Anna Leigh Waters Ranked No. 1 in Pickleball Singles Doubles and Mixed Doubles

Anna Leigh Waters, 19, is the No. 1-ranked player in women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the world. Seven years after turning professional at age 12, she is widely viewed as the greatest player in pickleball history. Waters began playing at age 10 in Pennsylvania while her family evacuated from Hurricane Irma in 2017.

She competed with her grandfather and his retired friends, all in their 70s and 80s. The family continued playing after returning to Florida and joined a pickleball club. Her mother, Leigh Waters, a former college tennis player and lawyer, quit her job to pursue the sport.

Leigh became the top-ranked women's singles player in the country within a couple of years. In 2019, when her doubles partner withdrew from a tournament, Leigh asked her 12-year-old daughter to step in. The mother-daughter team went on to win multiple league titles.

Leigh tore an ACL at the 2022 nationals, ending her competitive career at age 43. She then became her daughter's coach. "I love her as my coach because I feel like she knows exactly what I need in every moment," Waters said. " Waters has accumulated 194 career gold medals on the Professional Pickleball Association tour and 44 triple crowns for winning singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles at a single event.

Both totals are records regardless of gender. Professional Pickleball Association CEO Connor Pardoe said at this weekend's finals, "It's her, and there's not really an argument that it could be anyone else. She wins everything. She signed multiyear deals this year with Franklin Sports and Nike, becoming the first pickleball player to sign with the apparel company.

She wore Nike apparel during the recent tournament in San Clemente, California. "I remember signing the contract. I said to my mom: 'How is this even real? '" Waters said.

Ben Johns, 27, a longtime doubles partner considered one of the best male players, described Waters as a well-rounded and aggressive competitor. "She's able to attack from a lot of different areas on the court, which makes her dangerous in any different position," Johns said.

In the semifinals of the mixed doubles event on Saturday, Waters and Johns held off the No. 2-ranked team. Waters responded to a deep looping shot with a hard backhand that ended the point. The pair advanced and won the PPA women's and mixed doubles championships on Sunday.

Waters has also competed in exhibition events, including the Ares Pickleball Slam 4 in April against Andre Agassi and James Blake. " Leigh Waters said she does not regret allowing her daughter to turn professional before becoming a teenager. Waters has expressed interest in competing in the Olympics if pickleball is added to the program.