Pro Pickleball Teens Play Together In Texas Open Shootout

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, Pro Pickleball Singles Champions

(Photo Credit: Leigh Waters/Julie Johnson)

              

Pro Pickleball Teens Play Together In Texas Open Shootout

Anna Leigh Waters, World #1 Ranked Singles Champion, and JW Johnson, World #7 Ranked in Singles, Teamup For Second Time In 2021

ROCKWALL, TX  (September 30, 2021) -- Delray Beach, FL based teens Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, are playing mixed doubles in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Texas Open Shootout, September 30-October 3, at the Oasis Beach and Tennis Club in Rockwell. The dynamic duo played together in March at the Delray Beach Open.  (See Highlights)

Texas Open Shootout matches will be live streamed on the PPA YouTube Channel.

Anna Leigh Waters (AL) won her third consecutive professional singles title and the pro Women’s Doubles title with her mother, Leigh Waters, at the Orlando Cup earlier this month. 

Top Photo: 2018 Texas Open

Gold: Sarah Ansboury / Lucy Kovalova

Silver: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters

Bronze: Katie Dyer (Not in Photo: Kasandra Gehrke )

Bottom Photo: 2021 PPA Orlando Cup

Gold: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters

Silver: Simone Jardim / Lucy Kovalova (#1 Team In The World)

Bronze: Jessie Irvine / Catherine Parenteau

Leigh Waters: “Top photo is Anna Leigh’s and my first Pro Tournament playing together as a team!! It was the 2018 Texas Open and AL was 11. We got Silver!!

In a few days we head back to the Pro Pickleball Association Texas Open and I’m able to reflect on all that has happened between these two events!! Never did we imagine the memories, experiences, and possibilities this great sport would bring us!!

But you know what’s so SPECIAL about this sport?? You don’t have to be a pro to make these kinds of memories and have amazing experiences together in the sport of pickleball. So go grab a family member, a friend, a neighbor, and go make some memories! I promise you won’t regret it!!”

Last month, Anna Leigh won Pro Women’s Single Titles at the PPA Takeya Showcase in Newport Beach, CA and the Tournaments Of Champions in Brigham City, UT. She is rated #1 in Pro Women’s Singles on the September 28, 2021 Dupr Top 25 Player List while JW is rated #7 in Pro Men’s Singles.

Anna Leigh is the youngest to win a Professional Pickleball Singles title. 

Last month, JW Johnson beat Ben Johns, 22, the #1 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles Pickleball player in the world at the Tournament of Champions in Brigham City, Utah: 11-9,9-11,11-3. (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)

Johns had not lost a singles match since the summer of 2020. JW broke Ben’s winning streak of over 170 matches. 

The teen then faced Tyson McGuffin,  the #2 singles pickleball player in the world, twice. Winning their first match: 11-8,6-11,11-7 and then the Gold Medal Final: 11-0,9-11,11-3 (Highlight Reel 5+ mins) 

 

In July, JW won his first professional Men’s Singles Title at the APP 2021 Beer City Open in Grand Rapids, Michigan defeating the #1 Rank AAP Men’s Singles Pro Jay Devilliers, 26, in the Gold Medal Match:  4,11, 11-8, 11-5 (Highlight Reel, Game 3)

JW, Jorja (JW’s 15 year old sister) and Julie (mother), APP/DUPR #1 Senior Women’s Pro Pickleball Player, travel coast-to-coast together playing in pro pickleball tournaments.

 

Follow JW Johnson’s Pro Pickleball journey on Facebook at JW Johnson Pickleball

Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters, “the mother/daughter duo” (#TeamWaters) won the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title in Indian Wells, CA. At 12 years 10 months, Anna Leigh became the youngest athlete to win a professional championship.

The TeamWaters Pickleball Story Began in 2017

“The mother/daughter duo picked up the sport back in 2017 when they evacuated their home in Florida due to Hurricane Irma and stayed with Leigh’s parents for a couple of weeks. Leigh’s dad introduced them to the sport and from there they were hooked. “I think we played like morning, noon and night for two weeks straight while we were up there and the rest is history,” said Leigh.”

The inspiring mother/daughter journey can be followed on Facebook and Instagram. 

