MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — Major League Pickleball returned to the Valley this week for the first time since 2023.
The weekend event is hosted by the Phoenix Flames at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa.
“It’s awesome. You look around and you’ve got the landscape, you’ve got the sunset, and you’ve got the cool weather at night,” said Major League Pickleball commissioner Samin Odhwani. “This is one of the best venues in America if not the world.”
MLP features 22 hometown teams across two levels, Premier and Challenger. The event in Mesa is the league’s fourth regular season event.
“You’re going to have a blast. Major League Pickleball is a high energy atmosphere,” said Odhwan, who adds the crowds have been fired up.
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Alex Walker is among the professional players on the Phoenix Flames. She moved to Phoenix from Canada two years ago specifically to play pickleball.
“My sister and I moved here for pickleball,” Walker said. “There’s not as much pickleball in Canada although it’s definitely growing over there. We moved here so we could train.”
She says the people of Phoenix have made her feel right at home.
“Arizona has just been such an amazing place to continue our pickleball journey. We’ve been so lucky to be able to be here and make such amazing friends and just have a blast playing the sport that we love,” said Walker.
The tournament runs through Sunday rain or shine. The championship court is covered so they’ll be ready to play even if the Valley gets the unseasonable rain forecasted for Sunday.
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