# Brooklyn Pickleball Team Picks SoCal Over Chicago After Bhatia Injury 2026-08-07T19:01:11+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Brooklyn Pickleball Team chose No. 10 SoCal as their playoff opponent over No. 12 Chicago, a decision driven by SoCal's star Armaan Bhatia being out with a knee injury. The fifth-seeded team exercised its right under Major League Pickleball's unique playoff format to select its first-round rival. Brooklyn has battled injuries all season: Riley Newman was hurt in a scooter accident, Rachel Rohrabacher was injured in a video board incident, and last year Dekel Bar missed significant time. Despite this, the team finished second in its last two regular season events. With Newman and Rohrabacher nearing full fitness, analysts say the team could be a championship contender if its health holds. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com - timesnownews.com Tags: Brooklyn Pickleball Team, Major League Pickleball, pickleball playoffs, Rachel Rohrabacher, Riley Newman, sports injuries Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/brooklyn-pickleball-team-seizes-no-5-seed-with-stars-returning/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/brooklyn-pickleball-team-seizes-no-5-seed-with-stars-returning/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.