Dave Fleming: The comeback is roaring into the semifinals! Leigh Waters is back playing alongside her daughter, Anna Leigh, for the first time in two years on the PPA Tour. Their quarterfinal victory over Mary and Maggie Brascia, 11-3, 11-7, sends them into the next round. Leigh and Anna Leigh, congratulations!
Leigh, I’ll start with you. You told me earlier to remind everyone this is “just for fun.” So, tell us—are you having fun out there?
Leigh Waters: I’m having a blast! How can you not when you’re playing next to your kid right here? We’re working hard to play our best pickleball, but we’re also making sure to enjoy it and keep things light. That’s when we play our best, and I think we’re doing a good job at that so far.
Dave: Anna Leigh, your mom has shown us quite the variety—forehand speedups, overheads, tricky lobs. What’s your favorite shot of hers? Which one puts a big smile on your face?
Anna Leigh Waters: Oh, definitely the forehand speedup. She hit one crosscourt, then one down the middle, and then one down the line—it’s impossible to predict! I don’t know how she does it, and even though she’s tried to teach me, I just can’t seem to learn it.
What’s really cool is how similarly we play. We were practicing with Will Howells before the tournament, and he said, “This is basically Anna Leigh 2.0.” Then he was like, “Wait, no—it’s just two Leighs on the court. She came first!” [laughs]
I think playing with her is special because we know each other’s tendencies so well. It’s almost seamless. We’ve been doing great, and I asked her after this match if she was tired. She said, “No,” so let’s go—bring on the next one!
Dave: Anna Leigh, a lot of fans would love to know—are you playing any differently with your mom by your side compared to with Katherine?
Anna Leigh Waters: Not really. Katherine and I usually play straight up, and my mom wanted to play the same way for this tournament. The main difference is that I might be taking slightly less court because she plays better when she’s hitting more balls and getting into a rhythm.
I’m trying to let her do her thing without stepping in too much or confusing her, though I’ve done that a couple of times [laughs]. We’re focused on staying aggressive and not getting caught in too many long dink rallies. Just grip it and rip it—that’s the plan!
Dave: Leigh, last question for you. You’ve been balancing roles as coach, mom, and now player. How are you managing to juggle everything, especially in a high-stakes quarterfinal match?
Leigh Waters: It’s been tough, honestly. Over the past few days, I’ve noticed I’ve been more focused on myself than on Anna Leigh, which feels strange. For example, earlier today, Anna Leigh left with my parents, and I stayed back with my husband, Stephen. As we were getting ready to leave, he was like, “Do you have your shoes? Your gear?” And I realized—usually, I’m the one packing everything! We even had to call her a few times asking where things were.
I think playing a couple of tournaments a year is a nice balance for me. But after this, I’ll happily go back to my coaching and “mom” roles full-time.
Dave: Well, you’ve shown us you haven’t missed a step. Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters, congratulations on moving into the semifinals! Best of luck in the next round!
Round Of 16
