Anna Leigh Waters Triumphs as PPA Hits 100 Events

Good morning, pickleballers!

It is the start of another week and so much good pickleball action has happened in the last 24 hours.

Get yourself up-to-speed with all the world pickleball news below.

 

👑 Anna Leigh Waters Shatters Records as PPA Tour Celebrates 100th Event at World Championships

North Texas, USA – The Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships concluded in dramatic fashion, serving not only as the PPA Tour’s historic 100th tournament but also as the stage for 18-year-old Anna Leigh Waters to cement her status as the sport's all-time greatest winner. The event, held at Brookhaven Country Club, was a massive celebration drawing 3,500 players and 55,000 spectators, a testament to the sport’s explosive growth since the inaugural PPA event in 2020.

PPA Tour Founder and CEO Connor Pardoe expressed astonishment at the tour’s rapid expansion, noting that reaching 100 events in less than five years reflects the "big team effort" and the special, community-driven nature of pickleball.

Waters achieved an incredible 38th Triple Crown at the championships. Her women’s singles victory over Kate Fahey (11-4, 12-10) was her 168th career gold medal, officially surpassing Ben Johns to become the winningest player in PPA Tour history. Waters has not lost a singles match in 529 days. Earlier in the day, she also clinched the Mixed Doubles title alongside Ben Johns, sweeping Jorja Johnson/JW Johnson (11-7, 11-4, 11-7) despite cold and windy conditions. Waters and Anna Bright also dominated the Women’s Doubles field, cruising past Parris Todd/Catherine Parenteau for their third consecutive title together.

In the men's professional division, Federico Staksrud secured a double gold. He won his second consecutive singles title, overcoming Chris Haworth (11-9, 11-1) and avenging six previous losses. This win propelled him to the top spot in the PPA Tour men’s singles rankings. Staksrud later teamed up with Hayden Patriquin to finally capture their first Men’s Doubles gold of the 2025 season after reaching four previous finals, defeating JW Johnson/CJ Klinger.

🇲🇾 Malaysia’s Pickleball Governance Crisis Deepens as Sports Commissioner Demands Action

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia’s reputation as perhaps the most robust and advanced pickleball scene in Asia is under threat as the Malaysia Pickleball Association (MPA), the national governing body, faces severe controversies regarding governance and transparency. These issues have become critical, prompting intervention from Malaysia’s Sports Commissioner’s Office.

The governance crisis centres on the abrupt resignation of former MPA president Farrell Choo in July, who subsequently appointed Delima Ibrahim as his successor. This move drew internal criticism, as the MPA bylaws reportedly stipulate that Deputy President Harmeet Singh should have been next in line. Singh filed a complaint with the Sports Commissioner’s Office, leading to a meeting on 9 October 2025. Five days later, the Deputy Sports Commissioner furnished the MPA with a notice requiring the association to resolve its internal squabble by 14 January 2026 or face deregistration. The requirements include holding an Annual General Meeting, conducting elections for a new main committee, and adhering to the association’s valid constitution.

Adding to the woes is a serious transparency issue: the MPA’s official systems and websites (mpaportal.com and malaysiapickleball.my) are reportedly developed, owned, and controlled by a private external vendor, Fenix Digital. This setup, highlighted in a Change.org petition, raises concerns about governance, conflicts of interest, and the risk that the MPA could lose its member and tournament data, along with its digital infrastructure, if disputes arise. Furthermore, giving external access to member data could potentially violate Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 2010, making the MPA liable for misuse or loss. The looming threat of deregistration underscores the urgent need for the MPA to fix its internal problems.

JOOLA and Andre Agassi Launch ‘Let’s Play!’ Program, Targeting Global Pickleball Access

United States – Global pickleball brand JOOLA and tennis icon-turned-pickleball ambassador Andre Agassi have teamed up once more to launch the Agassi x JOOLA Let's Play! programme, an initiative designed to expand access to pickleball and create opportunities for the next generation of players, particularly those in underserved areas.

The program, first announced at the 2025 Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships, operates on a powerful giving model: for every paddle purchased from the Agassi x JOOLA collection on JOOLA.com, the partnership will donate one Agassi Champion paddle to a selected non-profit organisation.

"Let's Play! is about more than paddles; it's about people," stated Andre Agassi. "It's about building community, opening doors, and paying it forward so everyone has the chance to experience the incredible energy this sport creates".

The initiative officially starts on Giving Tuesday, 2 December 2025, in the US. The first non-profit recipient will be Levelling the Playing Field, an organisation dedicated to redistributing new and gently used sports equipment to youth and recreation programs in under-resourced communities. While the program begins exclusively in the US, JOOLA and Agassi have future plans for global expansion. Richard Lee, CEO and Owner of JOOLA, echoed Agassi’s sentiment, noting that the goal of the program is to "break down barriers and help the sport reach every neighbourhood".

