Archive · 25 Jun 2025
Pickleball Star Anna Leigh Waters Reflects on 'Worst Day' Loss
Imagine you're the best at a game, like Anna Leigh Waters is at pickleball.
Sometimes, even the best have a bad day.
Once, she lost a match and got really upset, cheering like she was happy to lose!
She realized she'd been feeling a lot of pressure.
She'd been reading mean comments and felt stressed.
She learned from it, and now she handles losses much better, being a good sport and shaking hands with her opponent.
Anna Leigh Waters, a top pickleball player, discussed a rare loss in 2023.
Waters lost to Hurricane Tyra Black, leading to an uncharacteristic outburst.
The outburst stemmed from pressure, negativity, and self-doubt during a tournament.
Waters admitted to feeling 'psychotic' and relieved after the loss.
She learned from the experience, now handling losses more gracefully and apologizing to Black.
- Who
- Anna Leigh Waters, Hurricane Tyra Black, and Leigh Waters.
- What
- Anna Leigh Waters discussed a tough loss and her reaction to it.
- When
- The event happened in 2023; the discussion was on a podcast.
- Where
- The Takeya Showcase in pickleball.
- Why
- Waters felt immense pressure from social media and the desire to maintain a winning streak.
Waters' Perspective
N/A
Pressure and Negativity
Waters' Perspective
Felt intense pressure and negativity.
N/A
N/A
- Athlete
- Anna Leigh Waters
- Sport
- Pickleball
- Event
- Takeya Showcase
- Opponent
- Hurricane Tyra Black
- Waters' Ranking
- No. 1 on PPA Tour
- Waters' Age (at the time)
- 16