Anna Leigh Waters, 12, and Leigh Waters Win National Women’s Pro Doubles Title
(Photo Credit: Carl Schmits, ProPickleball)
(Photo Credit: Carl Schmits, ProPickleball)
Twelve Year Old Anna Leigh Waters Wins
National Pro Pickleball Title With Her Mom
INDIAN WELLS, CA (November 14, 2019) - On Saturday night, Anna Leigh Waters,12, and her mother, Leigh Waters, won the 2019 Women’s Doubles Professional National Title at the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships.
The annual tournament was held for the second year at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California.
In the Gold medal match, the dynamic mother-daughter duo lost the first game 6-11 to opponents Jessie Irvine, 30, and Catherine Parenteau,25, but their high intensity play allowed them to win the next two games and the National Women’s Doubles Pro Title: 11-8, 11-8.
The National Champions talked about winning their title and how Anna Leigh balances her professional pickleball career with school during the Katlyn Christian vs Michelle Esquivel Women’s Singles Pro Match Live @ Nationals YouTube live stream.
Leigh also won a Gold Medal with Simone Jardim in Women's Doubles Skill/Age 5.0:35+ (Video Highlight) and Jeffrey Warnick in MIxed Doubles Skill/Age 5.0 35+. Anna Leigh won a Bronze Medal with Christine McGrath in the Women's Doubles Skill/Age 5.0:19+ bracket (Video Highlight).
The National Champions talked about winning their title and how Anna Leigh balances her professional pickleball career with school during the Katlyn Christian vs Michelle Esquivel Women’s Singles Pro Match Live @ Nationals YouTube live stream.
In August, Team Waters, sponsored by leading paddle company Paddletek, qualified for the eleventh annual USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) National tournament by winning a gold medal at the Tournament Of Champions (TOC) in Brigham City, Utah, in the Women’s Doubles Open against the top Pickleball players in the world without losing a match.
2019 Team Waters Highlight Point (1+ minute)
Video clip - 68 shot rally at the Texas Open Women’s Doubles Pro Gold Medal Match between Simone Jardim and Lucy Kovalova, the top women’s doubles pickleball players in the world.
In their TOC Gold Medal Interview, the Waters were asked:
What is your experience to be able to use Pickleball as a way for you guys to strengthen your relationship and spend time together?
Leigh Waters: It's really cool because I support her in soccer and that is just her. But, this is together and we are sharing every moment and my mother travels with us everywhere and it is just memories that we will just never forget!
Anna Leigh Waters: “I agree. I love playing with my Mom because she is a great player, she gives me a lot of confidence, and she calms my nerves when she can sense that it is affecting my play. Because we are mother and daughter, we can anticipate each other’s shots and we move together very well. Winning a major at TOC was awesome, but the best part about it was winning it with my Mom.” (USAPA - Players To Watch At The 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships)
The multi-talented eighth grader shared her professional Pickleball story online with the International Virtual Learning Academy. In her essay, the Delray Beach, Florida resident wrote:
This year I am traveling to Georgia, California, Utah, Texas, Kansas, Nevada, Michigan, and Illinois for pickleball tournaments. I am also playing in some tournaments in Florida. Hopefully I’ll come home with a few gold medals! I have met many new friends in this sport. Since I am one of the younger players, I have a lot of friends who are in their twenties through eighties.
I don’t just play pickleball! I also play competitive Gold level U14 soccer. This summer, I am going to Spain representing the United States as we play other countries in the Danone Cup. I am so excited and can’t wait for the experience!
Playing pickleball has changed my life for the better, and I am so thankful that I can play at such a high level and succeed!
What Is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a multi-generational family paddle sport created in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, WA for all skill levels that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. (USAPA)
Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Videos, Photos, 2019 Tournament Schedule, USA National Championship Highlights)
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