Anna Leigh Waters Overcomes Injury Scare: The women’s singles final drew considerable excitement as it featured a much-anticipated clash: the top-ranked Anna Leigh Waters versus the emerging star Kate Fahey. For weeks, the pickleball community had buzzed with anticipation over this matchup, pitting Waters’ dominance against Fahey’s recent surge in form.
Dominance on Display
Waters has been a formidable presence on the singles circuit, with a mere 12 career losses to her name. Yet, Fahey’s impressive recent performances—reaching the final in three of four tournaments in August and clinching her maiden title in Salt Lake City—had sparked discussions about the possibility of an upset. However, Waters quickly put those doubts to rest with a decisive 11-0, 11-6 victory over the No. 17 seed.
From the outset, Waters was a force to be reckoned with. Her play was impeccable, showcasing a level of precision rarely seen in recent matches. She secured a “pickle”—a term for a 11-0 game win—right from the beginning, underscoring her dominance.
“I think that first game is one of the more solid singles games that I’ve played.– Anna Leigh Waters.
Injury and Resilience
As the match progressed, it seemed Waters would continue her flawless performance in Game 2. However, disaster struck when the 17-year-old Fahey rolled her ankle while pursuing a ball. This mishap opened the door for Fahey, who turned a 1-5 deficit into a 6-5 lead. For a moment, it appeared the second game’s outcome was uncertain. Yet, Waters displayed remarkable resilience and managed to regain control, ultimately closing out the match and capturing her 40th PPA singles title.
This victory not only solidified her position at the top but also set a new record, surpassing Ben Johns, who has 39 titles.
A Moment of Inspiration
During the tense moments of Game 2, Waters drew strength from an unexpected source: Gary Vaynerchuk, owner of New Jersey 5s. Waters reflected, “When I started missing returns and rolled my ankle and was doing weird stuff, I began to think about this Gary Vee quote I saw yesterday: ‘don’t let fear hold you back.’ I noticed I was starting to get tight and was starting to let fear hold me back, so I told myself to stop. Remembering that quote definitely lifted me up in this match.”
Despite the injury, Waters’ victory was secured. However, her condition will be closely watched as she prepares for the mixed doubles final later in the afternoon, where she and Ben Johns will face off against Catherine Parenteau and Riley Newman.
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Bronze Medal Match
In the bronze medal match, Salome Devidze added another accolade to her impressive year. She secured her fourth medal with a victory over Lacy Schneemann, winning 11-5, 11-8.
News in Brief: Anna Leigh Waters Overcomes Injury Scare
Anna Leigh Waters secured her 40th PPA singles title with a commanding 11-0, 11-6 win over No. 17 seed Kate Fahey in the women’s singles final. Waters dominated the first game but faced a setback when she rolled her ankle in Game 2.
Despite the injury, she rallied from a 1-5 deficit to finish strong. Inspired by a quote from Gary Vaynerchuk, Waters overcame the challenge to set a new record, surpassing Ben Johns for the most PPA singles titles. In the bronze medal match, Salome Devidze defeated Lacy Schneemann 11-5, 11-8.
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