2023 Cincinnati Open Interview: Anna Leigh Waters - Single's Finalist

 

Interviewer: Anna Leigh, you faced Ava twice before in Atlanta and San Clemente. Did you use any of that knowledge going into this match?

Anna Leigh Waters: Yes, I did. I think the first time I played her, I didn't really know what to expect. She has really good passes, and her ground strokes were super penetrating and super hard. So, when I played her in San Clemente, I kind of used a little bit of that, and then in San Clemente, I figured something out, which I'm not going to share because it's a very good tip. And then I used that in this match. So, I think, you know, just a couple of times I've played her, I figured some stuff out. Interviewer: The match was only 25 minutes long. How nice is it going through a semi-final that fast? Anna Leigh Waters: It was probably the earliest semi-final I've had in a while, so I think I was just excited about that. I was excited to get back to the hotel pretty quick. But going into a match, you can't take anything lightly, so I was just trying to go in, you know, play my best, do my best. If it was 25 minutes or if it was an hour and 25 minutes, you know, you just kind of got to go out there and grind. You never know what to expect. Singles is very interesting sometimes. Interviewer: You mentioned that singles day is the hardest for you. Why is that? Anna Leigh Waters: Singles is very stressful. I think you see that a lot on the tennis side too; people talk about how stressful it is on the court. I think it translates in pickleball even more because in a tennis match, it's very long, and you kind of have that time to get used to it. But in pickleball, somebody comes out super hot, and you come out kind of slow, you know, a couple of let chords, just things can go by pretty quick. And like I said, this was a 25-minute game. I've seen games even go like 12 minutes long, so there's so much more that can, I feel like there's more variables in singles than in doubles. Interviewer: It's a very mental game. What do you say mentally inside that you don't say out? Anna Leigh Waters: I definitely kind of go through, you know, I have a mental coach, and he tells me, you know, if you're down, think about certain shots that you've hit in the past in that game, in this match, or in a different match that were really good, and just kind of remember that. So, I can't really say that out loud, but that's something that I'm thinking about. I'm also just kind of thinking, block out everything else and just play your game. Sometimes I get a little away from that, but I'm lucky to have my mom on the side on the bench because she helps get me straight. I'll come over, I'm like, "Mama, I'm freaking out. I'm freaking out." She's like, "Anna Leigh, everything's gonna be okay." She's like a therapist on the sideline. She gives great advice on the game, but she also helps calm me down, so I'm thankful for that. Interviewer: During this match, you kept Ava back at the serve line for a lot of this match, being the dominant player on the court. What were you trying to avoid from Ava? Anna Leigh Waters: I feel like when I played Lina (Padegimaite), on my returns, I was missing a lot of them, and I feel like that's why she was coming back in that first game. So, I really tried this match to focus on my returns, and I think if you can go in with a solid return, you're kind of controlling that point. So going into this match, I was just, you know, before the match, practicing returns, just trying to get in some solid returns because then you're set for that point. I feel like serve and return are big things, and I tried to hit big on both of those. Interviewer: Ava is a newly signed player on the tour, and you're a veteran. What advice would you give her for 2024 when she's on the tour? Anna Leigh Waters: I'm super excited that she signed. I just feel like, you know, on the PPA tour, you've got a lot of good players, and practicing with good players, you know, you get here, you can kind of practice with people. So, I would just say, kind of learn everybody's game and try to figure that out because I think that's a big thing. A lot of people just go out there and play, but I feel like if you kind of know your opponent's game, you can kind of play to their strengths and weaknesses. So, I would tell her, maybe go try to watch some film. It's not the most fun thing, but I think it'll help a lot. And also, just have fun out there. I mean, it can get a little intense on the tour sometimes, and I feel like when I'm having fun, I play my best, and I think that goes for everybody.