LEA JANSEN: EMERGING FROM THE STATIC
If you enjoy watching pro pickleball you may find it exasperating to watch Lea Jansen when she seems to be giving herself a mental breakdown, behavior that we all hope she learns to control. In a recent match against Genie Bouchard her overall performance was affected by such a breakdown and she may have suffered for hours after she had left the court. How unfortunate that many are drawn to her flareups of one sort or another. It is also unfortunate that some take pleasure in seeing others’ troubles and dysfunction and even root for it. Warped thinking, but people think it. In Lea’s case, she’s too good a player to come unglued the way she does. In interviews she has said she is working on that part of her game. Another burden for her to carry on the court—her everyday struggle with diabetes—may be darkening her attitude and stifling her game. Understandable.
As far as the match itself is concerned, in a short time she becomes irritable and frazzled, her best stuff hidden away and waiting to be unleashed. And what a sight to behold when her shots are executed with smooth technique and she has confidence in her strokes. Though in this contest Bouchard takes an early and substantial lead, Jansen, a top singles player, has the skills and experience to keep the match closer, if only she could rid herself of the everpresent static between mind and body. During the course of this semifinal match at the 2025 Pickleball Central Sacramento Vintage Open, commentator Adam Stone makes several points that most observers would no doubt agree with. Watch and listen, see if you concur.
When Lea concentrates on playing smart points and keeping at bay her inner demons she proves herself a player of merit, one of the best in the major leagues. Facing Bouchard, her volleys at the net, her passes, drops, and rolls, are all near perfect. Look at what happens when she is losing by six points in game two. She seems to fend off those poisonous thoughts and emotions while engineering a comeback, almost tying the score. A calmer, more controlled Jansen might have won the match; game one might have been closer. Pure speculation, but no harm in doing so when considering her career statistics as a pickleball player. Credit and congratulations must go to Genie Bouchard not only for playing well and playing clean but also for making it to Championship Sunday.
Like her or not, Lea is a fine pickleball player, a PPA standout, a medalist who has earned and sustained high ranking and beaten other marquee players like herself. She has had significant achievements, memorable matches, unforgettable victories. Fans and players alike know what she is capable of and how much she pushes herself to get better and win. And by all accounts her work ethic is that of a champion. If you watch enough of her matches, though, you come to realize that at any moment she may go to war with herself and, sometimes, with others. All you can do when that happens is hope that she will self-correct and play to her potential—and not wish for her downfall. Lea at her best could beat anybody and make it look like an ordinary day at work. Here in the semifinal match, when her troubled mind is quiet and her command of her craft is absolute, points pile up fast. But when dark clouds bear down and smother her whole, well, she goes haywire.
Lea, keep trying. Wishing her success and balance.
“GOLD” PLAY ON A “BRONZE” COURT
With shadows fixed on both sides of the court and the sun strong and the unblemished sky welcoming, Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright played Parris Todd and Catherine Parenteau in the bronze-medal match at the 2025 PPA Veolia Cincinnati Showcase, a match that, judging by pace and intensity alone, could have been a gold-medal event. The difference for this battle, near-empty stands, didn’t stop the few spectators from shouting at the players words of encouragement while the athletes performed as if this match were their last, momentum shifts favoring both teams.
Both teams came out with aggression—one firefight after another, longish points of razzle and dazzle, the audience appreciating the spectacle. Watching four elite players do battle and giving the fans a show may have one wondering why so many stayed away. The players train long and hard to compete at the highest level. For them it must have been a disappointment to have next to nothing in terms of support. And what a giant loss for the fans who paid to see the best athletes at work only to skip a medal match whose overall intensity never abated. It is possible, though, that bronze matches run at the same time as gold. Maybe there is an extra charge for bronze matches. Perhaps there are circumstances that could explain the numerous empty seats. Nevertheless, those who didn’t attend missed one heck of a competition, a 25-minute swordfight!
