Kate Fahey’s Pro Pickleball Rise: Championship Sunday at the PPA Tour’s Las Vegas Pickleball Cup didn’t unfold the way Kate Fahey had hoped. Facing off against World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters in her first head-to-head matchup, Fahey found herself on the wrong end of an 11-0 scoreline in the opening game, followed by an 11-6 loss in the second.
But losing to the top player on the planet, especially so early in her pro pickleball career, is nothing to be ashamed of. Just months ago, Fahey was going through the corporate world at American Express in New York City. Now, at 27, she’s learning from every experience and is sure to return stronger.
The Grit Behind the Game
Determination and desire have never been in short supply for Fahey. Her former coach, Ronni Bernstein, who led the University of Michigan women’s tennis team, witnessed Fahey’s unyielding spirit firsthand. Recalling Fahey’s time on the court, Bernstein described her as a “beast competitor.”
“Nobody wanted to play Kate Fahey. She was just a tough out. She was going to claw her way, kick it over, whatever she had to do to win. She was one of the best players we’ve ever had. The intensity was just unreal. If you were playing Kate, you had to be mentally ready to battle for three hours because she wasn’t going to go away. She made it difficult on you. That’s what I remember the most about Kate.” – (Bernstein)
Record-Setting at Michigan
Fahey’s impact at Michigan remains etched in the record books. With 132 singles victories and a 0.815 singles win percentage, her career marks remain untouched. She’s also tied for the most single-season wins, boasting 38 victories during her senior year. Bernstein isn’t surprised that Fahey has quickly adapted to pickleball.
“Kate’s going to work hard, so it’s not surprising that she’s picked up pickleball quickly. She’s a smart kid. She was super coachable, so she’s going to figure out the game and she’s going to figure out what works for her and how she can be successful. Kate believes in herself.” – (Bernstein)
A New Chapter in Pickleball
Fahey’s transition from tennis to pickleball has already yielded impressive results. With a gold medal and two silver medals in her last four events, it seems leaving AMEX to chase this new passion might have been the right call.
“Any time Kate can be out on the court, and now that it’s pickleball and she’s competing again, I think it’s almost what she was made for. Kate probably sees the career as something that she can get back to, but she’s going to take advantage of this. She gets to travel and play a sport that she loves.” – (Bernstein)
Interestingly, Fahey isn’t the only future pickleball star that Bernstein has coached. Brooke Buckner, another Michigan alumna, is also making waves in the pickleball scene.
“Brooke is crushing it, too. That’s my new recruiting plug, that I can make pickleball players. I used that on an official visit, like ‘Come to Michigan, we’ll turn you into a pickleball star!’ But, Kate’s incredible. We still talk, and it’s just really cool to see how well she’s doing.” – (Bernstein)
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News in Brief: Kate Fahey’s Pro Pickleball Rise
Kate Fahey faced a tough challenge at the PPA Tour’s Las Vegas Pickleball Cup, losing to World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters. Despite the setback, Fahey, who turned pro just a few months ago, is determined to learn and improve.
Her former tennis coach at Michigan, Ronni Bernstein, praised her competitive spirit, recalling Fahey as a relentless player. Fahey holds multiple records at Michigan and has already earned a gold and two silver medals in pickleball. Her transition from a corporate career to pro sports seems to be paying off.
ALSO READ: PPA Las Vegas Women’s Single Preview: Kate Fahey vs Anna Leigh Waters
