Anna Leigh Waters reigned amid the rain, though Chris Haworth established himself as a major force on Championship Sunday at the Professional Pickleball Association’s Virginia Beach Cup.
The nor’easter that pummeled the East Coast forced the schedule to be altered on the main court at the massive Pickleball Virginia Beach facility off Birdneck Road, but the hardy fans who packed the grandstand and braved the cool afternoon saw Waters try to repeat as a champion in all three of her divisions.
So far, Waters has earned titles in mixed and women’s doubles, but her singles final was postponed until Monday. It will follow the men’s doubles final, which was suspended until 9 Monday morning. It will be shown on PickleballTV.
Play began shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, about two hours later than scheduled, because of rain and a wet court. Action stopped several times thereafter amid occasional mists as workers dried the surface.
Waters is ranked No. 1 in the world in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The 18-year-old from Delray Beach, Florida, showed why.
In the mixed final, she and Ben Johns defeated the No. 2 seeds, JW Johnson and his sister Jorja, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.
Men’s singles followed, when 15th-seeded Haworth, of Edmond, Oklahoma, overcame fourth-seeded Christian Alshon 11-8, 12-10 for his first title since becoming a full-time pro.
Alshon, a former Virginia Cavaliers tennis player who transferred and starred for the Division III University of Chicago, held a game point in the second game but couldn’t force a third.
“Shout-out to the crowd,” Haworth said on the PickleballTV broadcast. “That was an incredible atmosphere after like 30 delays. He’s one of the best players in the world. I had to bring my A-game, and a couple points went my way.”
Then came women’s doubles, where Waters and Anna Bright beat No. 2 Jorja Johnson and Rachel Rohrabacher 11-3, 11-1, 11-3.Waters said the doubles title meant the most to her.
“It had been a couple of tournaments since we found the trophy,” Waters said after the pair won a title for the first time since Aug. 10 in Bristol, Tennessee.
Bright added, “I’m really glad to show that we’re here to stay.”
Men’s doubles was next, with top-seeded Johns and Gabriel Tardio facing No. 4 JW Johnson and CJ Klinger. Johns and Tardio were leading 11-2, 12-10, 5-6 before the last rain delay. Organizers gave up for the night at about 7:30 and postponed everything else.
After the finish of men’s doubles, Waters will take on fourth-seeded Brooke Buckner, a 33-year-old from near Charlotte, for the women’s singles gold.
Unlike tennis, prize money is more lucrative per player in doubles.
Both singles champions made $3,330 apiece, and the runners-up will gain $1,832. But in men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, the champs split $9,000 and the second-place finishers divided $4,950. Money went down to players who made the round of 16 in each bracket.