Toward the end of the first game Todd and Parenteau, behind by eight points, started on a run, counterattacks, Waters-Bright errors and other things giving them a boost, and, in turn, making their opponents work as hard as they ever have to get to eleven. Game two: both teams showed even more spirit and pluck. Again Waters and Bright dominated early having found their rhythm, their focus trained on the bullseye. But with the score 6-0 and about five minutes left, Parris and Catherine, warriors til the end, started slashing away, reducing Waters’s and Bright’s lead to two. What a stretch! Todd and Parenteau forced the number-one team to reach peak performance to close the match.
Much as the ladies gave the audience world-class pickleball, the lifeless bleachers were an eyesore. If that is what happens when bronze medals are to be won, too bad. The sport, the players, deserve better. In fact, Parris Todd, Catherine Parenteau, Anna Leigh Waters, and Anna Bright should be commended for going full engines and not slacking off when they could have. That kind of effort is an inspiration. That kind of pride should be on display no matter the job. Remember, somebody is always watching. Those few who were watching that match on that day got a lot for their money and will never forget it.
THE KAWAMOTOS:
OVERLOOKED AND UNDERRATED NO LONGER
Pickleball players would be wise to pay attention to the Kawamoto sisters, Jade and Jackie, who won their first PPA gold medal on Championship Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the Veolia Cincinnati Showcase. More medals await them, no doubt about it. In defeating Tyra Black and Jorja Johnson, a formidable team in both the PPA and MLP, the Kawamotos have shown that resilience and smart pickleball are the best weapons.
Born and raised in Hawaii and graduates of the University of Dayton, Jade and Jackie are a wonder to watch whether they compete as a team or split up. No matter the circumstances, they go about their business with calm, confidence, and professionalism. No showboating or complaining, no asking the crowd for support. They don’t taunt other players or snarl at or argue with the referees. Many would say their talents have gone unnoticed for too long, but that is about to change.
The Kawamotos have beaten the best (Waters and Bright then Black and Johnson in the aforementioned tournament) with patience, skill, control, defense, and by playing error-free pickleball. Working every rally until the time is right for the put-away, never letting emotion or scoreboard pressure cause malfunction or sloppiness. None of which is easy to do in competitive pickleball where everybody is determined to advance by any means. The sisters fight their own way, a balanced temperament—and a balanced game—carrying them along. They can outdink, outthink, outmaneuver anybody; their execution of the fundamentals is infallible. Pro Zane Navratil makes important points here at the 24:26 mark. Watch, listen, learn. Again, watch, listen, learn.
Jade and Jackie, former D1 tennis players, always find a smooth groove, using a minimalist style that allows them to be aggressive without depending on aggression. Their game is consistent, turning defense into offense, minimizing errors, hitting lobs, keeping opponents guessing. When down by several points or on the brink of defeat they remain unshaken and in deep focus. Watch their gold-metal match and see for yourself these attributes.
As individuals paired with other players, that high standard flows through and never declines: strong, steady, precise, indefatigable. Somehow—somehow!—they have stayed at the top while working full-time jobs outside of pickleball, finding time in their busy lives to train for tournaments, demonstrating that almost anything is possible if one puts in the time and labor and squashes adversity.
In a sport known for its fiery personalities and on-and-off court clashes, the Kawamotos remain humble, reserved, gracious. In fact they even shy away from overcelebrating hard-won points and victories; celebrations tame by comparison. And during the most intense battles, no cursing, no chirping, no posturing, no strutting, no screaming, no staredowns, no equipment abuse.
They just play.
Jade and Jackie—together or apart—are players to analyze and learn from, examples of pickleball excellence in every respect. If you enjoy watching good clean professional pickleball, you couldn’t make better use of your time than to watch them in action. The Kawamotos are a marvel.
IN PICKLEBALL, AS IN LIFE,
RESPECT AND REWARD IS A TWO-WAY STREET
Before the street brawl in “Rocky V” Tommy Gun, frustrated at being overshadowed by his mentor and his ego raging out of control, demands respect from Rocky Balboa, a revered warrior of the ring. Rocky responds, “Well, come and get it.” Who would argue with that? Not many. Rocky’s words apply to anyone who wants what Tommy Gun wants, pickleballers included.
