Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters standing in a kitchen baking.
Anna Bright joins Anna Leigh Waters for a baking session. Anna Leigh Waters / YouTube

Anna Leigh Waters, Anna Bright showcase baking skills on YouTube  

Anna Leigh Waters’ new YouTube series In the Kitchen might be my new favorite pickleball content.

There’s something especially charming about seeing the World No. 1 wearing a strawberry shortcake graphic tee that says “You are berry special” and enjoying quality time at home with her pickleball friends and partners.

The latest episode features Waters and Anna Bright baking chocolate chip cookies together and enjoying some laughs along the way.

When Waters accidentally messes up the recipe, for example, she quips that Bright is “now cleaning up my mess, just like she does on the court.”

Similar to the previous episode with Leigh Waters, Anna Leigh also asks Anna a few burning pickleball questions.

ADVERTISEMENT


What is the funniest tournament moment?

“At the PPA tournament in San Clemente, I tried to go surfing on Wednesday morning of the tournament. I generally have a pretty sensitive and tweaky neck, but I woke up the next morning after surfing and my neck was so locked, and there were still a lot of days in the tournament to get through,” recalled Bright. “I’m thinking, ‘I’ve screwed up, we’re going to lose, I’m not going to be able to play,’ but thankfully my paddle sponsor had a good trainer on site and I grinded with her every day to get it normal.”

Waters saw Bright work with that trainer day after day, and she was understandably curious, but Bright said, “I just kept smiling at Anna Leigh like don’t worry about it, I’m all good.”

Sure enough, they ended up claiming gold, and during the post-match interview, Bright said that she needed to “take this medal off my neck, it's actually hurting me because it’s heavy.” 


Waters posed another question.

“Have you ever thought in your head like ‘Wow, ALW is playing bad today?’” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever thought that when we’re playing together, but there’s been a time or two in mixed when I’ve thought ‘Anna Leigh is not playing her best, so you have to lock in right now. You have to win this game,’” shared Bright. “But not in women’s when we’re playing together. In women’s, if things aren’t going well, I always blame myself, and I think that’s what most good players do.”

“You’re one of the players who pushed me to more three games,” added Waters. 

“I know, I just can’t win the third,” said Bright. 

 “Would you rather play with me and win, or beat me?” asked Waters.

“I can’t lie, beating you is fun when it can happen, but it’s been pretty rare in my career, so I’ll take the Ws,” noted Bright. 

The oven timer then sounds to signal the cookies are ready, and a taste test ensues to conclude the segment.

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter).