ATLANTA, GA — June 28, 2025  - In a match worthy of the roaring crowd at the INTENNSE™ Arena, Team Atlanta earned their first win of the season, edging out Team Jacksonville 200-197 in a heart-stopping thriller that wasn’t decided until the very last bolt of Mixed Doubles.

It was a night bursting with storylines: Atlanta, the host, delivered a resurgent performance under Coach Marcelo Ferreira, who made his coaching debut for the squad. And while Jacksonville arrived riding high at 2-0 after a flawless Week 1, the loss drops them to 2-1—a sobering reminder of just how razor-thin the margins can be in the INTENNSE format.

“This is what we wanted. This is what we expected with the scoring format,” said analyst J.Y. Aubone, who was left applauding courtside. “It was so high level. It’s one of those rare moments where you feel bad that one team had to lose.”

Coach Marcelo beamed with pride at his squad’s resilience. “All I wanted, like when I took the time out, I just wanted them to take a deep breath and just play one point at a time because it’s so easy to look at the scoreboard and just get carried away. And you’re trying to bridge the gap, when all you need to do is just focus on the task ahead. So proud of the team,” he said.

A Roller Coaster Battle

From the opening serve, it was clear neither team would go quietly. Team Jacksonville snatched the momentum early, winning the first Bolt and the third Bolt of Women’s Singles, yet somehow still fell one point short, losing the Match 65-64 to Atlanta. Annabelle Thomas was electric for Jacksonville, unleashing two point winners and blazing forehands that left the crowd gasping.

But Atlanta answered every challenge. Raul Garcia finally found his forehand, delivering thunderous shots in doubles, while Kevin King flew around the court, serving aggressively and playing with infectious energy. Ferreira’s presence seemed to transform the team after a rough first week.

“Marcelo did a great job challenging us to really bring the energy, bring the unity, really bring the passion every point, and I think that made a huge difference today,” said Kevin King, who was pivotal in doubles play.

“Kevin was really flying around…playing so aggressive, serving extremely well,” said Aubone. “I really think they played that well because Marcelo led them to where they needed to be from a mental standpoint.”

Sam Nicholson’s Ironman Effort

For Jacksonville, Sam Nicholson, who played all 30 minutes in Men’s Singles, left every drop of sweat on the court in his mission to bring Jacksonville back. Nicholson’s forehand was blistering, especially after a pivotal timeout where he drilled two two-point winners, helping Jacksonville claim Men’s Singles 65-57 and push the overall score to 129-122 Jacksonville.

“I heard some players when they win, they feel relief, some feel happiness. I feel relieved. This is a great team, especially Coach Claudio. He’s very experienced and the only guy I want in my corner,” said Nicholson, reflecting on his marathon performance.

Despite his heroics, it wasn’t quite enough. A tense final Mixed Doubles Bolt swung Atlanta’s way, with a critical serving confusion between Martín Gutierrez and Annabelle Thomas costing Jacksonville dearly. “Even for us in the broadcast booth, sometimes things happen so fast. I had no idea who was supposed to serve,” Aubone confessed. “That one little hiccup… who knows what the score would have been.”

A City, A Team, A Win

When the dust settled, Atlanta had written their first chapter of victory for 2025.

“We’ve got to get Sam the Jacksonville key to the city. He’s earned it with his stellar performance these last two weeks,” quipped Aubone, in admiration of Nicholson’s Herculean effort—even in defeat.

Now the question lingers: Can Atlanta keep this energy rolling? They’ll have to turn around quickly, taking the court again Sunday at 2 PM ET for another heavyweight clash with Tampa.

If Saturday was any indication, fans are in for another unforgettable ride.

Challenge Team vs. Team Tampa – Match Recap

The Match between the Challenge Team and Team Tampa demonstrated how early momentum and experience can significantly impact the outcome on the court.

For Team Tampa, the question heading in was which one of the male players could step up after struggles the previous week.

Noori Adam delivered in men’s singles, playing with calm precision. Instead of forcing his trademark big forehands, Noori picked his moments wisely, mixing patience and power to secure critical two point winners to set Tampa off to a strong start. His performance allowed teammates Trey Mallory and Sam Frizelle to step in and simply maintain the lead without needing to produce any heroics.

On the Challenge Team side, Danijal Muminovic, who earned his spot on the team after narrowly missing out the week before, showed determination and a solid effort. However, he couldn’t match the high level that Adam brought to the court. Elias Shokry and Simon Pritchard also played steadily, but none of the Challenge players could shift the momentum once Adam seized control for Tampa as they won the Match 80-57.

In Women’s Singles, Team Tampa’s. Kate Sharabura was outstanding, relentlessly using her kick serve wide to the outside—a tactic the Challenge team couldn’t solve for. Her energy, smart movement, and effective serve-and-volley play kept Tampa firmly in command. Alessandra Crump also stepped up, blasting big forehands that forced Robin Anderson into uncomfortable positions, despite Coach Jesse Levine’s urging for Anderson to play steady and solid. Dalayna Hewitt showed flashes of strong play for the Challenge team but struggled with her serve, often giving points back after brief runs. Scarlett Nicholson brought grit and determination to help the Challenge team win 74-73 and cut the deficit by one.

Heading into Doubles, Tampa held a 22-point advantage 153-131. Noori Adam and Kate Sharabura cemented their co-MVP status with brilliant net play. Their aggressive play and constant movement kept the Challenge Team off balance, even when they weren’t directly striking the ball. Sharabura, in particular, shut down a brief surge by the Challenge side, covering the court superbly and preserving Tampa’s lead.

Coaching strategy played a major role. Jesse Levine worked tirelessly to manage substitutions and timeouts, seeking to keep his Challenge Team fresh and engaged. Yet as he acknowledged, even the best tactics require players to execute under pressure. Yelena Labat, guiding Team Tampa, leveraged her prior experience, making timely adjustments and managing player rotations with precision.

In the end, Team Tampa’s blend of experience, disciplined execution, and stellar performances from Noori Adam and Kate Sharabura secured them a 235-204 victory.  For the Challenge Team, the night highlighted how critical a strong start and seasoned leadership can be in this fiercely competitive environment.

Today: Team Tampa takes on hosts Team Atlanta at 2 PM ET 

All Duals will be streamed live on Twitch @INTENNSE and YouTube.

The full schedule is available here: INTENNSE Schedule

Limited tickets are available, offering multiple experiences. Further details can be found via the INTENNSE Tickets link