Columbus has a new trophy to add to its case.
On Aug. 24, the Columbus Sliders came from behind to beat the New Jersey 5s in the best-of-three championship series to earn the Major League Pickleball championship while playing in the New York City Tournament. After dropping the opening set 3-2 on Aug. 23, the Sliders won two matches the next day to earn the title.
Columbus pulled even with a 3-2 win on Aug. 24, setting up one final winner-take-all set scheduled for later that afternoon. The 5s won the opening Women’s Doubles set 11-4 but the Sliders then won three straight sets to defeat New Jersey.
The Sliders, founded in 2022, celebrated as confetti fell to the Central Park court after Parris Todd secured the final point of the Mixed Doubles 2 set. The Sliders won that set 11-6, giving them the title.
Todd played alongside teammate Andrei Daescu. His men’s doubles team got the Sliders started when he and Cj Klinger won 11-7 for Columbus’ first set victory of the evening. Klinger and Lea Jansen then beat the 5s 11-4 in a Mixed Doubles 1 set to put Todd and Daescu in position to seal the title.
“It means the world to me,” Daescu, the Sliders’ team captain, said in a video clip posted to the team’s Instagram page. “I’m so happy to it for the city of Columbus, which has been so supportive to us.”
The Sliders opened the tournament as the No. 5 seed but eliminated the top seed on the opening day, sweeping the St. Louis Shock 3-0 and 3-2 on Aug. 22.
Columbus is one of 48 teams in MLP’s Premier Level. The Sliders finished the regular season in fifth place with 52 points thanks to an 18-7 record, earning them the final spot in the championship weekend.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Underdog Columbus Sliders earn Major League Pickleball championship in New York City
Reporting by Adam Jardy, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
