Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright have been dominant since teaming up earlier this season, playing in three tournaments together and winning each of them handily -- they have yet to drop even a single game in women's doubles.

As the PPA Tour heads into its closing stretch of tournaments in 2025 -- starting with this week's event in Las Vegas -- we wanted to take a look at which players/teams have the best chance of pulling off the upset, and what strategies they could use to find success.

Regardless of who is in front of them, Waters and Bright will be heavy favorites in every match for the remainder of the season. They have taken care of business against several formidable opponents already. Here are their score lines at the most recent PPA Tour event -- the Bristol Open:

Round of 32: 11-1, 11-0
Round of 16: 11-0, 11-0
Quarterfinals vs. Lea Jansen/Lacy Schneemann: 11-2, 11-4
Semifinals vs. Catherine Parenteau/Jackie Kawamoto: 11-2, 11-3
Finals vs. Rachel Rohrabacher/Jorja Johnson: 11-6, 11-3, 11-1

Based on the results thus far, defeating (and even coming close) will be a tough climb for any team. But is it doable? Possibly. Here's how:

Step 1: You need the right players

First, you need players with the right skillsets to get the job done. There are four players who stand out right now in this regard.

Jorja Johnson

If I were drafting a team to challenge Waters and Bright, Johnson would be my first selection.

I think she may be the only player who Waters worries about a bit when they are facing off. Here are the attributes Johnson brings:

- Fastest hands at the net (other than Waters)
- Incredible offensive vision and creativity
- Solid kitchen line game

As is common with offensive-minded players, the key for Johnson is to find the right balance of offense vs. consistency.

Tyra Black

My No. 2 pick is closer to a tossup between Black and Parris Todd. I went with Black here because of how her defense complements Johnson's play. In a Johnson/Black pairing, Johnson gets to take control with her offense while Black keeps rallies alive.

Black is, for my money, the best defensive player in pickleball (with Allyce Jones in the mix as well). Her hands are as good as most, and she possesses top-tier finishing power.

Black does get into trouble at times when she relies too heavily on extended flicks out of the air. It is a good shot, but only in moderation.

Black and Johnson have played two seasons together for the Dallas Flash in Major League pickleball, with much success in the season that just wrapped up. They were 26-6 this year, making them the third-best women's doubles team in the league behind Waters/Meghan Dizon (New Jersey) and Bright/Kate Fahey (St. Louis) in winning percentage among combos that played more than 10 matches.

But their results in PPA Tour tournaments have been more of a mixed bag. In three tournaments together this season, they have a gold (over Waters and Parenteau) and a bronze, but also a Round of 16 exit.

Johnson/Black are playing together again this week in Las Vegas and are the No. 3 seed. They could face Waters/Bright in the semifinals if both teams make it to that point.

Parris Todd

Todd could easily be No. 2 in the draft order. From my perspective, she has developed the most well-rounded game outside of Waters/Bright. She is also one of the most disciplined players in the sport.

While I am a huge fan of discipline, beating the top pair will require some disruption -- that is Johnson's terrain. I do not believe any team will succeed by attempting to simply outlast Waters/Bright.

Johnson and Todd have played one PPA Tour event together this season -- a quarterfinal exit at the Cape Coral Open.

Meanwhile, Todd and Black have played in seven tournaments together in 2025, with four bronze medals and one gold medal -- a win at the Texas Open over Callie Smith and Etta Tuionetoa.

Todd/Black did play Waters/Bright one time this season at the Atlanta Pickleball Championships in May, losing 11-2, 11-7 in the semifinals.

Rachel Rohrabacher

Rohrabacher is another offensively gifted player. She has a proven ability to break down opponents at the kitchen line with her dink movement and shape. She also has good finishing power, particularly from the backhand side.

To my eye, Rohrabacher plays best when she is trusted to do her job. A confident and flowing Rohrabacher, with the right partner, could be a tough out for Waters/Bright.

In the three PPA Tour tournaments since Bright dropped Rohrabacher to pair with Waters, Rohrabacher has played with Catherine Parenteau twice and Johnson once -- and she's made the final each time. The score lines:

Waters/Bright def. Johnson/Rorhrabacher 11-6, 11-3, 11-1
Waters/Bright def. Parenteau/Rohrabacher 11-2, 11-8, 11-8
Waters/Bright def. Parenteau/Rohrabacher 11-4, 11-7, 11-3

Step 2: Playing together enough to gel

Even with the right players, doubles pickleball remains a team sport. That means clarity on assignments, shot selection, strategy and middle coverage, as well as plain old team chemistry.

To beat the best, both players will need to play seamlessly, each knowing what the other is likely to do in different situations.

As of now, Johnson/Black and Black/Todd are the two combinations with the most experience together.

Step 3: Applying the right strategies

Here are three strategies that will give the challenging team the greatest chance of defeating Waters and Bright:

Return to Waters

Waters is the best off-ball attacker in the game -- man or woman. Allowing Bright to drive balls at you or hit topspin drops at your feet while Waters roams the middle is a recipe for disaster.

Most teams already return to Waters, but it is a big enough strategic item to merit the reminder. To have a chance against Waters, you must return to Waters.

Be first to act

Waters and Bright are both great offensive creators. They want to take the initiative and strike first. And they are very effective when allowed to dictate the rally.

The solution? Deny them the first-strike option. Instead, the challenging team must look for opportunities to attack (from even more marginal positions than they normally would) and take them.

A “wait and see” approach will not work against Waters/Bright. This may require the challenging team to dial their Attack-o-Meter beyond the setting they are typically accustomed to. But they are already big underdogs when they step on the court. Taking chances is warranted.

Pick your poison and target Bright

Other than the return of serve, hit every shot to Bright (almost every shot, as you’ll see). Bright is a phenomenal pickleball player. But ALW is other worldly. So if you are going to be beaten, make Bright be the one to beat you.

Targeting Bright serves three strategic purposes:

1. It puts pressure on her: In the past, Bright has usually not been the targeted player. Plus, she is playing with the best women's player on the planet. Any loss is going to fall on her shoulders (ask Parenteau about this pressure).

2. Waters may feel like she has to do more: If Bright misses a few shots, Waters may begin to take more court, reducing her effectiveness and creating uncertainly in Bright's mind.

3. The cycle may start feeding on itself: Bright misses a few shots and things get tight. Waters starts to overplay a bit. Bright now feels more pressure and misses a few more. Waters takes even more court. And so on.

To be clear here, though Bright is the target, some shots need to be hit behind Waters to keep her “honest.” Just think of this as a mixed doubles strategy where Waters is the male player.

Final thoughts

Can Waters/Bright be beaten? Difficult, but doable. The right team, with chemistry and clarity between them and applying the optimal strategies, certainly has a chance.

Tony Roig is a nationally-recognized coach, Sr. Pro Player, developer of “Respect the X” on the In2Pickle YouTube channel, and the voice behind the Pickleball Therapy podcast. Visit BetterPickleball.com for information on coaching from Tony and the BP team through their Camps, Academy, and No. 1 online training program: The Pickleball System.