Anna Leigh Waters Will Be Back in Manila on December 9
Anna Leigh Waters is coming back to Manila. The world No. 1 pickleball player wrapped her first visit to the Philippines on October 15, and her return is already on the calendar.
Three days of pickleball in Manila
Waters headlined the Franklin Asia Pickleball Showcase, which ran October 13 to 15. Franklin Sports organized it as the first stop of a multi-country tour. Local fans got a rare chance to watch the sport’s top player up close.
The visit ended with a press luncheon at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, co-presented by Franklin Sports and IAM Worldwide. Her parents, Stephen and Leigh Waters, were there. Sportscaster Boom Gonzalez hosted.
The paddle and the plans
Waters talked about her Franklin C45° Aurelius Signature Paddle and a blacked-out prototype she has used in recent tournament wins. Franklin’s plans include supporting regional tournaments and youth clinics, and distributing equipment through major Philippine sports retailers.
IAM Worldwide introduced her as its Global Sports Ambassador. She showed her daily health routine, which uses the brand’s organic barley products, and shared samples of its barley gummies.
A country that picked up the paddle fast
Philippine pickleball participation is reported to be up 1,213 percent year over year. Jared Franklin, the company’s Head of International, said: “The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing pickleball markets in the world.”
Waters is 19 and ranked No. 1 in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. She recently completed a Triple Gold sweep in the United States and has more than 200 PPA titles.
December 9 is next
She returns for the IAM Worldwide Pickleball Showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on December 9. Celebrities and performers are part of the program. She also continues the Franklin showcase in Malaysia and Hong Kong.
