Historic Day at PPA Masters as Waters Shines and Titles Are Decided in Rancho Mirage

Pickleball continues to make noise, and Sunday's PPA Masters in Rancho Mirage proved exactly why.

Some of the best pickleball players in the world took the court in front of hundreds of fans, delivering high-level competition across multiple championship matches. In the Women’s Doubles Championship, the fourth-ranked Kawamoto sisters faced the top-ranked duo of Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright. The Kawamotos battled hard, extending rallies and keeping points alive with consistent dinks, but Waters and Bright’s power and persistence ultimately prevailed as they claimed the title in three games.

On the men’s side, the Men’s Singles Championship featured a dramatic showdown between sixth-ranked Christopher Haworth and seventh-ranked Jack Sock. The match was a grind from start to finish, filled with long, exhausting rallies that had even spectators feeling worn out. Early on, it was clear the crowd was pulling for Sock, but Haworth stayed composed and closed out the match in straight games, winning 11–8 in both. On the final point, Sock went down with an injury but was able to get back up, and Haworth raised the trophy as he continues his push toward the elusive number-one ranking.

That top ranking currently belongs to Ben Johns, who teamed up once again with Anna Leigh Waters for the Mixed Doubles Championship. They faced Anna Bright and Hayden Petriquin in a matchup that showcased just how small—and competitive—the pickleball world can be. Just an hour earlier, Bright and Waters were teammates. This time, they were battling on opposite sides of the net.

Bright and Petriquin came out strong, taking a two-games-to-one lead. But Johns and Waters refused to go away, rallying to force a decisive fifth game. With key adjustments at the kitchen line and more controlled dinking, they flipped the momentum and closed it out, earning their 58th mixed doubles title together.

After the match, Waters explained the shift: by keeping dinks lower and limiting their opponents’ ability to dictate play, she and Johns were able to take control and become more aggressive at the line.

The day was historic not only for the competition, but for the sport itself. Earlier this week, Anna Leigh Waters became Nike’s first-ever signed pickleball athlete. She capped off the milestone in storybook fashion, also winning the Women’s Singles Championship and securing the 40th triple crown of her career.

A landmark day for pickleball, and one that shows the sport’s momentum is only growing.