Team Waters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)

Lynn Cherry, Pickleball Podcast: “Actually, the media kit was really helpful. It really made it very fast to prep and the timestamps on the (interview) videos were great because I could get to exactly what I wanted to see or hear. I think that is really key!”

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PPA 2021 Texas Open Shootout

Top Photo: 2018 Texas Open
Gold: Sarah Ansboury / Lucy Kovalova
Silver: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters
Bronze: Katie Dyer (Not in Photo: Kasandra Gehrke )

Bottom Photo: PPA 2021 Orlando Cup
Gold: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters
Silver: Simone Jardim / Lucy Kovalova

Bronze: Jessie Irvine / Catherine Parenteau 

PPA Texas Open Shootout

👋 Everyone!! Top photo is AL’s and my first Pro Tournament playing together as a team!! It was the Texas Open and AL was 11. We got Silver!! 09/14/18 Texas Open (Video)

In a few days we head back to the Pro Pickleball Association Texas Open and I’m able to reflect on all that has happened between these two events!! Never did we imagine the memories, experiences, and possibilities this great sport would bring us!!

But you know what’s so SPECIAL about this sport?? You don’t have to be a pro to make these kinds of memories and have amazing experiences together in the sport of pickleball. So go grab a family member, a friend, a neighbor, and go make some memories! I promise you won’t regret it!! - Leigh Waters

Teen Pickleball Phenom Wins with Mother

West Orlando News

Anna Leigh Waters won her third singles title and the pro women’s doubles title with her mother, Leigh Waters, at the inaugural Orlando Cup. (Photo Credit: Steve Miller)

Delray Beach based teen Anna Leigh Waters, 14, won her third consecutive professional singles title and the pro Women’s Doubles title with her mother, Leigh Waters, at the inaugural Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Orlando Cup. The event was held at the largest tennis facility in the U.S., The USTA National Campus, on September 12th.

For the first time, the Tennis Channel broadcast live coverage of four pro division finals: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles. 

“And third time is in fact the charm, for Anna Leigh Waters, in a weekend dominated by teenagers in the tennis world, now in the pickleball world. It’s the 14-year old with another title in Orlando,” the announcer said. Here is the last point of Anna Leigh’s victory over Lea Jensen from the Tennis Channel broadcast.

“WOW!! Yesterday’s PPA Orlando Cup was a DREAM for us,” explains Leigh Waters. “Anna Leigh took GOLD in the singles final in straight sets winning 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (3 out of 5 format) over Lea Jansen. Then we won our FIRST PPA TITLE in women’s dubs over Lucy Kovalova and Simone Jardim 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7. It was an amazing match with so much physicality and emotion.”

Last month, Anna Leigh won Pro Women’s Single Titles at the PPA Takeya Showcase in Newport Beach, CA and the Tournaments Of Champions in Brigham City, UT.

Anna Leigh is the youngest to win a Professional Pickleball Singles title.

Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters, “the mother/daughter duo” (#TeamWaters) won the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title in Indian Wells, CA. At 12 years 10 months, Anna Leigh became the youngest athlete to win a professional championship.

Waters family makes big splash

Mother-daughter duo soar to success on pickleball scene
By Justin Lucas Sports Writer, The Sampson Independent

Anna Leigh Waters smiles proudly with her championship trophy following a recent tournament win.
(Courtesy Photos | Leigh Waters and Steve Miller)

Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters, who are native to Clinton, have made quite a name for themselves in just a short time period while on the professional pickleball scene. Playing for just a handful of years, both have racked up impressive wins and championships as the duo sees their rankings climb.

The Waters duo, along with their father/dad, called Clinton home for the first eight years of Anna Leigh’s life. Six years ago, they departed the area and headed to the Sunshine State. Their pickleball journey began there about three and a half to four years ago. As Hurricane Irma was closing in on Florida, the Waters decided to evacuate to Pennsylvania, where their grandparents resided.

“When we evacuated and went up to Pennsylvania, we started playing pickleball every day for two weeks. Me and my mom just fell in love with it,” said daughter Anna Leigh. “My father really was the one to show us how to play.” (Read More)

PPA 2021 Orlando Cup

Pro Women's Singles

27:57 Anna Leigh Waters vs Catherine Parenteau

0:01 Anna Leigh Waters vs Catherine Parenteau (Game 1, 5-3)

0:01 Anna Leigh Waters vs Catherine Parenteau (Game 2)

Camryn Irwin interviews Anna Leigh after the Pro Women's Gold Medal Match on The Tennis Channel (PPA RECAP Video)

 

A glimpse into Anna Leigh Waters’ pickleball journey brought to you by Tennis Channel!

Anna Leigh and Lea Jansen 

The Gold Medal Match was broadcast live on the Tennis Channel: Anna Leigh Waters vs Lea Jansen

Score: 11-6,11-3,11-4 (3 out of 5 Games) (Match Point) (Highlight Reel 13+mins)

 

NML Pickleball Live Blog

3:56 pm EST (Gritty) – Anna Leigh gets the gold in women’s singles. The result is not unexpected but I would say the score is. She won in straights and Jansen wasn’t able to get more than 6 points off her in a game. I think these are clearly the 1 and 2 ladies singles players at this point. Expect a lot more battles between the two going forward. 

Pro Women's Doubles

1:43:22 Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs Callie Smith/Corrine Carr

0:06 Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs Callie Smith/Corrine Carr (Game 2, 1-0-1) 3:02:37 Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs Jessie Irvine/Catherine Paranteau

PPA Orlando Cup Is a Dream Come True for Team Waters

SEPTEMBER 2021 LEIGH WATERS

They say Disney World is “where dreams come true.” Well, just miles away, during the inaugural PPA Orlando Cup at the USTA National Campus, our dreams certainly came true as Anna Leigh won gold in pro women’s singles, and Team Waters (me and Anna Leigh) won gold in pro women’s doubles. Both finals were covered by and aired on the Tennis Channel, and to say that the emotions were running high is an understatement.

Not only were emotions high, but the conditions during the PPA Orlando Cup were particularly extreme. There were multiple rain delays throughout the 4-day event, and the heat and humidity were off the charts.

As an aside, I don’t think I’ve ever sweated as much as I did in the pro women’s final. In fact, during the 2^nd game of the best of 5 game final, I could really feel myself becoming sluggish and void of energy. My husband, Stephen, had to run to the car to get me Liquid IV, which I quickly drank during the break before the 3^rd game, and then continued to drink another Liquid IV throughout the rest of the match. Luckily for me, the Liquid IVs revived me and enabled me to feel strong to grind out each point thereafter. (Read More)

 

Simone Jardim/Lucy Kovalova vs Leigh Waters/Anna Leigh Waters (Gold Medal Match) 

Gender Doubles: Tennis Channel, New Faces, And First-Time Titlists 

By Hannah Johns 

Article Excerpt:

On the other side of the draw, the #2 seeds Jessie Irvine / Catherine Parenteau had an exciting quarterfinal against Sarah Ansboury / Jorja Johnson, beating them 11-7, 9-11, 11-5. This put Irvine / Parenteau in the other semifinal against Leigh Waters / Anna Leigh Waters – a team that has come roaring back to the top this year after taking 2020 off from professional play due to concerns about Covid-19. Despite Irvine’s / Parenteau’s momentum coming into the match, Team Waters took a hard-earned game one 12-10, then captured their spot in the final by taking the second game 11-3.

This match cemented our Championship Sunday teams, with Jardim / Kovalova and Waters / Waters facing-off as the third match of the afternoon on Tennis Channel’s network. The match was considered to be the best of the day, with both teams displaying their best pickleball and their determination to capture the title. The tightly contested first game set the tone when it fell to Waters / Waters 12-10, who appeared to be unstoppable. 

However, Jardim / Kovalova fought back to take game two 9-11 and it was clear that Team Waters would have to scrap for every point if they wanted to get the better of the #1 women’s doubles team in the world. Games three and four were full of epic rallies and long, emotional points, but ultimately, both went to Waters / Waters 11-8, 11-7. This won them the match and the well-deserved Orlando Cup title. Leigh Waters shed tears of joy as she hugged her daughter in triumph after the final point. Although they had come close in the past, this was the first PPA doubles title that the mother-daughter duo had won together. 

Pro Mixed Doubles

1:18:34 Kyle Yates/Anna Leigh Waters vs Adam Stone/Corrine Carr

Kyle Yates/Anna Leigh Waters vs Ben Johns/Simone Jardim (Highlight)

Pickleball Parrot - Championship Sunday Live Blog