Team USA beat Latin America 3-0 on Sunday, Nov 1, at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, winning the first MLP Nations Cup with a perfect 5-0 run. The final scores were 11-9, 11-1, and 11-6, and after a tight first game it was not close.
The USA roster ran Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Tyra Black, CJ Klinger, and Will Howells. Latin America reached the final by beating Asia Domestic 3-1, while the USA beat Europe East 3-1 in the other semifinal. Asia International, Tama Shimabukuro's team, finished 0-3 and missed the semifinals.
Eight regional teams took part: USA, Canada, Latin America, Australia, Asia International, Asia Domestic, Europe West, and Europe East. Full results are at pickleball.com, with a recap at The Kitchen.
Why it matters: A country versus country team event could have felt like a gimmick. Instead it worked as a festival opener, giving Worlds week a verified result before the main draw started. Depth won it, and team play keeps proving it can carry a crowd.