Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters Aim for Slam Sweep at Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships
Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters Aim for Historic Slam Sweep at Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships
Atlanta, GA — In a dazzling display of skill and determination, top seeds Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters have secured their spots in all five finals at the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships, setting the stage for a potential Slam sweep. The dynamic duo showcased their dominance on Saturday, advancing through the mixed doubles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and both singles finals.
In the mixed doubles semifinal, Johns and Waters made quick work of the ninth-seeded pair, Andrei Daescu and Tina Pisnik, with a commanding score of 11-2, 11-6. They are now set to face Christian Alshon and Etta Tuioneatoa in the gold medal match, where they will aim to continue their winning streak.
Waters, who recently teamed up with Anna Bright after parting ways with previous partners Catherine Parenteau and Rachel Rohrabacher, celebrated her first tournament final with Bright. In a dramatic twist, Waters and Bright will face off against their former partners, Parenteau and Rohrabacher, in the women’s doubles final on Sunday. The new pairing of Waters and Bright defeated the third-seeded duo of Tyra Black and Parris Todd in straight games (11-2, 11-7), while Parenteau and Rohrabacher overcame ninth-seeded Kate Fahey and Tina Pisnik with scores of 11-9, 11-6.
As Waters eyes a treble, she will compete against Fahey, the North Carolina Open champion, in the women’s singles final. Waters reached this stage after defeating fourth-seeded Parris Todd 11-2, 11-9, while Fahey secured her spot with an 11-2, 11-6 victory over seventh seed Catherine Parenteau.
Johns, shaking off the recent Major League Pickleball (MLP) Columbus controversy, also aims for a treble. He and partner Gabe Tardio avenged their earlier defeat to third seeds Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu, winning 10-12, 11-3, 11-4 to reach the men’s doubles final. They will face JW Johnson and CJ Klinger, who triumphed over Dylan Frazier and Dekel Bar in a nail-biting semifinal.
In the men’s singles, Johns secured his final spot with a hard-fought victory over second seed Hunter Johnson, winning 7-11, 11-3, 11-8. He will meet Connor Garnett, who breezed past eighth seed Dylan Frazier with an 11-6, 11-3 win.
As Championship Sunday approaches, all eyes will be on Johns and Waters as they strive for an unprecedented Slam sweep, a feat that would solidify their status as legends in the sport of pickleball. The excitement is palpable as fans eagerly await the thrilling finals that promise to deliver unforgettable moments on the court.
