Anna Leigh Waters Doubles Challenge: Anna Leigh Waters, once unbeatable in nearly every pickleball event she entered, is now facing tighter competition. At the recent North Carolina Open, she failed to win a title in either women’s doubles or mixed doubles, raising questions about her continued dominance as the field begins to catch up.
For years, Waters stood at the top of the pickleball world. By the age of 18, she had won numerous titles, becoming the sport’s brightest young star. But her recent performances suggest that the gap between her and the rest of the competition is shrinking.
Title Drought at North Carolina Open
At the North Carolina Open, Waters played in both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles finals. She partnered with Catherine Parenteau in women’s doubles, where they lost to Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black. In mixed doubles, she teamed up with Ben Johns but was defeated by JW Johnson and Jorja Johnson.
These back-to-back finals losses showed that Waters is no longer as dominant as she once was in doubles play.
Rising Pressure in Doubles
The first signs of change appeared in 2023. Ben Johns, another top player, started making more errors, and now Waters seems to be going through something similar. In 2024, Waters and Parenteau lost three times to Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher, hinting at a new rivalry.
Though that rivalry never quite spread its wings, there are multiple other women’s players who have shown intent to push Waters by making her toil for points or simply beating her in women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
In the last five tournaments, Waters has lost twice in women’s doubles and twice in mixed doubles. This equals her total number of losses across both formats in 2023 and 2024 combined. Some matches this year were also closer than expected.
Singles Still a Safe Space
Despite these results, Waters remains a strong force in women’s singles. She continues to win matches there, though her win rate has dropped. Previously, she won 90 to 95 percent of her matches. Now, her win percentage has dipped to around 70 percent.“However, despite the growing challenges in the field of doubles, Waters’ dominance over singles remains intact.
This makes doubles play much more open and exciting for fans and players alike.
Future Outlook for Waters
Waters is now forming a new doubles partnership with Anna Bright, who is younger and energetic. Their performance together could define whether Waters regains control or if the field remains competitive.With Waters forming a new partnership with much younger partner Anna Bright, it will be interesting to watch whether they will manage to claim complete dominance over the field or if it becomes more competitive.
Her journey going forward could signal a shift in the sport, where many players now believe they can challenge the best.
News in Brief: Anna Leigh Waters Doubles Challenge
Anna Leigh Waters failed to win a title at the North Carolina Open, facing losses in both women’s and mixed doubles. As more players close the skill gap, her dominance is being tested. Waters remains strong in singles but now faces stiffer competition in doubles formats.
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