Anna Leigh Waters

Anna Leigh Waters is the women's #1 across all three PPA disciplines and the most dominant player currently active in pro pickleball — male or female. As of January 2026 she holds 181 career gold medals and 39 Triple Crowns, both all-time records, and was the first pickleball athlete signed by Nike.

Career

Waters turned pro in 2019 at age 12 — the youngest professional pickleball player in history. That same year she and her mother Leigh Waters became the first mother-daughter duo to win a pro doubles event at the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships. They remain the only mother-daughter team in pro pickleball; their partnership in women's doubles is still active in 2026.

She signed her first major paddle endorsement at age 14. In January 2026 she switched to Franklin Sports — a defection from her previous long-term paddle partner that made industry news. Her Nike apparel deal, also a first-of-its-kind in pickleball, signaled mainstream-sports recognition of the player and the sport.

She has appeared in the first nationally televised pickleball match on CBS Sports (2022) and is widely described in coverage as "the most dominant athlete in the sport."

Playing style

Waters is right-handed and built around speed: she takes balls early, plays a flatter trajectory than most women on tour, and rarely loses a hand-speed exchange at the kitchen. Her left-side mixed doubles play with Ben Johns has produced multiple mixed Triple Crowns.

She is unusual among top women for her preference for thinner-core paddles — most of the women's tour plays 16mm; Waters has historically played a 13–14mm range for added pop. Specific model details with her new Franklin partnership were still being announced as of early 2026.

Notable wins

• 2019: First pro title at age 12 (Minto US Open Pickleball Championships, women's pro doubles, with her mother Leigh Waters)
• 2022: First nationally televised pickleball match (CBS Sports)
• 2026: First pickleball athlete signed by Nike (apparel)
• 39 career Triple Crowns; 181 career gold medals across all competitions

Off-court

Waters was homeschooled to accommodate her tour schedule. She has spoken openly about the unique challenges of growing up in front of the pro pickleball spotlight and serves as a public-facing advocate for youth participation in the sport.