St. Louis Shock Stun New Jersey 5s in Heated MLP Showdown
The St. Louis Shock (2-0) handed the New Jersey 5s (5-1) their first loss of the 2025 MLP season with an intense 3-1 victory at the USTA National Campus. While the action on the court was exciting, it was the off-court drama that truly stole the spotlight.
Shock Starts Strong
The match began with St. Louis setting the tone early.
Anna Bright/Kate Fahey defeated Anna Leigh Waters/Meghan Dizon, handing the dominant Waters her second loss of the day in women’s doubles.
Next, Hayden Patriquin/Gabe Tardio overwhelmed Will Howells/Zane Navratil in men’s doubles, giving the Shock a commanding 2-0 lead heading into mixed doubles.
Tensions Boil Over After Mixed Doubles Clash
The New Jersey 5s got on the board when Waters/Howells defeated Fahey/Patriquin 11-3.
However, as players headed to the bench, an explosive incident occurred.
Hayden Patriquin allegedly called Anna Leigh Waters a “f**ing b**ch,” according to multiple sources, including New Jersey’s own Zane Navratil via Twitter/X.
Waters immediately confronted Patriquin, causing officials and team members to intervene as emotions ran high.
Retaliation on the Court
The second mixed doubles match saw Zane Navratil take a full swing and bean Gabe Tardio with the ball—an obvious message of retaliation that delighted the New Jersey bench but did little to change the outcome.
Bright/Tardio stayed composed and defeated Navratil/Dizon, clinching the regulation win for St. Louis.
Post-Match Reflections
Patriquin later addressed the controversy in a post-match interview, stating:
“Some words were said—some words that shouldn’t have been said. It is what it is. It’s just the heat of the moment. I’m sorry, and I shouldn’t have done it.”
Despite the drama, it was a massive day for St. Louis, who also defeated the Brooklyn Pickleball Team earlier on Sunday.
Extra Tension Behind the Scenes
The day’s matchups were even more charged due to recent partnership shifts:
- Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters are now teaming up on the PPA Tour for the remainder of 2025.
- This left their previous partners, Rachel Rohrabacher and Catherine Parenteau, behind.
- As a result, Bright faced both her former and new partners on the same day—and won both times.
Reflecting on her emotional day, Bright shared:
“All of the nerves and anxiety and excitement kind of hit me all at once. You have to keep things in perspective because it’s only the start of the season.”
What’s Next?
- St. Louis Shock will aim to extend their 2-0 record next week at MLP Columbus.
- New Jersey 5s will look to regroup before their next matchup at MLP Austin, scheduled for May 23-26.
While the official rematch date between these two top teams is unknown, one thing is clear:
Next time they meet, it won’t just be standings points at stake—it will be personal.
