Sun-Sentinel: Delray Beach Pickleball Open attracts 835 competitors

Leigh Waters reaches to return a shot as her daughter Anna Leigh looks on in the Women’s Pro Doubles event in the $60,000 Delray Open Pickleball Open, an APP Tour Professional and amateur event, which took place March 18-21 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. (Gary Curreri/Contributor)

 Delray Beach Pickleball Open attracts 835 competitors  

“It is pretty cool, especially to have it in our hometown where it all started for us,” Leigh said. “It’s a $60,000 tournament and a lot of people came because we are hosting it and we are really excited about the opportunity. I love playing with Anna Leigh. The day she wants to move on (from playing with her) is the day I become her coach.”

“The Pro-Celebrity event was so much fun,” she said. “It benefited the first responders and obviously we are so thankful for them and the past year has been extra special. We just mixed around and we were running from court to court mixing in and everybody was having a blast. I think we raised a lot of money for them.”

Leigh Waters said it was nice to return to some sense of normalcy with the tournament. They opted to take the year off last year when COVID-19 hit. 

Anna Leigh, who takes online classes and is a ninth-grader (a year ahead), said it is incredible to be a professional pickleball player at her age.

“I get to travel around the world playing pickleball,” she said. “I get to do it with my mom too and I am making experiences that I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t play pickleball.

“There are a lot more people coming in who are really good,” Anna Leigh said. “The sport is evolving as more people are coming in. The game is getting faster and some of the points are really incredible.” 

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