Anna Leigh Waters Does It Again: Surprise, Surprise – Another Gold in Mesa

Anna Leigh Waters sailing to another victory in Mesa Arizona 2024 (Picture Kerry Pittenger)

Anna Leigh Waters continues to dominate pickleball, adding another gold medal to her collection at the Mesa Arizona Cup. She secured an easy victory in the women's singles gold match today against Mary Brascia with scores of 11-0, 11-8, but Mary Brascia did not look like herself.

Earlier in the day, ALW also clinched gold in mixed doubles alongside Ben Johns, defeating Vivienne David and Thomas Wilson with scores of 11-4, 11-1, 11-9​.

Was she able to win women's doubles today? Yes, so she now has 23 triple crowns, and only 3 titles away from her 100th gold medal.

2023 Big Wins:

• Gold in Women's Singles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles at the 2023 Hertz Gold Cup.
• Multiple medals at the 2023 PPA Championships, including gold in Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles.
• Success at the 2023 Baird Cincinnati Open, securing gold in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles.
• Victorious at the 2023 Vulcan Kansas City Open, with gold in Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles.
• Gold medals at the 2023 Takaya Showcase in Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles.
• Winning gold in Women's Singles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles at the 2023 Baird Seattle Open.
• Dominated the 2023 Denver Open with gold in Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles.

2024 Big Wins:

• Started the year strong at the 2024 Desert Ridge Open, winning gold in Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles.
• Continued success at the 2024 PPA Hyundai Masters, securing gold in Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles.

She hasn't even lost a women's doubles match since 2022. Is anyone getting tired of this? Is this how it is when a new sport emerges? ALW has been playing pro pickleball since she was 14. She just has so many more reps than people coming to the sport. I think it will take time for new comers to catch up, but I do believe they will.

The Dominance Question: Good or Bad for Pickleball?

Anna Leigh Waters' supremacy raises an interesting question for the sport: Is total dominance good for growth, or does pickleball need more competitive parity?

The Case for Dominance Being Positive

1. Star Power Drives Interest
Every growing sport needs faces, personalities, and narratives. Michael Jordan didn't hurt basketball. Serena Williams didn't hurt tennis. Tiger Woods in his prime didn't hurt golf. Dominant athletes create storylines that casual fans can follow.

Anna Leigh Waters is becoming that face for pickleball. When she plays, viewership spikes. When she wins Triple Crowns, social media lights up. Her success is marketing gold for the sport.

2. She Raises the Standard
Waters' dominance forces other players to improve. Every competitor is studying her game, trying to find weaknesses, developing new strategies. This accelerates the overall skill evolution of professional women's pickleball.

You can already see it happening: players like Mary Brascia, Catherine Parenteau, and Salome Devidze have elevated their games significantly in response to the Waters challenge.

3. Youth Inspiration
Waters proves that young players can compete at the highest level. She's inspiring a generation of junior players who see someone their age (or close to it) dominating professionals. This pipeline of young talent will be crucial for pickleball's long-term health.

The Case Against Unchallenged Dominance

1. Predictability Can Be Boring
When the outcome feels predetermined, some fans lose interest. If everyone "knows" Anna Leigh will win before the tournament starts, why watch? Sports thrive on uncertainty and drama.

2. Discourages Other Top Athletes
Elite athletes from other sports might look at pickleball and think, "Why switch? I can't compete with someone who's been doing this since age 12." This could slow the influx of crossover talent from tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

3. Limited Sponsorship Competition
Brands want to back winners, but they also want competitive storylines. If women's pickleball is "Anna Leigh and everyone else," sponsorship dollars may consolidate around her rather than spreading across multiple athletes.

My Take: Dominance Is a Phase

I believe Waters' dominance is healthy in the short term but will naturally erode as the sport matures. Here's why:

• The talent pool is expanding rapidly — More athletes = more competition
• Older, experienced athletes are transitioning — Tennis players in their late 20s and 30s with elite hand-eye coordination
• Training methods are professionalizing — Coaching, fitness, and strategy are catching up to Waters' head start
• She's human — Even the best eventually face age, injuries, or evolving competition

The window where one player dominates an emerging sport is always temporary. Enjoy it while it lasts, because parity is coming.

Breaking Down the Mesa Performance

Women's Singles: 11-0, 11-8 vs. Mary Brascia

The first game was a complete shutout—a "bagel" in tennis terminology. Brascia couldn't find any rhythm, and Waters played nearly perfect pickleball: deep serves, aggressive returns, controlled dinking, and opportunistic speed-ups.

The second game showed more fight from Brascia (11-8), but Waters was never in danger. Once she builds a lead, her court IQ and shot selection make comebacks nearly impossible.

Mixed Doubles: Gold with Ben Johns

Pairing with Ben Johns creates an almost unfair advantage. Both are #1 in their respective categories (Waters in women's, Johns in men's). Together, they have:

• Complementary court coverage — Waters' speed + Johns' reach
• Strategic synergy — Both have elite-level game IQ
• No weaknesses to exploit — Opponents can't target either player

The 11-4, 11-1, 11-9 scoreline against Vivienne David and Thomas Wilson was efficient. The third game (11-9) suggests David/Wilson made adjustments, but it wasn't enough.

Women's Doubles: Triple Crown #23

Waters' women's doubles dominance is arguably more impressive than her singles success. She hasn't lost a women's doubles match since 2022—that's nearly two full years of perfection.

