
Anna Leigh Waters wins gold in women’s singles over Parris Todd
PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA – Anna Leigh Waters continued to prove why she's the top female player on the planet on Championship Sunday at the Vizzy Atlanta Open.
The No. 14 seed Parris Todd challenged Waters during an epic three-game battle, but couldn't complete the task against the World No. 1.
Todd had previously defeated the No. 2 seed Catherine Parenteau, so she was confident entering the match.
“I had the shakes in game one,” admitted Waters. “I couldn’t hit a shot and I was very nervous.”
And while Todd put up a fight, Waters has a unique ability to battle back that’s truly unmatched. And she fought off three game points from Todd in the opening stanza to win 12-10.
“Parris played amazing. She’s been playing amazing all week. She beat some tough opponents to get here. And I haven’t played her in a while, so it was definitely fun to see some new strategy,” said Waters.
But Todd fought off Waters' advances and won game two 12-10, which propelled the pair into a tense final game.
After a back-and-forth battle of painstaking net shots and beautiful drives, it truly was any woman’s game.
“Parris plays singles a lot different than most people on tour. She doesn’t come to the net as much, and Parris and I play pretty similarly. It was kind of like a battle of the tennis style of play on the pickleball court,” said Waters.
But Waters came out victorious in game three 11-5.
Waters now boasts a perfect 26-0 record on Championship Sunday in women’s singles.
Related articles

Anna Bright’s 'killer instinct' is what sets her apart
Once she steps inside the lines, her lighthearted energy transforms into a relentless competitor.
1 hour ago
-Victoria Radnothy

MLP owners engage in Twitter war over lopsided team spending
The future of Major League Pickleball is, understandably, a polarizing topic.
22 hours ago
-Pickleball.com Staff

Tracking the moves from Trade Window #2 of the 2026 MLP season
Stay up to date with the latest moves from Trade Window #2.
1 day ago
-Pickleball.com Staff

Shock sweep 5s for first Mid-Season Tournament title in franchise history
After setting the tone with a statement women's doubles upset, the St. Louis Shock closed out the sweep for their 15th straight win.
2 days ago
-Will Daughton