Anna Leigh Waters Reaches PPA Las Vegas Final: Eyes on 40th Title

Anna Leigh Waters Reaches PPA Las Vegas Final: Anna Leigh Waters, the 17-year-old prodigy of women’s singles, showed her dominance in the semifinal match, securing her place in the final with a decisive 11-5 and 11-7 victory over Salome Devidze, the tournament’s No. 6 seed. But this win was more than just another step towards a potential title; it was a shot at redemption. Earlier in the year, Devidze handed Waters her only singles loss at the CIBC Texas Open, a defeat that had lingered in the young champion’s mind. Saturday’s match offered Waters a chance to correct that narrative.

A Calculated Approach

Coming into the match, Waters was determined to avoid a repeat of the Texas Open. She developed a game plan centered on exploiting Devidze’s weaknesses by keeping her in constant motion. Waters knew that Devidze’s powerful passing shots had been the deciding factor in their previous encounter, and she was intent on neutralizing that weapon.

“I was looking to move her around the court as much as I could. She’s got great passing shots and hits the ball really hard, but it’s tough to hit the ball super hard when you’re moving around the court. So that was kind of my plan, to move her more than she was moving me because last time I played her, she definitely moved me.” – (Waters)

Waters’ strategy proved effective from the outset. She dictated the pace, keeping Devidze off balance and preventing her from setting up those dangerous passing shots. By forcing Devidze into a defensive position, Waters minimized her opponent’s opportunities to attack, effectively turning the tables from their last meeting.

1) Anna Leigh Waters advances to championship Sunday with an 11-5, 11-7 win over 6) Salome Devidze 👏

— Carvana PPA Tour (@PPAtour) August 31, 2024

Composure Under Pressure

While Waters largely controlled the match, the second game brought a moment of tension. Devidze managed to pull ahead with a 7-5 lead, threatening to push the match to a third game. However, Waters remained unfazed.

Showing the composure of a seasoned competitor, she swiftly regained control, rattling off six consecutive points to secure the win. Her ability to close out the match under pressure extinguished any hope Devidze had of mounting a comeback.

Eyeing the PPA Title

With this victory, Waters avenged her earlier loss and edged closer to an impressive milestone: her 40th career PPA singles title. Such an achievement would be remarkable for any athlete, let alone one who is still in her teens.