Bata Trophy to be presented following Saturday’s Championship Match; limited tickets remaining
ATLANTA, GA — The INTENNSE regular season concluded Saturday night with the Sting securing the East Conference following their 175-156 win over the Smash, setting the stage for a Championship Weekend that will crown the league’s Bata Trophy winner. The Sting, Outriders, Inferno, and Freeze have advanced to a semifinal round that begins Friday, with the championship final scheduled for 7:00 PM Saturday.
The semifinals feature a cross-conference format that pits the top team from each conference against the runner-up from the other. Neither semifinal pairing has met yet this season.
At 5:00 PM Friday, East Conference champion Sting (6-2) will host the Outriders (5-3), who finished second in the West Conference. Sting, who closed the regular season with a 175-156 win over the Smash to lock up the East’s top seed, will lean on the league’s most balanced offense: three players scored 305.0 or more points this season, led by Tatiana Sasnouskaya’s 352.5. The Outriders answer with the West’s most productive scoring duo in Sofia Cabezas (383.0 points) and Joao Ceolin (351.0), both top-five league scorers.
At 7:00 PM Friday, West Conference champion Inferno (5-3) will meet the Freeze (5-3), the East’s second seed. Inferno, powered by Usue Arconada’s 382.0 season points and the league’s best plus/minus form from the West’s deepest rotation, closed the regular season Saturday but earned the top seed on tiebreaker over the Outriders. The Freeze rebounded from a mid-season stretch of adversity with clutch late-season wins, capped by Seone Mendez’s 397.0 season points, fifth in the entire league, and Raul Garcia’s 344.5.
“The quality of tennis we have seen across the regular season has been extraordinary,” said INTENNSE Commissioner Barry Fulcher. “Individual brilliance was everywhere this season, and not only from the top four teams who will contest the semi finals this weekend. The overall plus/minus leader is on a team that finished 4-4. Similarly, the most dominant serving player across all ten teams will not feature in the playoffs either. That tells you how deep and fierce the competition has been. What our four top teams have proven is that in addition to standout individual performances, importantly, they know how to win as a team. This sets us up for a truly enthralling Championship Weekend to round off the 2026 season.”
The semifinal winners advance to the Championship Final at 7:00 PM Saturday, when the league will crown its 2026 champion.
Limited tickets remain for all three Championship Weekend matches. With capacity at INTENNSE Arena filling fast, fans are encouraged to secure tickets immediately.
Prize Money. The semifinal winners will share a $27,000 team purse per match. The Championship winner will share a $45,000 team purse.
THE BATA TROPHY
The 2026 champion will be presented with the Bata Trophy, a modern, dynamic piece of art designed to symbolize the core values of the INTENNSE league: community, collective effort, and the elevation of tennis. Its design features upward-spiraling arcs that converge to support a central sphere, symbolizing that the sport is only sustainable when all team members work together. It is a powerful visual of unity and collective achievement.
The trophy’s name honors the Bata family, pioneers in making quality products accessible to all. The family’s legacy of entrepreneurship is amplified by Triple B, their investment office, which embodies the family’s values. Their commitment to innovation and community mirrors the league’s mission to democratize tennis and make it more inclusive.
“We set out to build a season where every match carried weight — and our players delivered exactly that, with all ten teams still fighting for something in the final week.” said INTENNSE CEO Charles Allen. “What they built deserves a stage. This weekend it gets one: three matches, the Bata trophy, and an arena that’s going to feel it. I wouldn’t miss it — and neither should Atlanta.”
All three Championship Weekend matches will be played at INTENNSE Arena at Assembly Studios. Tickets are on sale now, and fans are encouraged to secure seats as soon as possible. Purchase tickets here.
For partnership information, contact Kevin Wagner at Kevin@intennse.com.
For more information, visit www.intennse.com.
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About INTENNSE
INTENNSE is a fast-paced, co-ed, team-based format designed to elevate both player performance and fan engagement. Featuring simplified scoring, nonstop action, and an immersive environment, INTENNSE is bringing new energy and a new narrative to the sport of tennis. The league enters the 2026 season with 10 teams, all based out of Assembly Studios in Atlanta, GA. Learn more at www.intennse.com.
