St. Louis Shock Win 2026 Edward Jones MLP Mid-Season Tournament, Move Into First Place in League Standings

Shock go undefeated in Grand Rapids, top the No. 1 seeded New Jersey 5s in the championship final, and clinch a 2026 MLP Playoff berth

ST. LOUIS, Mo.: The St. Louis Shock delivered the biggest weekend in franchise history, going undefeated to capture the 2026 Edward Jones Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament title at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Playing alongside the historic Beer City Open, the Shock closed out a perfect 4-0 run with a 3-0 sweep of the top-seeded New Jersey 5s in Sunday's nationally televised championship final, earning 10 bonus standings points, moving into first place in the Major League Pickleball standings, and securing a spot in the 2026 MLP Playoffs.

Seeded second entering the five-day, 24-team event, the Shock never dropped a match and answered every challenge the bracket put in front of them.

St. Louis set the tone right away, opening on Championship Court against the Florida Smash and rolling to a 3-0 win. Anna Bright and Kate Fahey were flawless in women's doubles (11-0), Gabriel Tardio and Hayden Patriquin followed with an 11-1 win in men's doubles, and Bright and Patriquin closed the door in mixed doubles (11-4).

The Shock kept the momentum going in the quarterfinal, cruising to a 3-0 win over the Texas Ranchers. Bright and Fahey again controlled women's doubles (11-8), Tardio and Patriquin cruised in men's doubles (11-5), and Bright and Patriquin sealed the sweep in mixed doubles (11-2).

The stiffest test of the run came in the semifinal against the third-seeded Los Angeles Mad Drops, a lineup anchored by pickleball icon Ben Johns. The Shock responded with two of their most clutch performances of the weekend, as Bright and Fahey edged women's doubles 12-10 and Tardio and Patriquin matched it with a 12-10 win in men's doubles. After the Mad Drops took the first mixed doubles game, Kate Fahey and Gabriel Tardio clinched the match in the second, 11-7, for a 3-1 victory.

That set up a championship showdown with the tournament's No. 1 seed, the New Jersey 5s. On the sport's biggest stage, broadcast live on FOX, the Shock once again refused to blink and completed a 3-0 sweep to claim the Mid-Season Tournament crown. Anna Bright and Kate Fahey opened with an 11-6 win over Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson in women's doubles, Gabriel Tardio and Hayden Patriquin followed with an 11-3 win over Noe Khlif and Will Howells in men's doubles, and Bright and Patriquin closed out the title with an 11-8 win over Waters and Khlif in mixed doubles. The 10 bonus standings points that came with the championship lifted St. Louis to first place in the overall MLP standings.

Across the tournament, the Shock leaned on dominant, consistent play from their core. Anna Bright and Kate Fahey went unbeaten in women's doubles, and Gabriel Tardio and Hayden Patriquin swept every men's doubles game they played.

“I could not be more proud of this group,” said Ross Chaifetz, Owner and General Manager of the St. Louis Shock. “To go undefeated against a field this deep, and to beat the No. 1 seed on national television with a championship on the line, says everything about the character of this team. We came to Grand Rapids to win, and our players delivered. First place in the standings is a great place to be, but the job is not finished. We turn our attention to Orlando and to the postseason ahead.”

Looking Ahead

The Shock now shift their focus to their regular season finale in Orlando, Florida, at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (July 30 to August 2). With a playoff berth already secured, St. Louis will look to carry its Mid-Season momentum into the expanded three-week 2026 MLP Playoffs.

Tournament Results

Round of 16: St. Louis Shock def. Florida Smash, 3-0

• Women's Doubles: Anna Bright / Kate Fahey def. Martina Frantova / Zoey Weil, 11-0
• Men's Doubles: Gabriel Tardio / Hayden Patriquin def. Connor Mogle / Christopher Crouch, 11-1
• Mixed Doubles: Anna Bright / Hayden Patriquin def. Zoey Weil / Connor Mogle, 11-4

Quarterfinal: St. Louis Shock def. Texas Ranchers, 3-0

• Women's Doubles: Anna Bright / Kate Fahey def. Kaitlyn Christian / Lea Jansen, 11-8
• Men's Doubles: Gabriel Tardio / Hayden Patriquin def. Eric Oncins / Nicolas Acevedo, 11-5
• Mixed Doubles: Anna Bright / Hayden Patriquin def. Lea Jansen / Eric Oncins, 11-2

Semifinal: St. Louis Shock def. Los Angeles Mad Drops, 3-1

• Women's Doubles: Anna Bright / Kate Fahey def. Jade Kawamoto / Catherine Parenteau, 12-10
• Men's Doubles: Gabriel Tardio / Hayden Patriquin def. Ben Johns / Max Freeman, 12-10
• Mixed Doubles 1: Jade Kawamoto / Ben Johns def. Anna Bright / Hayden Patriquin, 11-8
• Mixed Doubles 2: Kate Fahey / Gabriel Tardio def. Catherine Parenteau / Max Freeman, 11-7

Championship: St. Louis Shock def. New Jersey 5s, 3-0

• Women's Doubles: Anna Bright / Kate Fahey def. Anna Leigh Waters / Jorja Johnson, 11-6
• Men's Doubles: Gabriel Tardio / Hayden Patriquin def. Noe Khlif / Will Howells, 11-3
• Mixed Doubles: Anna Bright / Hayden Patriquin def. Anna Leigh Waters / Noe Khlif, 11-8

About the St. Louis Shock

The St. Louis Shock is a professional pickleball team competing in Major League Pickleball (MLP). The 2025 MLP Regular Season Champions posted a dominant 24-1 record, establishing themselves as one of the league's elite franchises. Since its founding in 2023, the Shock has experienced explosive growth, quickly becoming an innovative leader through cutting-edge community events, a comprehensive Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) program across 15 locations with 200+ players, youth development initiatives, and championship-caliber professional competition.