The Ororo Indoor National Pickleball Professional Championship was held from February 24th thru February 27th, 2022. The homeschooled duo of Ben Johns (1) and Anna Leigh Waters (5) won the gold medal match. (Read More)
Monday, February 28, 2022
Friday, February 25, 2022
2022 PPA Ororo Indoor National Championships: News
Top Pickleball players in the county face off in Lakeville, Minn.
More than 600 amateur and professional athletes are competing at the Pickleball Indoor National Championships this weekend at Life Time in Lakeville.
More than 600 amateur and professional athletes are competing at the Pickleball Indoor National Championships this weekend at Life Time in Lakeville.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Anna Leigh Waters, 15, and Ben Johns, 22 Pro Pickleball Mixed Doubles Champions In Mesa, AZ
Pro Pickleball Phenom Teen Anna Leigh Waters and #1 Ranked Pro Men’s Player Ben Johns Seek Third Mixed Doubles Gold Medal In Lakeville, MN
LAKEVILLE, MN (February 23, 2022 ) -- Last month, professional pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters (AL) celebrated her 15th birthday by winning a Gold medal with Ben Johns, the highest ranked men’s pickleball player in the world in all three divisions (singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles), a Gold medal in pro Women’s Singles and a Bronze medal with her mother, Leigh Waters, in pro Women’s Doubles at the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Carvana Desert Ridge Open in Phoenix, AZ.
Last week at the PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam in Mesa, AZ, AL won Gold medals in singles and mixed doubles with Ben as well as a Bronze medal with her mom. The 22 year old from Laytonsville, Maryland also won Gold medals in men’s singles and men’s doubles completing a Triple Crown. “Triple Crown” refers to winning Gold medals in all three brackets.
Currently a student at the University of Maryland majoring in Materials Engineering, Johns grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland playing tennis and table tennis. In March of 2016, he first picked up a pickleball paddle and instantly fell in love with the game.
This week the young pro pickleball superstars seek their 3rd consecutive title at the Ororo PPA Indoor National Championships that begins Thursday February 24 at Life Time Lakeville.
Out of the 18 stops on the PPA Tour this year, Anna Leigh is most looking forward to the Lakeville,MN tournament because the Delray Beach, Florida based teen wants “to see snow”.
Anna Leigh is pursuing her 9th pro singles title in Lakeville,MN.
February 2022: PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam Mesa, AZ
January 2022: PPA Carvana Desert Ridge Open Phoenix, AZ
December 2021: Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, Indian Well, CA
November 2021: PPA Masters, La Quinta, CA
October 2021: PPA Texas Open Shootout, Rockwell, TX
September 2021: PPA Orlando Cup, Orlando, FL
August 2021: Tournaments Of Champions, Brigham City, UT
August 2021: PPA The Takeya Showcase, Newport Beach, CA
At the 2021 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, Anna Leigh finished the year as the #1 pro singles player in the World Pickleball Rankings.
Anna Leigh was a guest commentator on several matches at the 2021 National Championships.
Anna Leigh and Leigh (TeamWaters) won the 2019/2021 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title.
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.
TeamWaters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
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Thursday, February 24, 2022
2022 PPA Ororo Indoor National Championships
Commentary
1:11:53 Kevin Lewis vs Tyson McGuffin Commentary: Leigh Waters
1:36:35 Jay Devilliers vs AJ Koller Commentary: Leigh Waters/Hannah Johns
2:31:34 Chuck Taylor vs DK Ajiri Commentary: Leigh Waters/Hannah Johns
2:53:41 Ryan Sherry vs Jay Devilliers Commentary: Leigh Water/Anna Leigh Waters
Singles
6:18:16 Anna Leigh Waters vs Irina Tereschenko
Anna Leigh - Gold Medal
Mixed Doubles
1:16:41 Tyler Loong/Leigh Waters vs Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters
4:33:55 Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters vs Lea Jansen/Thomas Wilson
Anna Leigh/Ben Johns Gold Medal
Doubles
4:48:37 Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs Lea Jansen/Christine McGrath
7:21:59 Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs Jessie Irvine/Catherine Parenteau
Team Waters Silver Medal
All The Gold Medal Matches Were Broadcast On The Tennis Channel
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
2022 PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam: AL Medal Match Highlight Reel
This highlight reel has the medal matches and post match interviews for Mixed Doubles, Singles and Women's Doubles (28+ mins)
Monday, February 21, 2022
2022 PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam: Channel 12 News
Growing sport of pickleball brings thousands to Mesa
Anna Leigh Waters, 15, of Delray Beach, Florida was one professional player who traveled across the country to take part in the Arizona Grand Slam.