🌍 World Pickleball League Draft Goes Global: 114 Players Selected Across Five Continents

India – The World Pickleball League (WPL) is set to significantly expand its international footprint with the Season 2 Player Draft, which is proudly "Going Truly Global". The WPL announced that the world is indeed "Coming to India!" as the league prepares for its second season.

The draft pool for Season 2 comprises 114 players. Notably, this talent is drawn from a broad geographic spread, representing 24 countries. In a remarkable display of international reach, the participating players hail from 5 continents, signalling a major step toward globalising the professional league.

We will bring you the outcome of the draft very soon!

🏆 Mijas Open Gold Rush: Méndez and De Rueda Double Up on Pickle Pro Tour

Mijas, Spain – The fifth stop on the circuit, the Mijas Open 2025, concluded with spectacular finals held at the Gran Parque de La Costa del Sol, seeing multiple athletes claim double gold medals.

In the Women’s Singles final, Madrid’s Sabrina Méndez proved dominant against María Pintor, securing the title with scores of 21-10 and 21-9. Méndez continued her success in the Women’s Doubles, where she partnered with Pintor to defeat María Costantino and Eleana Rodino in a thrilling final (21-19, 21-16). This victory marked Méndez’s sixth gold medal and Pintor’s first gold on the Pickle Pro Tour.

Barcelona player Ignasi de Rueda had a career-defining performance, achieving a dual gold medal haul. He first secured his inaugural individual final win on the tour, staging a great comeback against Alexander Serrano in a tight three-game match (19-21, 22-20, 22-21). De Rueda then partnered with Britain’s Joshua Bright to conquer the Men’s Doubles category, defeating Jesús García and David Illescas (21-19, 22-20). For Bright, this marked his first gold medal on the tour.

The Mixed Doubles title went to local player María Costantino and Pep Canyadell, who narrowly defeated De Rueda and Eleana Rodino (21-18, 21-18) in a tightly contested match that thrilled the audience.

🌟 Pickleball Epicentre Established: Selangor Opens First Purpose-Built Hub During Paramount Cup 2025

Selangor, Malaysia – Selangor proved its status as a rising pickleball powerhouse last week by hosting the elite-level Paramount Cup 2025 tournament, coinciding with the grand opening of the world-class Playa Racquet Club @ PARC Subang. The Playa Racquet Club is notably Malaysia’s first purpose-built pickleball hub featuring international-level facilities.

The Paramount Cup 2025 gathered approximately 700 players and hundreds of fans, offering a substantial prize pool of RM112,500 across 17 categories for novice, pro, and senior players. The competition drew significant international attention, with top players descending on Selangor, including India’s Vanshik Kapadia, Australia’s Kyle Stoker, the US’s Roman Estareja and Jas Almaguer, Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-Chieh, and Korea’s Mihae Kwon.

The tournament produced exciting results with a strong international showing. India’s Tejas Mahajan secured Open 19+ Men’s Singles Gold. Mahajan doubled up by taking Open 19+ Men’s Doubles Gold with partner Vanshik Kapadia. In Open 19+ Mixed Doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh/Vanshik claimed gold. The Open 19+ Women's Doubles gold went to Hsieh Yu-Chieh/Chang Maggie.

Chee Siew Pin, CEO at Paramount Property, highlighted the tournament's success, stating that seeing Malaysian players compete against top international talent fulfils the vision of creating "a platform that celebrates competition, community, and connection". Brian Choo, Director at Playa Racquet Club, affirmed that the venue, designed to blend sport and lifestyle, was a fitting host for the world-class event.

⚡ Challenger Showdown Victory Earns Connor Mogle PPA Tour Contract

North Texas, USA – Michigan-based player Connor Mogle achieved a career-defining win by clinching the men’s singles title at the PPA Tour Challenger Showdown, earning him a highly sought-after PPA Tour contract. The event, held at Brookhaven Country Club, marked the grand finale of the inaugural PPA Challenger Series season.

Mogle secured the gold medal with a dominant performance, defeating Matthew Finnerty 11-1, 11-2. Mogle stated that the contract was the culmination of significant effort and a major life change; after being laid off from his job in May, he decided to "throw everything into pickleball".

Previously juggling full-time work with limited training, Mogle now dedicates his entire schedule to the sport, including four hours daily of drilling and singles/doubles practice, plus recovery sessions. He credits his rapid development to training with top-tier professionals like Lea Jansen, who praised Mogle’s "tremendous power and quickness" and predicted he "just keeps improving". Thrilled by the achievement, Mogle noted he is "super excited" to now play on the big tour.