Christian Alshon and his (now former) coach Leigh Waters are going their separate ways after a two-year partnership, Alshon announced in a social media post on Tuesday. 

Waters has played an instrumental role in Alshon’s rise to the top of the sport. Since they began working together in 2023, Alshon has captured 7 PPA titles, earned 38 PPA medals, and achieved top 5 rankings in men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

According to the post, complications arose with Alshon and Waters competing against each other on numerous occasions.

Leigh is the mother and coach of female world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, as well as the head coach of the New Jersey 5s in Major League Pickleball.

“Leigh and I found ourselves competing against each other too often, with her first obligation to coach her daughter, Anna Leigh, and The Fives," Alshon wrote. "This situation was more than understandable but still very stressful for both of us. It was an arrangement that seemed doable on paper, and was at the start, but just didn’t work well long term.” 

When Alshon and Anna Leigh faced off in mixed doubles at PPA Tour and MLP events, Waters would coach her daughter instead of Alshon.

That particular matchup has happened 23 times over the last two years, with Waters winning 21 of those meetings.

Alshon has yet to announce if he will bring on another coach, but he figures to be busy at this week’s Walgreens Open at the Las Vegas Strip, where he will partner with Andrei Daescu in men’s doubles and Catherine Parenteau in mixed doubles.