Could 18-Year-Old Pickleball 'Queen' Waters Become the Next 'Serena Williams'?

At just 18 years old, Anna Leigh Waters is a regular at the top of the PPA Tour rankings, the premier professional pickleball circuit in the United States, and also a top earner on the United Pickleball Association (UPA) payroll, with annual on- and off-court earnings totaling seven figures.

Anna Leigh Waters' former agent, Kelly Wolf, told Forbes that Waters earned over $3 million in 2024.

As early as age 15, she had already become the world No. 1 in pickleball. She is a "phenomenal player" in the sport, often called the "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT) in pickleball, and is steadily growing her commercial influence.

Dominance in Pickleball

Anna Leigh Waters started playing pickleball at age 10. At 12, she became the youngest professional player in pickleball history. Now, she dominates singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, holding the world No. 1 ranking in all three disciplines.

Waters' annual salary from the UPA exceeds $2 million, tying her with Ben Johns, the No. 1 in men's doubles and mixed doubles on the PPA Tour, as the highest-paid player in the association. The UPA is currently renegotiating player contracts, planning to shift the compensation structure to a "prize money-centric" model, replacing the "fixed salary system" introduced in 2023. UPA CEO Connor Pardoe stated that Waters' status as the "league's highest earner" will not change.

Waters' current agent, Ryan Harwood, said: "She is the Tiger Woods, the Serena Williams of pickleball. I think she is a once-in-a-generation talent. She has all three advantages: age, dominance, and commercial value."

Ryan Harwood's connection with Waters began in 2023, when Waters was first drafted by the New Jersey 5s. Now, he has become a key member of Waters' "inner circle."

Other members of the "inner circle" include: Waters' parents and grandparents, her traveling strength coach Dr. Ashton Tyree, trainer Brandon Oakes, and driver Eric Wooley.

The Mastermind: VaynerSports

Multiple brand partnerships for Waters have been facilitated by VaynerSports in the past four months.

Earlier this year, Waters switched her agency from Octagon to VaynerSports, and her agent Ryan Harwood is also a consultant at VaynerSports.

VaynerSports currently represents 250 athletes across the NFL, MLB, UFC, NBA, college sports, esports, and surfing, including pickleball players. Under Ryan Harwood's leadership, the agency now handles all of Waters' affairs: from player contracts and brand partnerships to social media account management.

Ryan Harwood revealed that Waters' apparel partnership with Fila and paddle partnership with Paddletek are among her highest-earning deals, and both are set to expire at the end of this year.

Above: Waters at the FILA pop-up store in New York

Above: Waters promoting Cetaphil on her personal Instagram

Waters commented: "It's exciting. This is the first time I've had both apparel and paddle deals expiring at the same time, so we're having interesting conversations with many different, exciting companies across various sectors. I don't think there's a 'wrong choice'; I'm just keeping an open mind."

Ryan Harwood stated that Waters' annual off-court earnings are in the "mid-seven figures," comparable to top-ranked female tennis players. However, he cautioned: "Whether in men's or women's pickleball, the world No. 1 is definitely an 'outlier.'

Their earning power is on a completely different level from other players. From No. 1 to No. 2, there's a significant drop; from No. 2 to No. 3, No. 3 to No. 4, No. 4 to No. 5, there's a substantial drop at each level — and beyond that, the decline is 'cliff-like.' The top five players all earn well, but the gaps between them are enormous."

Expanding Brand Partnership Portfolio

Success in her professional field has brought Waters a wealth of commercial partnerships, currently including:

• Delta Air Lines
• Food delivery platform DoorDash
• Energy bar brand RXBar
• Eyewear manufacturer Pilla
• Feminine care brand U By Kotex
• Beauty retailer Ulta Beauty
• ...

Waters said: "I'm very selective about my partners; I have to make sure I genuinely like the product. Audiences can easily tell which products you naturally use and genuinely recommend, and which are just paid posts."

The partnership with Ulta Beauty is a classic example of Waters' personal preferences driving marketing opportunities — Waters has used Ulta Beauty since childhood. Under the deal, the Ulta logo will appear on Waters' competition gear, and she will join Ulta's "Women Athlete Ambassador Alliance" launching early next year.

Ulta Beauty's Chief Marketing Officer, Kelly Mahoney, said: "Anna Leigh's achievements in pickleball at such a young age are inherently compelling — and that aligns perfectly with her image as an 'inspirational role model' and the value she can bring to our vast community of beauty enthusiasts. Plus, pickleball itself is a sport almost anyone can play, which we also find valuable."

UPA CEO Connor Pardoe also noted that in UPA's discussions with sponsors, Waters is a "key factor" in attracting partnerships. For example, DoorDash, the title sponsor of the Major League Pickleball, directly stated that if they were to deepen the partnership, they wanted Anna Leigh to star in the brand's commercials.

Future Plans: Beyond the Court

Beyond competing and direct brand partnerships, Waters said she has also considered equity investments in companies with a "pickleball-centric" business, but acknowledged it's a long-term plan.

In the short term, her most interesting entrepreneurial direction is "content creation." This month, she plans to launch a dedicated YouTube channel centered around her main off-court hobby — cooking.

Waters also uses travel time to promote pickleball. She will soon participate in the "Pickleball World Championships" at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, an UPA-organized event that attracted 57,000 spectators last year.

Earlier this year, Waters made a high-profile appearance on the red carpet at the ESPY Awards. By 2026, she plans to travel to more international regions for promotion, including a possible Asia tour (the UPA has begun expanding events in Asia).

Above: Waters wearing a Victoria Beckham gown at this year's ESPY red carpet

Waters believes: "Participating in these events is a 'two-for-one' deal. It helps both my personal brand grow and advances the sport. I've always been focused on 'promoting pickleball' because I love it so much, and I think anyone who tries it will love it too."

｜Source: Sports Business Journal, 11 PICKLES

｜Image Source: Personal Instagram Account