Waters Dominates Atlanta Pickleball! Johns Secures Double Crown
The Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships delivered a high-octane finals showdown, as stars like Anna Leigh Waters, Ben Johns, Gabe Tardio, and Christopher Haworth rose to the occasion and proved why they sit at the top of the game. With intense rallies, clinical serving, and relentless pressure from challengers, Championship Sunday was defined as much by the numbers as by the moments.
Key Takeaways from Atlanta:
- Anna Leigh Waters clinched an unprecedented "treble" (three gold medals), cementing her status as the sport's biggest star.
- Ben Johns showcased his enduring class with a commanding "double" title victory, proving his consistency at the top.
- The event solidified their positions as the sport's reigning forces, pushing the boundaries of competitive pickleball.
- Atlanta delivered thrilling matches and unforgettable championship moments, captivating fans worldwide.
A Glimpse into Greatness
From clinical finishes in mixed, men’s, women’s doubles to straight-set statements in singles, the finals were defined by precision, control, and relentless consistency under pressure, with champions extending streaks and challengers pushing moments of resistance but never breaking through—leaving Anna Leigh Waters atop the podium three times when the dust settled in Atlanta.
A closer look at the winners and the defining numbers behind an unforgettable Championship Sunday (Monday, Asia time):
MIXED DOUBLES FINAL:
(1) Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns def, (3) Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4.
- Waters and Johns have won five straight titles at this venue.
- Waters and Johns’s 14th title this season and 63rd overall
- Waters and Johns had fewer Dinks into the net or wide, 8-2.
- Bright and Patriquin is one of three teams to beat Waters and Johns in a final.
- Patriquin hit 38 of his team’s 42 Third Shots.
- Longest rally: 46 shots.
MEN’S DOUBLES FINAL:
(1) Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio def. (13) Roscoe Bellamy and Connor Garnett, 11-5, 11-7, 11-2.
- Johns and Tardio’s 15th title this year and 17th overall.
- Johns and Tardio have won a record seven consecutive Men’s Doubles titles.
- Tardio’s 26 overall gold medals is tied for third all-time among men with Federico Staksrud.
- First Men’s Doubles medal for Bellamy; fourth for Garnett.
- Tardio had a match-high 14 Clean Winners.
- Johns and Tardio had more Clean Winners, 24-14.
- Longest rally: 38 shots.
WOMEN’S DOUBLES FINAL:
(1) Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters def. (2) Tyra Black and Jorja Johnson, 11-3, 11-4, 11-0.
- Bright and Waters’s 14th title this season and 22nd overall.
- Bright and Waters had no errors on Serves, Returns, or Third Shots.
- Bright was the only player with no Dinks into the net or wide.
- Black hit 29 of her team’s 32 Third Shots.
- Longest rally: 43 shots.
MEN’S SINGLES FINAL:
(1) Christopher Haworth def. (22) Tama Shimabukuro, 11-5, 11-1.
- Haworth’s fourth title this season and seventh overall.
- Haworth’s seven titles are one behind Hunter Johnson’s eight for third place all-time.
- First PPA medal for Shimabukuro.
- Haworth had more Clean Winners, 13-4.
- Haworth had fewer Return errors, 6-2.
- Longest rally: 17 shots.
WOMEN’S SINGLES FINAL:
(1) Anna Leigh Waters def. (2) Kate Fahey, 12-10, 11-5.
- Waters’s 12th title this season and 63rd overall.
- Waters is 52-0 in Finals since losing in June 2022 (Todd, Orange County)
- Waters has won 25 consecutive tournaments she has entered.
- Waters is 11-0 in finals vs Fahey.
- Fahey had two game points in Game One, 10-8 and 10-9.
- Longest rally: 17 shots.
