Another source of perspective travels with her too: Archer, her Bernedoodle.
Last November, Archer arrived just before the Pickleball World Championships, during a particularly stressful stretch of the season. Waters had been asking for another dog after losing a previous pet, but her parents initially said no. Eventually, her mom saw how much pressure was building and agreed it might be the right moment.
Archer quickly became part of Waters’ routine.“ I felt like I triplecrowned at Worlds because I was really happy,” she says.
“ If I lose,” she adds,“ Archer doesn’ t know. He doesn’ t care. He loves me anyway.”
Archer has become something of a celebrity himself— and even landed a PetSmart sponsorship through social media. At tournaments, Waters says, fans often approach Archer first.
She is paying close attention to the next generation entering the sport.
Many current professionals transitioned from tennis in their 20s. The next wave of players is different— kids learning pickleball from the beginning, developing strokes and strategy native to the game.
When Waters first started competing, she was often the only junior at tournaments. Now juniors are appearing across the draws. Youth development is something she hopes to influence as her partnerships evolve.
Then there are the crossover events designed to introduce pickleball to broader audiences.
Pickleball Slam 4, returning April 15 at 7 p. m. ET in Hollywood, Florida, and broadcast live on ESPN, pairs Waters and Genie Bouchard against tennis legends Andre Agassi and James Blake for a $ 1 million purse.
Events like that blur the line between exhibition and competition while continuing the sport’ s longrunning conversation with tennis.
Looking ahead, Waters isn’ t certain how long she will play professionally. She can imagine competing for
ARCHER LIVING HIS BEST LIFE— PICKLEBALL ROYALTY’ S FAVORITE PUP.
several more years, though she understands the intensity of tour life.
If she eventually steps away, she believes she might need a break before returning to the sport recreationally.
Ten years from now, Waters hopes people can say two things:“ I hope they say I’ m the greatest pickleball player ever,” she smiles.“ But just as important, I hope they say I helped grow the sport and helped grow the youth.” •
Laura Gainor is the founder and CEO of Pickleball in the Sun, a premier marketing agency and lifestyle brand specializing in the pickleball industry. With over six years of experience in the sport, she helps brands and destinations thrive within the growing pickleball community.
34 TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL 412.914.8294 OR GO TO PICKLEBALLMAGAZINE. COM