We May Have a Contender for Pickleball Doubles Match of the Year
Last Edited
Oct 15 2024
Category
News
"One of the BEST doubles matches I've seen in a very long time."
"That match was pure emotion. Enjoyed the heck out of it."
"Anyone that says pro pickleball is not good as a televised sport I'm going to link them to this game."
These are just a few of the strong reactions in our Facebook Group to a doubles match between Anna Leigh Waters/Catherine Parenteau and Rachel Rohrabacher/Anna Bright at the PPA Tour Rate Championships.
In what some are already calling the "Match of the Year," Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau secured a stunning 10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 12-10 victory over Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher at the Rate Championships.
This five-game marathon between the top two women’s teams was a showcase of speed, strategy, and sheer willpower.
Right from the start, this was no ordinary match. Waters and Parenteau came out aggressive, taking a quick lead in Game 1, but Bright and Rohrabacher responded with fierce hands battles at the net, claiming the first game 12-10.
Bright’s aggressive one-handed backhand flick and Rohrabacher’s perfectly placed offensive lobs kept Waters and Parenteau on their toes.
As Game 3 rolled around, Bright and Rohrabacher unleashed their best play, pulling off an 11-6 win, showcasing Bright’s blistering backhands and Rohrabacher’s strategic lobs.
Waters and Parenteau seemed to be on the back foot, but like the champions they are, they flipped the script in Game 4, mirroring the previous game’s scoreline with an 11-6 win of their own.
The Most Exciting Game of the Match
However, it was the fifth game that cemented this as one of the all-time great matches.
Down 7-2, Waters and Parenteau looked to be out of gas, but they staged an incredible comeback, reeling off seven unanswered points with relentless drives and brilliant net play.
Bright and Rohrabacher weren’t done, though, clawing back to 10-10, earning a championship point of their own.
In a back-and-forth exchange at 10-10, Waters makes a crucial error with a long shot, giving Bright and Rohrabacher a championship point opportunity, but they fail to capitalize as Waters takes control with aggressive net play.
Clip:
This wasn’t just another victory for Waters and Parenteau. It was a reminder of why they are the world’s No. 1 team—poise under pressure and the ability to turn defense into offense.
Read Next: Anna Leigh Waters Has the Highest Salary in Pro Pickleball
The match had it all: blazing speed, strategic brilliance, and edge-of-your-seat drama.
This could very well be the match that defines 2024 in women’s pro pickleball.
Watch the match from start to finish here:
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