Pickle4America™, a rapidly emerging organization dedicated to building the best ecosystem in the sport of pickleball through iconic events and a robust digital community, today announced that professional pickleball player and coach Leigh Waters will join the Pickle4 team as strategic advisor and investor. (Read More)
Stuck between a Pillow and a Soft Place – Anna Leigh’s 2023 Decision
Anna Leigh Waters, 16, World #1 Pickleball Player, Data-Driven WD Multi-Partner Analysis Report
pklmart, the premier pickleball site for data analytics, has published a seven page report entitled, “Stuck between a Pillow and a Soft Place – Anna Leigh’s 2023 Decision” that analyzes ten Women’s Doubles (WD) matches played by Anna Leigh Waters and her alternating Florida based partners: Catherine Parenteau and Anna Bright. Over 1,000 rallies and 10,000 shots were evaluated.
Introduction
It’s the hot topic of the pro tour in early 2023 – who is Anna Leigh (AL) going to play women’s doubles with for the near future? Who knows, but now that we’ve made it to Spring, let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two pairings, both in terms of strategies deployed and performance.
Analysis
The Delray Beach, FL, teenager has won every Women’s Doubles PPA event she has played with either partner. To understand the differences between the AL/CP and the AL/AB partnerships we’re going to dig much deeper than just looking at wins and losses.
Relative Workload
History suggests that whoever plays with Anna Leigh is likely to get targeted. This makes playing alongside AL a tricky scenario; not only do you need to perform at a high level, but you need to do so across a higher volume of shots than you may be used to. Data from other sports such as the NBA shows that performing effectively becomes more difficult as your usage rate increases (unclear if this is true in pickleball).
Looking at the percent of balls hit, we see that both Catherine and Anna were both mildly targeted. However, as we’ll see later, their high usage rates were also driven by the fact that they were less likely to speed balls up and thus engaged in extended dink rallies. (The complete seven page report is available here)
World Number One professional pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters has extended her partnership with U.S. paddle manufacturer, Paddletek, and will continue to compete in professional pickleball events with her signature Paddletek paddle.
Niles, MI, February 16, 2023 --(PR.com)-- World Number One professional pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters has extended her partnership with U.S. paddle manufacturer, Paddletek, and will continue to compete in professional pickleball events with her signature Paddletek paddle.
“We are honored to continue our relationship with Anna Leigh and her family,” said Curtis Smith, CEO, Paddletek, LLC. “Our entire team is very proud to have witnessed Anna Leigh’s progression to the highest level of professionalism, as well as her #1 ranking.”
Anna Leigh was first introduced to Paddletek in 2018 when she was 11 years old and already a budding talent. Since that time, she and Paddletek have collaborated on paddle design and technology to deliver a high-level performance product to the pickleball marketplace. That collaboration will continue with a signature line of pickleball paddles that can help players of any age or skill level improve their game.
“I’m so excited to continue my relationship on and off the court with Paddletek,” said Anna Leigh Waters. “They have become like family to me and I cannot wait to debut my signature paddle line with Paddletek.”
About Paddletek
Paddletek began as a small family business inspired by a love of the sport and a vision for improving paddle technology. Paddletek has been changing the game since 2010, when they first introduced their advanced honeycomb core. While the brand has grown into one of the leading names in pickleball, the company’s mission remains the same: helping players reach the next level of play.
About Anna Leigh Waters
At just 16 years old, Anna Leigh Waters is a pickleball phenom. Waters began playing pickleball in 2017 when her grandfather taught her and her mother, Leigh, the game while they were in Pennsylvania waiting out Hurricane Irma. Anna Leigh and Leigh partnered to become a dominant force in women’s doubles capturing the Number One Ranking in 2022.
Leading Online Auto Retailer Stuns Rising Pickleball Star With Her New Dream Ride At Signature Car Vending Machine
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, recently surprised pickleball star Anna Leigh Waters with her new dream ride, in celebration of the burgeoning athlete’s 16th birthday. With the help of Anna Leigh’s mother and favorite double’s partner, Leigh, the Carvana team planned and executed the heartwarming surprise moment at one of the company’s signature Car Vending Machines.
“So we decided to follow-up on our promise to create joyful experiences and drive people happy and create a one-of-a-kind birthday surprise for one of our favorite pickleball players.”
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Anna Leigh was under the impression that she would be touring one of Carvana’s 33 state-of-the-art steel and glass Car Vending Machines when she dropped in the commemorative, oversized Carvana coin and activated the automated vending process. Little did she know she would be getting a front-row seat to watch her vehicle descend through the brightly lit vending structure from the heart of the all-glass tower. And while Anna Leigh may be anything but your typical 16-year-old, the exhilarating thrill a young adult experiences sitting behind the wheel of their very first car applies to anyone—even an emerging pro athlete who has taken the pickleball world by storm and shot to the pinnacle of a wildly exploding sport last year. Now, Anna Leigh’s birthday ride can represent a small token of Carvana’s dedication to serving up happiness in the pickleball community.
“At Carvana, we know 16th birthdays are a really big deal. That’s because there’s nothing quite like sitting in the driver’s seat of your first vehicle,” said Ryan Keeton, Carvana co-founder and Chief Brand Officer. “So we decided to follow-up on our promise to create joyful experiences and drive people happy and create a one-of-a-kind birthday surprise for one of our favorite pickleball players.”
