grows. She laughs off a notorious YouTube named "Feel the Squeeze" for questioning her skills and draft position. Bright also dismisses any genius label, knowing today's champions are tomorrow's underdogs in this rapid sport.
Still, Bright clearly won the high-profile draft day trade that sent her to Orlando at #5 over Riley Newman's DC squad. As she said, "Rally scoring makes every match a toss up."
VII. Hot Takes (47:26 - 1:03:21)
Bright was asked for some spicy draft analysis and she delivered:
- On the Utah Falcons missing playoffs: "Shocking. I picked them to win our group. No AJ, but Thomas played great. Anna Leigh and Irina needed to gel more."
- On Dallas: "Big underperformance with that roster. James and Jay in Men's Doubles needs work. Cali and Allyse losing in Women's Doubles was a surprise."
- On the Ranchers: "Slow start on Friday, especially for Dylan Fraizer. Lauren Stratman and Jorja Johnson must win more in Women's."
- On the Chicago Slice: "Never bet against Ben Johns! Lace and Jessie need to find ways to steal matches."
- On Arizona Drive standout Julian Arnold: "So glad I finally beat him! He plays so well in the MLP team format."
- On 17-year old CJ Klinger: "He's an adrenaline junkie just like me! But he tightened up big time against Megan Fudge."
VIII. The Anna Bright Brand (1:03:21 - 1:04:54)
Off the court, Bright continues to build her personal brand and media presence. She co-hosts a popular podcast called "The Drop Shot" with fellow pro Dylan Fraizer. She also shares behind-the-scenes pickleball content on Instagram and Twitter for her growing fanbase.
True to form, Bright prefers writing her own social media captions to authentically showcase her signature voice and humor. She's not afraid to be unfiltered and a bit controversial, especially on her beloved Twitter.
For now, Bright is riding high off her MVP performance in Atlanta. But don't expect the outspoken competitor to rest on her laurels. One thing's for certain - with Anna Bright on the court, pickleball is never boring.
Inside MLP Podcast Time Code List
5:57 Anna Bright Intro
6:33 Championship Moment
7:35 Sleep?
8:04 Heckling?
9:00 We talked to your team owner several weeks ago
14:18 Calls to other players
16:06 What was your thought process on Vivian Glozman?
18:33 The build-up to Atlanta
20:35 Group A
23:22 Vivienne David Advice
25:15 Down two games
31:33 Swinging free
33:05 Rachel Rohrabacher
38:05 AZ Dream breaker
39:23 Bright vs Glozman
40:41 Post Match Interview - Zane Last to First Place
41:45 Writers to write zingers
42:26 Anna - Are you a genius?
46:05 Shout out to YouTube Channel - Feel The Squeeze
47:26 The Trade
48:18 Already thinking about the next MLP
50:18 Hot Takes
57:49 Allison Harris
58:15 I wish there was more pink on those uniforms
58:54 Columbus under performed
59:20 Never bet against Ben Johns
1:00:41 Energy Transfer
1:01:57 Julian Arnold - AZ
1:02:48 Hard Eights - CJ Klinger
1:03:14 Ewa Radzikowska
1:03:21 CJ Klinger vs Megan Fudge
1:04:20 Sunglasses
1:04:54 Connect with Anna Bright
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