2023 MLP Atlanta Champion - Andrei Daescu Interview

 

Andrei Daescu Leads Orlando Squeeze to Thrilling MLP Atlanta Title Pickleball star recounts dramatic comeback win and keys to victory for his team The sweat dripped and the crowd roared as Andrei Daescu battled through yet another grueling rally at the recent Major League Pickleball (MLP) Atlanta event. As a member of the Orlando Squeeze, Daescu and his teammates pulled off an incredible comeback to capture the MLP championship in dramatic fashion. In an exclusive interview on the Pickleballers Podcast with host Tyler Irvin, Daescu provided a riveting recap of the Squeeze's thrilling title run. 00:05 Andrei discusses winning the MLP Atlanta tournament as part of the Orlando Squeeze team "It feels amazing," Daescu said about winning the MLP title. "It still didn't wear off after these days. Just a fun experience, great weekend, happy to share with my teammates, happy to win it for the Orlando Squeeze." The Squeeze came into the tournament with high expectations, given the strength of their roster. Still, nothing was guaranteed in the tough MLP field. "We had some crazy battles," Daescu acknowledged. "The team played great, the energy around the team, the vibe, was very, very good. We competed really well." Their strong team spirit and clutch performances led to the ultimate prize. As Daescu put it, "We all came together and played so well in the key moments, and I think that's what ultimately got us the W." 00:56 Andrei analyzes the team's performance in the finals, including coming back from significant deficits While the Squeeze emerged victorious, the finals match itself was a rollercoaster ride. "I don't think we played our best in the finals, to be honest with you," Daescu confessed. "We were off to a tough start." The Squeeze fell behind early and had their backs against the wall for much of the match. "We got down in a pretty bad hole pretty early on," he said. "We knew our singles was obviously strong, so it was about small victories at that point, just piecing a couple of those together." Slowly but surely, the Squeeze battled back. A critical mixed doubles win brought the score to 21-20, with their opponents holding match point. But Daescu and partner Anna Bright rallied to take the next three points and force a decisive singles match. There, Daescu and the Squeeze closed it out in style, capping an epic comeback. "Just happy we were able to do it," Daescu remarked. "That kind of speaks volumes in terms of our team chemistry and what our team can achieve." 02:37 The Orlando Squeeze team did not have a lot of playing experience together but bonded well during the tournament Considering their synchronized play when it mattered most, one might assume the Squeeze players were longtime partners. But as Daescu explained, that wasn't necessarily the case. "I wouldn't say we have a ton of playing experience together," he noted. However, the lack of familiarity did not prevent them from coming together. "We're all really tough competitors and good pickleball players, we kept a really good energy throughout, and dealt with adversity really well as a team." The Squeeze made an effort to connect as a unit. "We were there early, we practiced quite a bit, we figured out some patterns that worked for us," Daescu said. That team-first approach paid dividends during the high-pressure finals. 03:25 Andrei describes the exciting long rally against Julian Arnold during the finals One particularly memorable point that Daescu discussed was an epic back-and-forth rally against opponent Julian Arnold during a pivotal moment in the finals. "It was pretty long, back and forth, some tough battles," he recalled. After falling behind early in the point, Daescu gradually turned the tide. "I felt like I was chipping away and slowly getting back into the point." The ball flew from side to side, with both players making incredible gets to keep the point alive. Finally, after being pushed to the limit, Daescu ripped a winning backhand up the line to capture the point, much to the crowd's delight. "You could see him clapping after the point," Daescu said of Arnold's show of sportsmanship. As thrilling as it was in the moment, Daescu had to quickly refocus. "It was still in the middle of the battle, nobody could get overly excited after that one." 04:56 More details about the finals match and Rachel Rohrabacher getting the winning point Walking through the finals match chronologically, Daescu outlined the ebbs and flows of their dramatic win. An early deficit in men's doubles put them in a hole, but strong play in mixed doubles brought them back into contention. The 21-20 comeback in particular was critical. "That kind of brought some momentum back on our side," Daescu stated. Partner Rachel Rohrabacher then sealed a mixed win to set up a winner-take-all singles showdown. There, Daescu took control early and never looked back. But as a show of respect, he wanted Rohrabacher to have the honors of clinching the title. "It couldn't have ended any better than that," he said, "because Rachel played so well, was such a great teammate." Her final winning shot punctuated the Squeeze's perfect comeback story. 