Next Gen MLP Stars? Keep Your Eye on These Three Tennis-Turned-Pickleball Phenoms
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This article identifies three potential breakout players for the 2025 Major League Pickleball (MLP) season: Victoria DiMuzio, Mehvish Safdar, and Mya Bui. A breakout player is defined as someone who doesn't already have significant results or recognition, is not ranked in the top 10-20 in doubles, and is on a relatively competitive team. The article details the backgrounds and potential of each player, suggesting they have the skills and opportunity to have a significant impact in the upcoming MLP season.
Hit it deeper!
As the 2025 Major League Pickleball (MLP) season approaches, set to begin in three weeks at MLP Orlando, the anticipation builds not only for team performances but also for individual players who might emerge as breakout stars. Each year in MLP seems to witness the rise of one or two players who have a remarkable season, exceeding expectations and gaining significant recognition. The article recalls Rachel Rohrabacher and Christian Alshon as breakout players in 2023, followed by Kate Fahey and Quang Duong in the previous year. The author presents three candidates to watch for a potential breakout in the 2025 season: Victoria DiMuzio, Mehvish Safdar, and Mya Bui.
Before delving into these three players, the article establishes a clear definition of what constitutes a "breakout player" in the context of MLP. Firstly, a breakout player cannot already be established with numerous significant results and widespread recognition within the pickleball community. For instance, Kate Fahey is not considered a breakout candidate for this year because her performance in the previous year has already made her well-known. Secondly, any player already ranked within the top 10-20 in doubles is considered an established player and thus ineligible for breakout status. The article uses Parris Todd and Lea Jansen as examples of players who have been performing exceptionally well in doubles but are not considered breakouts due to their veteran status and established success. Lastly, for a player to be considered a breakout candidate, their team must be relatively competitive, as MLP's team-oriented nature means that even exceptional individual performance might not translate to significant match wins if the team struggles. This is why Zane Ford, despite an anticipated upward trajectory, is not considered a breakout candidate due to the perceived lack of competitiveness of his team, the New York Hustlers.
Victoria DiMuzio has a strong background in provincial tennis events in Ontario, Canada, where she was recognized as a promising young talent, developing discipline and mental toughness. She was drafted by the Southwestern Ontario Brewers in the Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL) last year, where she achieved a 67% game win percentage and was named Player of the Match eight times, finishing as the top Canadian woman in CNPL in 2024. Her DUPR rating has significantly improved since being drafted and is now among the top 25 worldwide. DiMuzio made the decision to focus on pickleball full-time in late 2024/early 2025, moving to Delray Beach, Florida, to dedicate herself to the sport.
Mehvish Safdar was a five-star tennis recruit who received a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota, specializing in doubles and also playing singles. She holds a place in the top 20 all-time at Minnesota for doubles wins. After her college tennis career, Safdar pursued a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology at the University of Indiana. In 2024, she began taking competitive pickleball seriously, winning both the DUPR mixed doubles and women’s singles collegiate championships while playing for the University of Indiana club team and was named First-Team All-American in Collegiate Pickleball in 2024. Safdar signed with the UPA shortly before the MLP Draft and will play for the Utah Black Diamonds.
Mya Bui played collegiate tennis at the University of San Francisco. Although she doesn't have an extensive pickleball history, she has recorded some notable wins, including defeating Victoria DiMuzio in singles at the PPA Daytona Beach Open and winning a game against the formidable pair of Catherine Parenteau and Federico Staksrud in mixed doubles. More recently, she teamed up with Eric Oncins and won their first-round match at the PPA Red Rock Open and won the first game against Parris Todd and Dekel Bar. Bui was drafted 17th by the Miami Pickleball Club. She is known for her powerful two-handed drive from the baseline and strong left-side play, possessing significant reach due to her height. The article suggests that if she can improve her transition zone play and dinking consistency, she could be a valuable asset to the Miami team.
The author concludes that DiMuzio, Safdar, and Bui have the strongest potential to be breakout players in the 2025 MLP season, citing their power, tennis backgrounds, and promising team setups.
The World Pickleball Verdict
Identifying potential breakout players ahead of a major league season is a common and engaging aspect of sports analysis, and this article provides a well-reasoned perspective on three candidates for MLP 2025. The defined criteria for a breakout player offer a clear framework for the selection. The detailed backgrounds of DiMuzio, Safdar, and Bui, highlighting their tennis pedigrees and early successes in pickleball, make a compelling case for their potential impact in MLP. The analysis of their strengths and areas for improvement adds depth to the predictions. This type of player-focused analysis not only generates excitement for the upcoming season but also helps to track the evolving talent pool within professional pickleball. The consideration of team competitiveness as a factor for breakout potential reflects a nuanced understanding of MLP's team-based format. Ultimately, the article provides insightful predictions that will be interesting to follow as the 2025 MLP season unfolds.