Pickleball Mixed Doubles Showdown: Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns are heading to the mixed doubles final at the Veolia North Carolina Open after a strong win on Saturday at Cary Tennis Park. They defeated No. 4 seeds Anna Bright and Federico Staksrud in straight games, 11-4, 11-2.
Dominant Victory in Cary
The top-seeded team of Waters and Johns took control early and finished the match in just over 30 minutes. Their teamwork and aggressive play proved too much for Bright and Staksrud, who were competing together for the first time.
Waters stood out with her attacking forehand from the air. She found success hitting crosscourt, especially when facing into the wind.
“I was really liking being against the wind, and I felt like some of Fed’s dinks were popping up high enough to where I could attack crosscourt,”. “I’m not the tallest person on the court, so I don’t usually get the opportunity to reach in and attack crosscourt, but because they were with the wind, I was getting more opportunities to do so.”(Anna Leigh Waters)
View this post on Instagram
Finals Set for Sunday
With the win, Waters and Johns will now face the No. 2 seeds, siblings Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson, in Sunday’s final. Both teams have performed well in the tournament, setting up an exciting match for the title.
Looking Ahead
Waters and Johns’ victory keeps them on track for another mixed doubles title. Their quick win shows how well they work together and how tough they are to beat. Fans can expect a competitive final on Sunday against the strong Johnson duo.
News in Brief: Pickleball Mixed Doubles Showdown
Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns advanced to the mixed doubles final at the Veolia North Carolina Open after defeating Anna Bright and Federico Staksrud 11-4, 11-2. The match took place Saturday at Cary Tennis Park. Waters and Johns will now face Jorja and JW Johnson in Sunday’s final.
ALSO READ: Gabe Tardio Shocks Top Seed Federico Staksrud to Reach North Carolina Final