Roma Pickleball owner Marco Maurizi received a WhatsApp message out of the blue on Sunday that immediately caught his attention—for a very good reason.

Someone named Leigh Waters wanted to book court time at his facility in Rome.

Maurizi was understandably stunned. There were so many questions racing through his mind. Was the sender really the pickleball legend herself? Or was it a different Leigh Waters? Maybe a work colleague was playing a trick on him and having fun at his expense? 

He was skeptical at first and honestly didn't know what to think, but chose to go with the flow and see where things went during the exchange.

"When I saw the number and it said Leigh Waters, I thought it was some kind of omonimi [people that share the same name]. She asked me for some information about our facility, and I gently answered her questions. When she reserved the court under the name Leigh Waters, I said, ‘That's easy to remember because it’s a name that everyone knows.’ After that, I told her that if this isn't omonimi, I have to prepare myself psychologically for this great news. She started to laugh. She said I could quietly prepare myself and that she really was Anna Leigh's mom," explained Maurizi. "It was an honor. It was a real pleasure. But, I really supposed that it was a joke from a friend of ours or someone who wanted to make a joke."

It wasn't a joke at all.

In the midst of their well-deserved vacation from an especially busy PPA Tour schedule, Leigh and Anna Leigh visited Roma Pickleball's indoor courts on Monday to get some reps.

"It was a rainy time in Rome when they came, so I suggested they use my indoor facility," mentioned Maurizi. "We have two indoor facilities and they picked the one that was closest to them."

After sharing the story on Instagram, Maurizi confirmed the Roma Pickleball account has been inundated with DMs from local supporters of Anna Leigh who follow her every move on tour.

That practice session meant a lot to pickleball enthusiasts in the country for a variety of reasons.

"I saw there was a huge quantity of fans of hers in Italy. We received so many messages. Everyone says: 'For us, it’s a symbol, someone to follow, someone we want to be like. For her age, for what she does, we are in love.' We told the family," shared Maurizi. "It was for us a big, huge emotion, and I’m sure that everyone wants to know more because in Italy it’s not like in the U.S. In Italy, we are really at the beginning with pickleball. We are talking about very few players. There is not great numbers. There are a lot of impassioned players, but we are few. I can clearly say that I am one that strongly believes in that growth, but we are few."

This unique experience could obviously help in that department by further spreading the word about the game.

The World No. 1 and winningest player in PPA Tour history is always a draw.

"Most of the messages were, ‘Can I come to see them?’ Many people said, 'I follow her for a long time, and for us, she's an idol.' I read this message many times," revealed Maurizi. "I didn’t know that as many players follow because it’s a brand new sport in Italy, and I’m quite prideful that there’s so much interest in celebrities like this."

He hopes the Italian pickleball community will benefit from the Waters' visit in the long run.

It generated some notable buzz that might just create a spark for something more.

"The thing I really appreciate is that this is something that can help the pickleball movement in Italy. I don’t know if we can reach the same level as the U.S. as a movement, but those are the players, they are real, and I see that many people say, 'Ok, I am sure that this can be a help to make the movement grow,'" noted Maurizi. "We have to create a base, and we have to move that base."

That would certainly be the best possible outcome.

And maybe Leigh and Anna Leigh will ultimately play an important part in it.

"It was an incredible honor for us and for our city," wrote Maurizi on Instagram, regarding the Waters' visit. "You reminded us of the power of pickleball in inspiring people, creating connection, and pushing millions to believe in dreams, hard work, and excellence."

Both Leigh and Anna Leigh, meanwhile, were grateful for Roma Pickleball's hospitality.

"We just wanted to thank Roma Pickleball for having us," said Leigh. "It was so much fun."

"We're so excited to see the growth of pickleball in Italy. It's absolutely amazing," praised Anna Leigh. "We had a blast, and hopefully we'll be back soon, not only to be eating the amazing food here, but to also meet you guys and maybe play with you a little bit."

Stay tuned.