Gold Coast Slam Comebacks & MiLP Breaks 1,000-Player Record
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Gold Coast Slam Semifinals Ignite: Epic Comebacks and Thrilling Finishes Reshape Championship Picture
Tweed Heads South, Australia – The PPA Tour Australia 2025 Gold Coast Pickleball Slam witnessed a series of electrifying semifinal matches on June 7, 2025, at the Arkinstall Park Regional Tennis Centre, drastically reshaping the path to the finals.
In a stunning display of resilience, Australia's Danni-Elle Townsend and Joseph Wild staged an epic comeback in Pro Mixed Doubles 5.0 And Above, defeating Kaitlynn Hart and Santhosh Narayanan 10-12, 11-1, 11-8 after dropping the first set. Similarly, in Pro Women’s Doubles 5.0 And Above, Townsend teamed with Somer Dalla-Bona for a dramatic turnaround, overcoming Andie Dikosavljevic and Sarah Burr 6-11, 11-7, 11-2 to secure their final spot. Perhaps the most dazzling recovery came from Kaitlynn Hart and Roos van Reek, who rallied from an 11-1 first-game loss against Jamie Haas and Lauren Mercado to win 11-2, 11-3 and clinch their Pro Women’s Doubles final berth.
The drama wasn't limited to comebacks; a "nail-biting" 16-14 victory saw Japan’s Miyu Hazawa and Yuki Sugiyama advance in the Pro Mixed Doubles Qualifier 5.0 And Above. Other players like Hong Kit Wong and Joseph Wild also dominated their Pro Men’s Singles semifinals in straight sets, while Roos van Reek and Somer DallaBona secured their spots in the Pro Women's Singles final with commanding performances. These intense matchups have set the stage for an unforgettable championship round at the Gold Coast Slam.
Dink MiLP Shatters Records: Global Team Pickleball Surges with 1,000 Players in Weekend Blitz
United States – The Dink Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) recently experienced its biggest weekend to date, drawing nearly 1,000 players across 15 events simultaneously held in the United States and China. This record-breaking participation highlights the explosive growth of team pickleball worldwide.
Over the single weekend, 12 events took place across the U.S., stretching from Massachusetts to California, while three additional events were hosted in China. This collective effort set a new milestone for MiLP participation in a single period.
The league's expansion is rapid, having already hosted 126 events in 2025 with projections to exceed 300 by year-end. MiLP now operates in 12 countries, with recent additions including Vietnam, Puerto Rico, Australia, and Costa Rica, showcasing its increasing global footprint. The league's fair play is ensured by its Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR)-based format, which groups teams by skill level. Each team comprises two men and two women, competing in men's doubles, women's doubles, and two mixed doubles matches, with a DreamBreaker™ deciding any 2-2 ties. All these competitions pave the way to the 2025 The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Championships, set for December 3 to December 7 in Dallas, Texas.