U.S. Open Drama: Waters Duo Advances, Agassi Exits Pro Debut, Fudge Chases Rare Triple Crown
What's the Score?
The Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, provided plenty of drama and notable results as top players competed across various events. While tennis legend Andre Agassi's professional pickleball debut alongside world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters in mixed doubles ended with an early exit after a second-round loss, Waters herself successfully advanced to the women's pro doubles semifinals with her mother, Leigh Waters. Meanwhile, Megan Fudge, the APP's top-ranked woman, is making waves by reaching the semifinals in all three pro categories – singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles – keeping alive her chance for a rare triple crown at the event dubbed the "biggest pickleball party in the world".
Hit it deeper!
The U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, is living up to its billing as a major event on the pickleball calendar, featuring both established stars and intriguing new participants. A major storyline early in the tournament was the professional pickleball debut of eight-time tennis Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi. Agassi, who recently turned 55, teamed up with the current world No. 1 women's player, Anna Leigh Waters, in the mixed pro doubles bracket. The pair began their campaign on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, and successfully won their first match. However, their run was short-lived, as they were defeated in their second match by the team of Len Yang and Trang Huynh-McClain, resulting in their exit from the mixed doubles competition.
Despite her mixed doubles exit with Agassi, the 18-year-old Anna Leigh Waters remains a strong contender in the women's pro doubles. Waters is playing with her mother, Leigh Waters, and the duo is also the defending champion in this event. On Thursday, May 1, the mother-daughter pairing advanced to the semifinals with a convincing victory over Alexa Schull and Ava Cavataio, winning in straight games with scores of 11-2, 11-5. Their next challenge in the semifinals will be against the team of Daria Walczak and Allison Harris. Walczak and Harris earned their spot in the semis by narrowly defeating Bobbi Oshiro and Susannah Barr in a three-game match that finished 11-6, 3-11, 12-10.
Another prominent player having a remarkable tournament is Megan Fudge. Fudge, who holds the No. 1 ranking among women in the Association of Pickleball Players (APP), has put herself in contention for an impressive achievement: a triple crown. A triple crown in pickleball means winning singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at the same event. On Thursday, Fudge advanced to the semifinals in all three of these major categories. In women's pro doubles, she partnered with Jillian Braverman, and they defeated Nicole Eugenio and Riley Bohnert with scores of 11-2, 13-11. Fudge and Braverman's semifinal opponents will be Shelby Bates and Sofia Sewing. Bates and Sewing secured their spot with a dominant 11-2, 11-2 victory over Trang Huynh-McClain and Xiao Yi Wang-Beckvall.
In mixed pro doubles, Megan Fudge teamed up with Jack Munro. They were one of four teams remaining in the semifinals after a decisive 11-3, 11-0 win against Pei chuan Kao and Ryler DeHeart. Fudge and Munro are set to face the team of Sofia Sewing and Casey Diamond in their semifinal match. Sewing and Diamond advanced by defeating Nicole Eugenio and Kyle Koszuta 11-2, 11-6. Megan Fudge's success continued in women's pro singles. She faced Daria Walczak and posted eye-catching scores of 11-0, 20-18 to reach the semifinals. Her next opponent in the singles bracket is Simone Jardim, who advanced after a three-game match against Katerina Stewart, winning 12-10, 4-11, 11-9. The other women's singles semifinal features Bobbi Oshiro, who rallied past Pei chuan Kao 6-11, 11-5, 11-0, facing Amanda Hendry, who edged out Emilia Schmidt 11-8, 11-9.
Beyond the women's events, the men's singles competition is also heating up. Christopher Haworth, the silver medallist from 2024, is still in contention for gold, having beaten Frank Davis 11-6, 12-10 in the quarterfinals. Haworth's semifinal opponent will be Ammar Wazir, who was an 11-9, 11-6 winner over Eduardo Irizarry. The other half of the men's singles bracket includes Grayson Goldin, who won a three-game match against Armaan Bhatia (11-3, 8-11, 11-8), facing Ronan Camron, who received a direct pass into the semifinals due to opponent Patrick Kawka's withdrawal. In the mixed doubles event, besides the Fudge/Munro half of the bracket, the other semifinal match will feature Richard Livornese and Riley Bohnert against Mark Dancuart and Jillian Braverman. Livornese and Bohnert defeated Len Yang and Trang Huynh-McClain 11-7, 11-7, while Dancuart and Braverman topped Bobbi Oshiro and Andre Mick 11-6, 11-7.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The U.S. Open Pickleball Championships serves as a significant barometer for the state of professional pickleball, showcasing top talent and the sport's increasing visibility, partly evidenced by the participation of high-profile crossover athletes like Andre Agassi. While Agassi's early exit illustrates the competitive depth of professional pickleball even for world-class athletes from related sports, Anna Leigh Waters' continued dominance, particularly in women's doubles with her mother, reinforces her position at the top of the sport. Megan Fudge's pursuit of a triple crown is a major storyline, highlighting her versatility and form across all three disciplines and underscoring the level of athleticism and skill required to excel in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at a major event. The detailed results across the men's and women's draws indicate a wide field of competitive players vying for titles, suggesting a healthy and expanding professional tour. The mix of veteran presence (Leigh Waters, Simone Jardim, Agassi) and rising stars (Anna Leigh Waters, Megan Fudge, Christopher Haworth) points to a dynamic and evolving landscape in professional pickleball.