The Report
USA 3-0, and why the semi-finals mattered more
Good morning, pickleballers.
The USA won the first MLP Nations Cup without breaking sweat in the final: 3-0 against Latin America, and only four games dropped all weekend. Both losing semi-finalists won the one game they were best at, then lost the other three. The trophy went to depth, which is what the format was built to reward.
Also today: James Ling's two Open titles in Bolton, PPA Worlds week, which starts today, and the five players who filled 12 of 16 finals places in Nanjing.
The Lead · MLP Nations Cup
The USA won. The more interesting result was who they had to beat
The USA beat Latin America 11-9, 11-1, 11-6 at Brookhaven Country Club on Sunday. They won all five of their matches and 14 of 18 games. In the semi-finals Latin America beat Asia Domestic 3-1 and the USA beat Europe East 3-1.
The closest anyone got was Asia Domestic on Saturday night: 2-2 in games, then the weekend's only DreamBreaker, which the USA won 21-18. On our own count the USA were the only one of the eight teams ahead on points in all four disciplines.
Why it matters: every other team had one great pair. The MLP format needs three.
English Nationals · Bolton
Two finals, 12 points and a changing of the guard
James Ling was the only player to win two Open titles in Bolton. He won the men's doubles with James Chaudry, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, and the mixed with Eleanor Tomkinson, 11-3, 7-11, 12-10. Both times he beat Louis Laville's top-seeded team. Anna Linton and Richard Love won the mixed 50+ for a third year running.
Why it matters: the top seeds won only one of the three Open finals. The English Open game is now a contest, not a title to defend. (Disclosure: I commentated at the 2025 Nationals.)
PPA Worlds · Preview
Waters is the certainty. The men's titles are open
Worlds runs from today's qualifying to Championship Sunday on 8 November, with 3,000 ranking points per title and a listed $1,648,641 in payouts. The PPA puts Anna Leigh Waters' singles streak at 888 days when she walks on court. Federico Staksrud defends the men's singles, and Ben Johns is seeded 19th.
Why it matters: no one has owned men's pickleball all year. This is Staksrud's week to lose.
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Also new today
Nanjing and Bolton
Nanjing's 600 players, and the five who took the finals
More than 600 players entered the PPA Asia 125 in Nanjing, and five players filled 12 of the 16 places in the finals, according to the Yangtse Evening News. The official PPA results have not been published yet, so treat the names as reported.
A record Nationals, and a chance to raise the bar for 2027
1,468 players and a £7,950 prize pot, plus fair questions about the ball, the courts and a late format change. Three simple steps for 2027.
Around the game
Coimbatore
India: Coimbatore Super Smashers Open
At the IPA-sanctioned PWR 400 event on 31 October, Naomi Amalsadiwala and Arjun Singh won the pro mixed doubles, beating Mihika Yadav and Aditya Singh 11-7, 11-9. (Times Now)
That's the Report
Worlds qualifying starts today in Farmers Branch, and the pro draws build towards Championship Sunday on 8 November. We'll be watching the men's draws most closely. Waters, we suspect, will take care of herself.