Things didn’t go Kate Fahey’s way on Championship Sunday at the PPA Tour's Las Vegas Pickleball Cup.

She obviously didn't envision being pickled 11-0 in the opening game of her first-ever head-to-head matchup against World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, before dropping the second game 11-6.

But, there's no shame in falling short to Waters in a title bout, especially when you just turned pro a few months ago after leaving your corporate job with American Express in New York City behind.

The 27-year-old will undoubtedly learn from the experience and come back even stronger in the next installment of a potentially budding rivalry.

Fahey certainly isn't lacking in determination and desire. 

Just check the footage.

Long-time University of Michigan women's tennis coach, Ronni Bernstein, had a front-row seat to enjoy Fahey's off-the-charts grit and tenacity for four years in Ann Arbor.

That's why she affectionately describes her former pupil as a "beast competitor."

"Nobody wanted to play Kate Fahey. She was just a tough out. She was going to claw her way, kick it over, whatever she had to do to win. She was one of the best players we've ever had. The intensity was just unreal," recalled Bernstein. "If you were playing Kate, you had to be mentally ready to battle for three hours because she wasn't going to go away. She made it difficult on you. That’s what I remember the most about Kate."

Since graduating in 2019 with a degree in international studies, Fahey remains front and center in the program's record books. 

Her all-time career marks of 132 singles victories and .815 singles win percentage are untouched, and she's still tied atop the single-season wins list with 38 during her senior campaign.

"Kate’s going to work hard, so it’s not surprising that she's picked up pickleball quickly. She’s a smart kid," praised Bernstein. "She was super coachable, so she’s going to figure out the game and she’s going to figure out what works for her and how she can be successful. Kate believes in herself."

And she has a gold medal and two silver medals over the last four events to show for it.

Perhaps departing AMEX to pursue this new endeavor was the right move after all.

"Any time Kate can be out on the court, and now that it’s pickleball and she's competing again, I think it's almost what she was made for," insisted Bernstein. "Kate probably sees the career as something that she can get back to, but she’s going to take advantage of this. She gets to travel and play a sport that she loves."

Interestingly enough, Fahey isn't the only future pickleball athlete Bernstein has mentored.

Brooke Buckner proudly sported maize and blue at the collegiate level as well.

"Brooke is crushing it, too. That’s my new recruiting plug, that I can make pickleball players," said Bernstein with a laugh. "I used that on an official visit, like 'Come to Michigan, we’ll turn you into a pickleball star!' But, Kate's incredible. We still talk and it's just really cool to see how well she's doing."