Saturday, September 25, 2021

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.

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