Anna Leigh Waters Ends Top Pickleball Duo: Catherine Parenteau announced on Instagram that she and Anna Leigh Waters have ended their women’s doubles partnership. The decision comes shortly after a loss at the Veolia North Carolina Open. Though still ranked No. 1, Waters appears ready for a change amid the evolving pro pickleball landscape.
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Top Team Splits After Recent Defeat
The breakup follows a surprising loss to Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black in North Carolina. Parenteau and Waters had dominated in 2023 but faced growing challenges in 2024, including losses to Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher. Despite their top ranking, they were no longer seen as unbeatable.
Three Common Reasons for Pickleball Breakups
Most pro pickleball splits happen for one of three reasons: retirement or injury, personal choices like a new role or schedule, or—most often—a difference in skill.
Examples from recent months support this. Ben Johns left his brother Collin Johns due to a gap in adapting to the faster 2025 game. Federico Staksrud left Pablo Tellez for similar reasons. So far, both moves have paid off in better results.
Changing Game Favors Aggression Over Patience
The pro game is evolving. Speed, power, and counterattacks now matter more than resets and soft play. Players once known for finesse are struggling against aggressive styles. It is the counterattack that generates exciting firefights, noting that counters now dominate over resets.
This puts players like Parenteau in a tough spot. Like Collin Johns, she favors right-side resets and soft dinks, but this makes her a target. Bright and Rohrabacher beat Parenteau/Waters by attacking Parenteau. Johnson and Black used the same strategy in North Carolina.
Match Stats Reveal Waters Was Also Struggling
According to RealClearStats, Johnson and Black launched 22 speedups at Parenteau versus just 12 at Waters. Still, Waters didn’t have her best performance either. Both Parenteau and Waters averaged eight errors a game in the three games they lost.
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Why Anna Bright Is Waters’ New Partner
Waters is teaming up with Anna Bright for the rest of 2025. Her choice likely came down to four factors: age, skill, location, and personality. Parenteau is 30, while Bright is 25. Pickleball, like tennis, is a young person’s game.
Bright also lives in Florida, like Waters, which helps with practice. She’s played high-level competition and handles pressure well. Most importantly, she brings “power and countering ability”—skills that Parenteau lacks. The move mirrors Ben Johns’ switch from Collin to Gabe Tardio.
What It Means for the Future
This change marks a major shift in women’s doubles. With Bright’s aggressive style and Waters’ dominance, the new pairing could become the team to beat. Meanwhile, Parenteau’s next step remains unclear. She may need to adjust her style or find a new role.
News in Brief: Anna Leigh Waters Ends Top Pickleball Duo
Catherine Parenteau and Anna Leigh Waters have ended their women’s doubles partnership following a key loss at the Veolia North Carolina Open. Despite being ranked No. 1, Waters is moving forward with Anna Bright for the rest of 2025, citing skill fit and evolving competition in pro pickleball.
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