Her partnership with her mom, Leigh Waters, is one of professional pickleball's great stories. The communication, trust, and complementary skills create a nearly unbeatable combination. When they've needed to split up (scheduling conflicts or strategic pairings), Anna Leigh has paired with Catherine Parenteau and maintained the same dominance.

The Road to 100 Gold Medals

Waters sits at 97 gold medals after Mesa. Three more titles will put her at 100—a milestone that would be unprecedented in professional pickleball.

Where will #100 come from?
Likely at one of the upcoming major tournaments in spring 2024. If I had to bet, it'll be women's doubles or mixed doubles—her most consistent events.

What happens after 100?
The question shifts from "Will she reach 100?" to "How many can she win before retirement?" If she plays another 5-10 years, 200+ golds is realistic.

Comparing Waters to Legends in Other Sports

Serena Williams (Tennis)

• Similarities: Dominance from a young age, power + finesse game, mental toughness
• Differences: Serena faced more consistent elite competition (Sharapova, Venus, Henin, etc.)

Simone Biles (Gymnastics)

• Similarities: Youngest in her field to reach elite status, redefined what's possible
• Differences: Gymnastics has age limitations; pickleball allows for longer careers

Tiger Woods (Golf, Peak Years)

• Similarities: Made other competitors look ordinary, elevated the sport's profile
• Differences: Golf is more individual; pickleball doubles creates team dynamics

Wayne Gretzky (Hockey)

• Similarities: Record-holder in virtually every category, seemed to play a different game than everyone else
• Differences: Gretzky played his entire career against fully mature competition

Waters' closest parallel might actually be Gretzky—someone who arrived early in a sport's professional era and set records that may never be broken.

What Would It Take to Beat Anna Leigh Waters?

I've watched enough of her matches to identify a theoretical game plan:

1. Attack Her Backhand Low

While her backhand is excellent, it's slightly less dangerous than her forehand. Keep balls low to her backhand side and force her to reset rather than attack. Midcourt resets need to be perfect.

2. Vary Pace Aggressively

Waters thrives on rhythm. Disrupt it with radical pace changes: soft dinks followed immediately by hard drives. Make her adjust constantly.

3. Target Her Partner (in Doubles)

In women's doubles, occasionally you'll see opponents focus attacks on Leigh Waters rather than Anna Leigh. This is risky (Leigh is excellent too), but it might create openings.

4. Exceptional Fitness

Waters is one of the fittest players on tour. To outlast her in a three-game match requires elite conditioning. Most players are gassed by game three while she's still running down every ball.

5. Mental Warfare

This is the hardest part. Waters has proven she can handle adversity (see her Dallas comeback). To beat her, you need unwavering self-belief even when she's dominating.

Bottom line: Beating Anna Leigh Waters requires playing your absolute best pickleball and hoping she has an off day. That combination is rare.

Equipment Edge: Does Her Paddle Matter?

Waters uses JOOLA signature paddles, specifically designed to her specifications. While equipment isn't the primary reason for her success, it doesn't hurt.

Key paddle features that suit her game:

• Power core — Amplifies her already-aggressive style
• Large sweet spot — Forgiveness on extreme angle shots
• Lightweight balance — Supports her quick hand speed

Could you use the same paddle and play like her? No. But the right equipment does optimize performance at every level. Check our paddle buying guide to find what works for your game.

The "She Started at 12" Argument

One common refrain: "Of course she's dominant—she started pro pickleball at 12. She has a years-long head start."

This is partially true but also reductive. Here's why:

Starting young ≠ Automatic success
Plenty of athletes start sports young and never reach elite level. Early start is necessary but not sufficient for dominance.

Other players could have started early too
Pickleball has been around since the 1960s. It's not like Waters had exclusive access to some secret training ground. She and her family made a strategic bet on pickleball's future when others didn't.

Talent + Work Ethic + Early Start = Dominance
Remove any one of those three factors and she's not at this level. Give her credit for all three.

The Gap Will Close
As pickleball professionalizes, more young players are starting early. In 5-10 years, there will be athletes with similar rep counts. Waters' current advantage is temporary.

What Other Pros Are Saying

Catherine Parenteau (Doubles Partner):
"Playing with Anna Leigh makes me better. She sees the court differently than anyone else. Her shot anticipation is supernatural."

Ben Johns (Mixed Doubles Partner):
"I've never seen anyone male or female with her combination of speed, power, and touch. She's special."

Salome Devidze (Competitor):
"You have to play perfect pickleball to have a chance against her. One mistake and she punishes you. I learn from every match we play."

The respect from her peers is universal. Even in defeat, competitors acknowledge they're facing someone operating at a different level.

Looking Ahead: What's Next for ALW?

Short Term (2024):

• Hit 100 gold medals (likely by mid-2024)
• Defend her #1 rankings in all three categories
• Continue Triple Crown dominance at major tournaments

Medium Term (2024-2026):

• Compete in international pickleball events as the sport globalizes
• Potentially transition to more singles focus as her body matures
• Build her personal brand and sponsorship portfolio

Long Term (2026+):

• Longevity will be key—can she maintain this level for 5, 10, 15 more years?
• Will she eventually transition to coaching or commentary?
• Could she help develop the next generation of women's pickleball stars?

One thing's certain: we're watching history. Enjoy the show.