Anna Leigh Waters

Anna Leigh Waters was born in Allentown, United States, and moved with her family to Clinton, North Carolina. The family later relocated to Delray Beach, Florida, where she played competitive soccer and initially considered pursuing college soccer. Her parents were collegiate athletes at the University of South Carolina, with her mother, Leigh Waters, playing tennis and her father playing golf.

Waters discovered pickleball during a 2017 evacuation for Hurricane Irma. While staying with her grandparents in Allentown, she learned the game with her family and quickly became committed to it. Her background in soccer and tennis contributed to her footwork, speed, and court movement.

Waters entered her first tournament several months after discovering pickleball and won a women's doubles gold medal at 10. In 2019, she won her first national title and became the youngest professional pickleball player in history at age 12. Her breakthrough that year also included a women's doubles pro victory with Leigh Waters at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships.

Leigh Waters became Anna Leigh's coach, manager, and occasional doubles partner. Together they formed the only mother-daughter team in professional pickleball and won major events, including a triple crown performance in 2022. They also competed in the first nationally televised pickleball match in history on CBS Sports at the Skechers Invitational Summer Championship in Los Angeles.

Waters has won titles in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. She has partnered with Catherine Parenteau and Anna Bright in women's doubles and Ben Johns in mixed doubles. Her aggressive style is built around strength, speed, and hard, accurately placed shots. She plays in Major League Pickleball as a number one draft pick for the New Jersey 5s.

Her achievements include an undefeated singles season on the PPA Tour in 2025 and the distinction of holding the world No. 1 ranking in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. The PPA Tour profile credits her with 143 career titles and 39 triple crowns, while other career summaries record more than 100 gold medals and 24 triple crowns at earlier points in her career.

Waters has represented sports and athletic brands during her rise in professional pickleball. After a seven-year relationship with Paddletek ended, she signed a long-term deal with Franklin Sports, which produces her signature paddle line.

She became the first pickleball athlete signed by Nike to a multiyear apparel and footwear deal. Her endorsements have expanded her public profile beyond tournament competition and helped bring greater visibility to professional pickleball.

Waters uses Instagram and other social platforms to share match footage, training content, promotional material, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her athletic career. Her Instagram account has also featured products associated with her brand partnerships.

Her online presence has helped her connect with pickleball fans and introduce the sport to younger audiences. She is also associated with charity exhibition matches involving athletes and entertainers including Michael Phelps, Jamie Foxx, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Larry Fitzgerald, and Danny Wuerffel.