07:29 Andrei discusses maintaining focus when in the lead and not letting up When holding a lead late in a match, some teams tend to let up and get complacent. But Daescu said the Squeeze avoided that mindset, even during commanding singles victories. "You just take it one point at a time, you just try to do the best you can," he outlined. "Once you open that gap, just pedal to the metal, full steam ahead trying to finish it." Daescu added that in pickleball, no lead is ever safe. "You can't really look too far ahead, because that's when it comes back to bite you," he warned. "You don't want to be slowing down, taking your foot off the gas." That ruthlessly focused approach carried the Squeeze across the finish line. 08:51 Analysis of the comeback win and whether it was the greatest in pickleball history Host Tyler Irvin suggested the Squeeze's rally from a 21-20 deficit may go down as the greatest comeback in MLP history. Daescu stop short of proclaiming it the absolute best, but acknowledged it was special. "There's been some great comebacks along the years, but it's definitely one of the nicest comebacks for sure," he said. Daescu highlighted that it required contributions from the entire roster. "It was a whole team effort, it was four people on a team instead of maybe two," he noted. "I'm happy we were able to do it." 09:24 Going back to that 22-21 point where you guys got a win - What are you guys thinking? Revisiting the pressure-packed sequence when the Squeeze was down match point at 22-21, Daescu described his focused mindset in those moments. "Not a whole lot is going through your head - you're still in it, so you can't start thinking too much," he said. Daescu also pushed back on overanalyzing mid-rally. "Thinking too much in those moments can make it a lot worse." Instead, he relied on instinct and experience. "You've played this game long enough, you've been in those situations quite a bit, so you know what to expect," Daescu explained. By tuning out distractions and controlling emotions, he excelled under fire. 11:05 In the singles match, was there a moment that you felt you were in control of the match? Even holding a lead in the final singles match, Daescu said the Squeeze maintained their edge and never exhaled. "You can't really look too far ahead, because that's when it comes back to bite you," he warned. "Once you open that gap, just pedal to the metal, full steam ahead." Daescu added that in pickleball, no lead is safe. "You don't want to be slowing down, taking your foot off the gas," he emphasized. The Squeeze followed that creed in closing out their championship victory. 12:47 Andrei's thoughts on winning as an APP player against PPA players. Social Media chatter. Leading up to the tournament, some commented on social media about Daescu being an Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) player pitted against Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) stars. But Daescu pays little attention to that external noise. "I don't really look too much into the stuff being discussed on social media," he said plainly. "It's really about the way you show up to play, the way you gel with a team." Daescu takes a measured approach based on his own preparation. "I can obviously control myself, I can't control who I'm playing against, so just staying focused on myself for the most part," he outlined. By maintaining that internal focus, Daescu and the Squeeze succeeded against any and all competition. 15:13 Andrei talks about celebrating the win on Sunday before getting back to business on Monday Following the emotion of their dramatic Sunday victory, Daescu took time to commemorate the occasion before refocusing. "Definitely had a good afternoon of partying and celebrating after the win for sure," he said. After enjoying Sunday with family and friends, Monday it was back to a normal routine. "Just some recovery stuff, some stretching, some ice bath," Daescu described. He even got some light practice reps in, cognizant of protecting his body with more tournaments ahead. The celebration may have been short-lived, but the special memories will last forever.

