Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns Reign Supreme: Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns continued their dominant run in pickleball, claiming the mixed doubles title at the CIBC PPA Tour Finals in San Clemente. In the day’s third match on Humana Championship Court, the duo defeated Catherine Parenteau and Christian Alshon in a 3-1 victory: 11-3, 11-3, 8-11, 11-1.
This win marked another chapter in a year of unmatched success for Waters and Johns. Their only loss in 2024 came in the Veolia Austin Open in March. Their latest victory showed a similar result from June’s Select Medical Orange County Cup, where they also emerged victorious over Parenteau and Alshon.
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A Rematch, A Familiar Result
The Sunday showdown was a rematch of the June final at Life Time Rancho San Clemente. Parenteau and Alshon, though determined, couldn’t topple the top seeds after a valiant effort.
The pair fought back in Game 3 after losing the first two, but Waters and Johns quickly regained control, closing the match with a commanding 11-1 win in the fourth.
Sixteen Titles in 2024
The victory added another title to Waters and Johns’ impressive 2024 record, now standing at sixteen titles this year alone.
“I feel like we’ve always meshed well together on the court because our game styles match up pretty well. We definitely have a lot of fun out there. I laugh with her and at her, occasionally, and vice versa. It’s really enjoyable, and I’m happy to get another gold with her.” – (Johns)
Looking Ahead
Though they came up short in this final, Parenteau and Alshon showed resilience and optimism for the future. “We knew coming into the match that we would have to play at basically our top level to have a chance to beat them, but I’m looking forward to playing with Christian more and battling against Anna Leigh and Ben next year,” Parenteau stated, looking ahead to their partnership in 2025.
News in Brief: Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns Reign Supreme
Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns clinched the mixed doubles gold at the CIBC PPA Tour Finals in San Clemente, defeating Catherine Parenteau and Christian Alshon 11-3, 11-3, 8-11, 11-1.
The win marks their 16th title of 2024, continuing their dominance in the sport. Parenteau and Alshon, despite the loss, remain hopeful about their future tournaments together in 2025.