World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters dominant at US Open Pickleball Championships with doubles sweep

As the old saying goes, you're guaranteed two things in life: death and taxes.

It might be worth adding Anna Leigh Waters winning pickleball matches to that list.

The 17-year-old looked every bit the part of the world's No. 1 female player on Saturday, cruising to a mixed doubles win with JW Johnson and female doubles win with her mother Leigh at the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples.

Previously:Top pros at US Open Pickleball Championships include Parris Todd, Simone Jardim

It was an unclear fate for the Waters’ out of Palm Beach County to pair up as Leigh Waters recently completed rehab for repairing a torn ACL. She stepped into Catherine Parenteau's place, as the Canadian typically teams up with Anna Leigh.

"Winning with my mom, it's something we didn't know we'd ever get to do," Waters said. "We never knew if we were going to win this tournament. Being here, on this court, getting to feel what this feels like, especially after all we've been through as a family together. She's coached me and been through a lot with me over the last year and a half. She's guided me into the person I am today."

Anna Leigh and Leigh looked comfortable early against Simone Jardim and Allison Harris, not facing much of a threat with an 11-5 win. Jardim and Harris would settle in, making the mother-daughter duo fight for every point before eventually losing 11-5 in the second set to end the match.

"I am not getting any younger, I'm just getting older," the 44-year-old Jardim said. "It's a privilege (to make it here)... The sky's the limit for this kid. She's only going to get better and more experienced. Age does play a number, but it doesn't play a role. I hope that mom continues to guide her through this because it's not easy. When you're at the top, everybody wants you to lose."

Waters and Johnson cakewalked their way to a mixed doubles win, defeating Andrei Daescu and Megan Fudge 11-2, 11-3. After trailing 1-0 early on in the opener, the two went on an 8-0 run and ended the match in 25 minutes.

Johnson's day looked to be heading to a split in the mixed doubles and male championships, but he and Dylan Frazier found a way against Daescu and Gabriel Tardio. The duo fended off a total of six break points from Daescu and Tardio that would have ended the match in straight sets, but fought back and scored three unanswered to win the second set and then cruised in the third set to win the match, 9-11, 12-10, 11-1.

Previous Photos:U.S. Open Pickleball Championships returns to Naples

It marks the duo's third straight win over Daescu and Tardio.

"It's incredible," Frazier said. "I remember watching this tournament when I was a 3.5 player, working my way up through the rankings. I was a fan on Saturdays, watching the Mintos."

Jardim, a longtime staple in the pickleball world as a multi-time US Open winner, announced a move to Nashville and will be leaving Naples, where she moved down from Michigan in the early years of the tournament. She was honored at midcourt with a ceremony and was presented with an award for her commitment to the tournament.

"I want to thank my family, my husband, my kids," Jardim said. "This life on the road, it takes a toll on everything, but we conquer, we survive. We are moving forward. Our lives changed forever. We were both working in Michigan, and we got phone call after phone call saying to move to Naples, and here we are.

"... You guys are like a family to me. You guys all are a part of my family, and you know it. We are moving, but we are not forgetting what's here."

Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.