“I evacuated Florida during Hurricane Irma and went to stay with my grandfather in Pennsylvania,” Waters said Sunday. “I played pickleball one time, and I was hooked. I can play it whenever I want, and I can play with my friends and family.”
Waters said she had already been playing professionally for three years as of Sunday, and she came away with two gold medals over the five-day competition.
“I play doubles with my mother, who is in her mid to late 40s, so that shows you that anyone at any age can play,” Waters said. (Read More)
Friday, February 18, 2022
Pickleball: The family that plays together stays together
Desert Sun
If you follow the pickleball pros, you have probably read about Riley and Lindsey Newman, the brother-and-sister mixed doubles powerhouse. How about the amazing mother-and-daughter duo of Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters? Of course, there are also famous families that play, like “Today” show host Jenna Bush Hager and the extended George W. Bush clan.
At my Superbowl Pickle Round Robin last Sunday at Fritz Burns Park in La Quinta, we had more than 160 players. What was most gratifying to me was the number of kids, teenagers, college students, middle-aged and senior athletes competing side-by-side and across the net. The youngsters often learned something from the “experienced” age group, and some of the strong middle-aged players were in awe of the new athletes coming over from tennis.
This week, we thought you would enjoy reading about how pickleball has strengthened family ties and impacted relationships. I have met some special families that have attended my round robins, played in tournaments and competed with and against me. Let’s meet some of them. (Read More)
2022 PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam
Mixed Doubles
1:45:07 Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters vs Hayden Patriquin/Yana Gretchkina
4:08:04 DJ Young/Irina Terschenko vs Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters
5:52:47 Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters vs JW Johnson/Andrea Koop
0:01 Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns vs. Lauren Stratman/Tyson McGuffin (Gold)
Singles
4:47:06 Anna Leigh Waters vs Callie Smith
3:37:57 Anna Leigh Waters vs. Catherine Parenteau (Gold)
Doubles
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
2022 PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pro Pickleball Phenom Teen Anna Leigh Waters and #1 Ranked Pro Men’s Player Ben Johns Seek Second Mixed Doubles Gold Medal In Mesa
MESA, AZ (February 15, 2022 ) -- Last month, professional pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters (AL) celebrated her 15th birthday by winning a Gold medal with Ben Johns, the highest ranked men’s pickleball player in the world in all three divisions: singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles, a Gold medal in pro Women’s Singles and a Bronze medal with her mother, Leigh Waters, in pro Women’s Doubles at the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Carvana Desert Ridge Open in Phoenix, AZ.
This week at the PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam at Bell Bank Park Rockin Protein Pickleball Center in Mesa, AZ, AL and Ben will seek their second mixed doubles title.
The Delray Beach, FL, based teenager is pursuing her 8th pro singles title in Mesa, too.
January 2022: PPA Carvana Desert Ridge Open Phoenix, AZ
December 2021: Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, Indian Well, CA
November 2021: PPA Masters, La Quinta, CA
October 2021: PPA Texas Open Shootout, Rockwell, TX
September 2021: PPA Orlando Cup, Orlando, FL
August 2021: Tournaments Of Champions, Brigham City, UT
August 2021: PPA The Takeya Showcase, Newport Beach, CA
At the 2021 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, Anna Leigh finished the year as the #1 pro singles player in the World Pickleball Rankings.
Anna Leigh was a guest commentator on several matches at the 2021 National Championships.
Anna Leigh and Leigh (TeamWaters) won the 2019/2021 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title.
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.
TeamWaters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
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