“When the car came down the Vending Machine and they handed me the keys—I couldn’t believe it! My parents and Carvana really pulled off quite the surprise. Thank you Carvana for making 16, and the start of the pickleball season, so sweet already,” added Waters.
This year, Carvana will champion America’s fastest growing sport at 25 tour stops across the country as the title sponsor of the Carvana PPA Tour – the home of all things pickleball and the pro circuit where professional pickleball players such as Waters compete. With the Carvana PPA Tour as the engine for pickleball’s meteoric growth thanks to its inclusive tournament structure, pro player personalities, robust broadcast partnerships, largest prize pool in history, and dynamic approach to fan engagement, the tour is positioned to attract millions of new fans and players alike in 2023. (Read More)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Teen Anna Leigh Waters Wins 3rd Pickleball Pro Triple Crown At Tournament Of Champions
Pickleball Phenom Featured On ESPN Sports Center
BRIGHAM CITY, UT (August 23, 2022 ) – Saturday, the #1 Ranked Professional Pickleball Women’s Singles Player in the World Anna Leigh Waters, 15, won her 3rd Triple Crown and 14th Singles title at the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tournament Of Champions in Brigham City, Utah.
NOTE: A Triple Crown in Pickleball is when a player wins in all brackets of a tournament: Singles, Mixed Doubles and Doubles. Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters (TeamWaters) have been the Pro Pickleball National Women’s Doubles Champions since 2019.
March: PPA Riverland Open
5:20:33 Women’s Singles: Anna Leigh Waters vs. Lea Jansen (11-2,11-8,11-0) (Interview)
17:33 Mixed Doubles: Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters vs. Jessie Irvine/Jay Devillers (11-2,11-4,11-3) (Interview)
3:15:14 Women’s Doubles: Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs. Jessie Irvine/ Catherine Parenteau (12-10,11-6,11-8) (Interview) Commentary: Lea Jansen
April: PPA Red Rock Open
10:57 Lucy Kovolova/Callie Jo Smith vs Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters
4:06:38 Lea Jansen vs Anna Leigh Waters #AL
4:46:59 Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters vs Riley Newman/Catherine Parenteau
August: PPA Tournament Of Champions
2:04:05 (1) Anna Leigh Waters vs. (3) Lea Jansen (Interview) (Highlight, Highlight2+)
0:01 (2) Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns vs. (5) Callie Smith/AJ Koller
4:44 (1) Lucy Kovalova/Callie Smith vs. (2) Leigh Waters/Anna Leigh Waters Commentary: Lea Jansen/Dave Fleming (Interview) (Highlight+, Highlight2, Highlight3)
NOTE: To access matches, goto the 2022 Schedule or the 2021 Schedule
14) August 2022: PPA Tournament Of Champions, Brigham City, UT
13) May 2022: PPA Atlanta Open Atlanta, GA
12) April 2022: PPA Red Rock St. George, UT
11) March 2022: PPA Austin Open Austin, TX
10) March 2022: PPA Riverland Open Port St. Lucie, FL
9) February 2022: PPA Ororo Indoor National Championships Lakeville, MN
8) February 2022: PPA Foot Solutions Arizona Grand Slam Mesa, AZ
7) January 2022: PPA Carvana Desert Ridge Open Phoenix, AZ
6) December 2021: Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, Indian Well, CA
5) November 2021: PPA Masters, La Quinta, CA
4) October 2021: PPA Texas Open Shootout, Rockwell, TX
3) September 2021: PPA Orlando Cup, Orlando, FL
2) August 2021: Tournaments Of Champions, Brigham City, UT
1) August 2021: PPA The Takeya Showcase, Newport Beach, CA
On Sunday, TeamWaters were featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter “SC Featured” One Nation, Under Pickleball. (TeamWaters 54 second clip)
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 family journey can be followed on Facebook, Leigh's Instagram and Anna Leigh’s Instagram.
TeamWaters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photo: JW Johnson and Anna Leigh Waters Win Mixed Doubles Championship
Delray Beach Teens Anna Leigh Waters and JW Johnson Win 1st Pickleball Mixed Doubles Title At The Orange County Cup
SAN CLEMENTE, CA (June 13, 2022 ) – Yesterday, the #1 Ranked Professional Pickleball Women’s Singles Player in the World Anna Leigh Waters, 15, and the #1 Ranked Professional Pickleball Mixed Doubles Player in the World JW Johnson,19, won their first Mixed Doubles title together at the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) $130,000 Select Medical Orange County Cup at Life Time Rancho San Clemente.
It is the 3rd time the top teens have played a tournament together. Their first event was in March 2021 at the APP Delray Beach Open and their second was the September 2021 PPA Texas Open Shootout where they won a Bronze medal.
The Pickleball Phenom’s Championship match against Matt Wright, 44, and Lucy Kovalova, 29, was broadcast exclusively on the Tennis Channel. The final score was 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-1
Anna Leigh also won a silver medal in singles and doubles with her mother Leigh Waters.
JW Johnson won a Gold Medal in Singles and a Bronze Medal in Doubles with Dylan Frazier.
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, Leigh's Instagram and Anna Leigh’s Instagram.
TeamWaters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
JW travels coast-to-coast with his sister, Jorja, and mother, Julie, who are also top Pro Pickleball Players.
Get to know the Johnson Family: Interviews
Follow The Johnson Family Pro Pickleball journey on Facebook and Instagram:
Johnson Family Press Kit (Interviews, Articles, Schedule, Matches)
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