Anna Leigh Waters is one of the biggest names in the country in women’s pickleball. Waters is just 14 years old and has already seen success comparable to Kyle Yates! Before 2017, Anna lived a quiet life in Delray Beach, Florida. Her gold medal-winning career was kickstarted by tropical storm-turned-hurricane Irma, a supportive mom, and a background in tennis.
Over the last two years, Anna has started playing in tournaments, competing in mixed doubles matches, and creating a name for herself. Here’s her story.
The Career of Anna Leigh Waters
Anna Leigh Waters has had a career that many athletes can only dream of. Despite only playing pickleball for five years, Anna has had a successful career that has no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Introduction to Pickleball
She was first introduced to pickleball in the summer of 2017. A 10-year-old Anna took a trip to her grandparent’s house in Pennsylvania with her mom Leigh Waters.
The trip was prompted by the unfortunate arrival of hurricane Irma as an approaching tropical storm escalated. Who knows where she would be today if the trip never happened!
Both Anna and Leigh played pickleball daily during their two-week stay to pass the time. The duo quickly found a passion for the sport and realized their potential success as singles and a duo in the pickleball world.
By the time they left Pennsylvania, they had decided to explore their talents more seriously.
Two years later, Anna Leigh became a part of the pro pickleball association. She started winning tournaments as soon as she started playing the sport professionally.
Her first major win happened during a Waters VS Simone Jordin and Corrine Car match.
Ranking
Anna consistently holds her rank in the top 5 best women’s players in the world. She competes in women’s doubles, singles, and mixed doubles.
What is Anna Leigh Waters’s Net Worth?
The exact net worth of Anna isn’t public information, but it’s been estimated that she is worth around 1.4 million dollars! That money comes from multiple sources, but her brand partnerships are the biggest source of consistent income.
Partnerships
Brands can work with popular players to promote their product on the court, similar to the Nascar branding you see on the driver’s cars and uniforms.
Thankfully pickleball partnerships are a bit more subtle but still very beneficial for both the brand and the player!
Anna currently has partnerships with PaddleTek, Faye and Florie, and Lasso.
Anna Leigh Waters Personal Details
Since Anna is new to the professional game, there are a lot of details that the public doesn’t know just yet. She’s too young to be married or have kids, she hasn’t attended college, and her career skyrocketed overnight because of her sheer athletic abilities.
While we’re excited to learn more about Anna as her career progresses, let’s review what we know so far!
Age
Anna is currently 14 years old. She was born on January 26, 2007. She first went pro when she was 12 years old.
Her pro tour proved to the world that Anna could play with the best players around. Today, she has won more than one gold medal with no sign of slowing down.
Early Life
Anna was homeschooled by her mother, Leigh. Homeschooling was a personal choice for the family, but the extra time it allowed for Anna to play sports was a definite perk!
Waters has always been drawn to sports. Before becoming a pro player, Anna was successful on the court as a tennis player.
Despite her success in tennis, she has said she never enjoyed playing the way she enjoys getting to play pickleball.
The transition from tennis to pickleball is a common theme in many of the highest-ranked players.
She had a history of winning any tennis tournament she signed up to play in. As she got acclimated to the new game of pickleball and playing with pickleball paddles, she knocked everyone’s expectations out of the park.
Athletic Build
Anna is 5’6” and weighs 123 pounds. While she doesn’t look intimidating with such small stature, the sport of pickleball is about a lot more than sheer physical force.
Anna uses her small size to her advantage when competing against difficult opponents.
Her aggressive style of playing makes her a fierce competitor, regardless of her size.
Family Life
Anna Leigh has always been close with her family. She was homeschooled from a young age, which is part of why she was able to go pro at such a young age.
Anna is especially close with her mom and women’s doubles teammate, Leigh Waters.
Major Wins
Anna and Leigh won most of the tournaments they would sign up to play in around the country. At the Texas Open, they won. The same can be said about the US Open and the USAPA Nationals.
What Paddle Does Anna Leigh Waters Use?
Any pro pickleball player will tell you that not all paddles are created equal. Paddles that work for some players aren’t compatible with other players, so finding the sweet spot is a challenge when you’re starting.
Anna uses a Bantam TS-5 custom paddle made by PaddleTek. This paddle delivers power, speed, and precision with every swing.
Power comes from the Bantam Polycore interior. The paddle feels light in your hand, allowing for light swings that hit hard during a match or tournament.
She also loves that it can be customized with her favorite colors! Check out the Bantam TS-5 and other PaddleTek paddles here.
Paddletek Bantam TS-5 Pickleball Paddle
Watch Out For Anna Leigh On the Court!
As one of the youngest pro players in the sport, Anna Leigh Waters is one to watch as she continues to smash through each tournament, claiming victory along the way. It’s always exciting to see a young athlete grow with their sport, and she is definitely one of pickleball’s brightest stars.