16:35 MLP November and areas the team wants to improve The Squeeze organization will look to defend their title at MLP November in California. Daescu said the team will study film and reconvene in October to prepare. "We're going to watch some video, try to figure out the things we could do a little bit better," he noted. They will also schedule practice matches together to stay sharp against top competition. Despite taking the first crown, the Squeeze remains hungry for more. "We all enjoy this moment, it was a great accomplishment, but that was the first leg of this season," Daescu stated. Their focus now shifts to season two and a chance to repeat. 17:43 What goes into the preparation after an MLP event one into event two? Do you guys meet up during random weeks or do you just see each other in California a week prior to event two? To optimize their chemistry leading up to MLP November, the Squeeze will convene for a dedicated training camp. "We're definitely going to meet up at some point in October as a team," Daescu confirmed. "We're definitely going to practice together, play some matches amongst each other." This boot camp approach will allow the Squeeze to build on what worked previously while improving areas of deficiency. With more familiarity, their team cohesion and tactical execution will further elevate. 18:31 Film study When studying video from MLP Atlanta, Daescu said the Squeeze will focus their analysis internally rather than scouting opponents. "First and foremost we've got to focus on ourselves," he stated. Daescu wants to avoid overthinking hypothetical matchups this far in advance. "I like to keep it pretty simple - it's focus is our team," he said. "I don't think there's a lot of logic trying to figure out what other teams are going to be doing." By zeroing in on their own developmental objectives, the Squeeze will optimize their performance potential. 19:20 Who develops a scouting report on opponents and develops game plans Closer to match dates, Daescu's coach provides helpful scouting intel based on opponents' tendencies. But Daescu reiterated that avoiding tunnel vision on rivals is critical. "Some coaching, some player perspective as well, and trying to come up with the best game plan," he described. However, Daescu circles back to self-improvement as the primary emphasis. Rather than fixate on what opponents might do, Daescu wants the Squeeze focused on playing their best possible game. 19:53 Bryan Brothers When asked how long it may take tennis legends the Bryan Brothers to become pickleball contenders, Daescu called it "pretty fast." He acknowledged that some tennis skills directly translate, though nuances exist. Ultimately, Daescu is excited to see premier athletes like the Bryans take up the sport. "I'm excited to have them in pickleball," he said. "It'll be exciting to just see what their skills can do." 21:17 Where to find Andrei and what to expect from him in upcoming tournaments Looking ahead, fans can expect to see Daescu competing across the highest levels of pickleball, including APP, PPA, MLP, the U.S. Open, and more. "Just trying to play all the pickleball events and support a game that's given me so much," he said. You can also connect with him through social media platforms and catch him on pickleball live streams. As one of the sport's elite ambassadors, Daescu figures to have many more memorable moments still to come. But his epic MLP Atlanta performance will be tough to top. Summary In an exclusive Pickleballers Podcast interview, Andrei Daescu provided a vivid recap of his Orlando Squeeze team's dramatic comeback to win the MLP Atlanta tournament. After falling behind early in the finals, Daescu and the Squeeze battled back through clutch play in mixed doubles and singles. Though the Squeeze players lacked extensive experience together, their chemistry and resilience powered them to an unforgettable rally from a 21-20 deficit. Daescu discussed critical points along the way, including an epic rally against opponent Julian Arnold. He also outlined the Squeeze's focused mindset, refusing to let up even with a lead in the final singles match. Looking ahead, Daescu is excited to continue competing across premier pickleball events. The Squeeze will reconvene in October to improve on areas of weakness before defending their title at MLP November. With his combination of talent and determination, Daescu remains one of pickleball's brightest stars. The MLP Atlanta title only begins to scratch the surface of his potential.

1. 00:05 🏆 Andrei discusses winning the MLP Atlanta tournament as part of the Orlando Squeeze team
2. 00:56 🎾 Andrei analyzes the team's performance in the finals, including coming back from significant deficits
3. 02:37 🤝 The Orlando Squeeze team did not have a lot of playing experience together but bonded well during the tournament
4. 03:25 🥎 Andrei describes the exciting long rally against Julian Arnold during the finals
5. 04:56 🏓 More details about the finals match and Rachel Rohrabacher getting the winning point
6. 07:29 ⚔️ Andrei discusses maintaining focus when in the lead and not letting up
7. 08:51 🏆 Analysis of the comeback win and whether it was the greatest in pickleball history
8. 09:24 🎾 Going back to that 22-21 point where you guys got a win - What are you guys thinking?
9. 11:05 🥎 In the singles match, was there a moment that you felt you were in control of the match?
10. 12:47 🧠 Andrei's thoughts on winning as an APP player against PPA players. Social Media chatter.
11. 15:13 🥳 Andrei talks about celebrating the win on Sunday before getting back to business on Monday
12. 16:35 📈 MLP November and areas the team wants to improve
13. 17:43 🏓 What goes into the preparation after an MLP event one into event two? Do you guys meet up during random weeks or do you just see each other in California a week prior to event two?
14. 18:31 🕵Film study
15. 19:20 ️‍♂️ Who develops a scouting report on opponents and develops game plans
16. 19:53 🎾Bryan Brothers
17. 21:17 📲 Where to find Andrei and what to expect from him in upcoming tournaments