FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, Pro Pickleball Singles Champions
(Photo Credit: Leigh Waters/Julie Johnson) |
Pro Pickleball Teens Play Together In Texas Open Shootout
Anna Leigh Waters, World #1 Ranked Singles Champion, and JW Johnson, World #7 Ranked in Singles, Teamup For Second Time In 2021
ROCKWALL, TX (September 30, 2021) -- Delray Beach, FL based teens Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, are playing mixed doubles in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Texas Open Shootout, September 30-October 3, at the Oasis Beach and Tennis Club in Rockwell. The dynamic duo played together in March at the Delray Beach Open. (See Highlights)
Texas Open Shootout matches will be live streamed on the PPA YouTube Channel.
Anna Leigh Waters (AL) won her third consecutive professional singles title and the pro Women’s Doubles title with her mother, Leigh Waters, at the Orlando Cup earlier this month.
Top Photo: 2018 Texas Open
Gold: Sarah Ansboury / Lucy Kovalova
Silver: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters
Bronze: Katie Dyer (Not in Photo: Kasandra Gehrke )
Bottom Photo: 2021 PPA Orlando Cup
Gold: Anna Leigh Waters / Leigh Waters
Silver: Simone Jardim / Lucy Kovalova (#1 Team In The World)
Bronze: Jessie Irvine / Catherine Parenteau
Leigh Waters: “Top photo is Anna Leigh’s and my first Pro Tournament playing together as a team!! It was the 2018 Texas Open and AL was 11. We got Silver!!
In a few days we head back to the Pro Pickleball Association Texas Open and I’m able to reflect on all that has happened between these two events!! Never did we imagine the memories, experiences, and possibilities this great sport would bring us!!
But you know what’s so SPECIAL about this sport?? You don’t have to be a pro to make these kinds of memories and have amazing experiences together in the sport of pickleball. So go grab a family member, a friend, a neighbor, and go make some memories! I promise you won’t regret it!!”
Last month, Anna Leigh won Pro Women’s Single Titles at the PPA Takeya Showcase in Newport Beach, CA and the Tournaments Of Champions in Brigham City, UT. She is rated #1 in Pro Women’s Singles on the September 28, 2021 Dupr Top 25 Player List while JW is rated #7 in Pro Men’s Singles.
Anna Leigh is the youngest to win a Professional Pickleball Singles title.
Last month, JW Johnson beat Ben Johns, 22, the #1 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles Pickleball player in the world at the Tournament of Champions in Brigham City, Utah: 11-9,9-11,11-3. (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)
Johns had not lost a singles match since the summer of 2020. JW broke Ben’s winning streak of over 170 matches.
The teen then faced Tyson McGuffin, the #2 singles pickleball player in the world, twice. Winning their first match: 11-8,6-11,11-7 and then the Gold Medal Final: 11-0,9-11,11-3 (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)
In July, JW won his first professional Men’s Singles Title at the APP 2021 Beer City Open in Grand Rapids, Michigan defeating the #1 Rank AAP Men’s Singles Pro Jay Devilliers, 26, in the Gold Medal Match: 4,11, 11-8, 11-5 (Highlight Reel, Game 3)
JW, Jorja (JW’s 15 year old sister) and Julie (mother), APP/DUPR #1 Senior Women’s Pro Pickleball Player, travel coast-to-coast together playing in pro pickleball tournaments.
Follow JW Johnson’s Pro Pickleball journey on Facebook at JW Johnson Pickleball
Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters, “the mother/daughter duo” (#TeamWaters) won the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title in Indian Wells, CA. At 12 years 10 months, Anna Leigh became the youngest athlete to win a professional championship.
The TeamWaters Pickleball Story Began in 2017
“The mother/daughter duo picked up the sport back in 2017 when they evacuated their home in Florida due to Hurricane Irma and stayed with Leigh’s parents for a couple of weeks. Leigh’s dad introduced them to the sport and from there they were hooked. “I think we played like morning, noon and night for two weeks straight while we were up there and the rest is history,” said Leigh.”
The inspiring mother/daughter journey can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.
Team Waters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
Lynn Cherry, Pickleball Podcast: “Actually, the media kit was really helpful. It really made it very fast to prep and the timestamps on the (interview) videos were great because I could get to exactly what I wanted to see or hear. I think that is really key!”
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