Professional pickleball players train very hard. Even the best players never stop learning new things and formulating new techniques and strategies. With each tournament we see new shots, new serves, new attacks, new counterattacks, new ideas being put into practice, the players adjusting and perfecting over time. And it’s not unreasonable to assume that all pro players have aspirations of winning medals, prizes, and a spot at, or near, the top. However, medals are not given for hard work and dedication. Nor for being the best looking, the best dressed, or the most popular or charismatic. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are handed out for, well, winning! Much like respect—earned, not given.
In recent PPA tournaments when Anna Leigh Waters, Ben Johns, and other players have not played on Championship Sunday for whatever reason, the fans have expressed their pleasure of seeing different players competing for gold rather than the usual winners. Some fans even find it “boring” that top-seeded players win a lot. Boring? How is watching elite players boring? Do those who say that follow the whole tour and watch many matches? Do they really like the sport? Do they realize how good players must be to compete in the PPA or in MLP? Or do they just tune in here and there or take a cursory look at the PPA Facebook page but not appreciate and pay close attention to long-term excellence no matter who demonstrates it in match after match throughout a rigorous season? Bored fans, remember, if your favorite players thirst for gold medals and respect to go with it, they must step on the court and earn it and, the biggest challenge of all, sustain it. In this on-demand world, it seems, spectators also want winners of their choosing on demand instead of identifying and celebrating dominance and excellence in its purest form. Pro pickleball is loaded with players of that caliber. But not everybody gets a trophy, ladies and gentlemen. Maybe that happens in Little League or in youth sports and games, but not in the major leagues—where top-to-bottom consistency over a long period is worth aspiring to if one is serious about the game.
Is it not beneficial to pickleball, then, to have dominant players like Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns calling attention to the sport? When playing their best, their superior games tell everyone in the league that this is the standard to work toward and, if possible, surpass. And players are always improving, mind you, from one tour stop to the next. Anyone who has paid close attention has seen tougher draws and better matches and ample opportunity for athletes who are willing to outwork everyone in their quest for the championship. Let’s not forget that Waters, Johns, Staksrud, Fahey and others have lost matches in 2025; they’re not invincible, which means that several players have put in the time and work and defeated pickleball’s most decorated athletes. So for that reason among others, claiming that the best players win everything is untrue.
For athletes, pursuing greatness shows a respect for one’s self and for the sport and, highest on the list, the fans. The point is, the players who often win gold medals and gain worldwide acclaim deserve that reward and should be celebrated and not sneered at or jeered or ignored. Again, those who don’t like the trophy-holders have every opportunity here in America to do less talking and step on the court and show the world what special talents and skills they have. And if they don’t have what it takes and they are not willing to acquire some degree of mastery they should accept their shortcomings with grace and humility.
Anyone who grumbles about winners winning too much, ponder for a moment, if you can, what it takes to be dedicated to and passionate about anything and to toil for as long as is necessary to succeed and be the best for a span of months, years, an entire career. Have you ever been that serious and committed and willing to aim for the stratosphere? Think about that. Next time you find yourself bored by tournament results, imagine yourself sweatcovered, muscles aching, burning, and cramping, brain-drained, holding that trophy as the crowd roars and applauds and camera flashes blind you and autograph-seekers await you. How does it feel? Would you want others to be “bored” by you, someone who has fought day after day, hour after hour, for that brief moment atop Championship Mountain, respect, accolades, interview requests coming in waves? Should you win a lot, would you relinquish your crown so that others don’t become bored? No, you would not. You would want respect from your peers and from everyone who pays to watch you in person as well as those who support your craft from afar. In MLP-PPA pickleball, winners inspire more winners from the bottom up. Those below keep chasing while those above keep trying to hold on to their position; the ripple effect is real, the top players showing everybody else what and how much is expected if they wish to rise in the standings and remain there. Respect that unspoken lesson, one that would be a mistake to ignore. If the sport brings you pleasure, be grateful to be a part of it and pull in others who want to participate and, the best part, have fun along the way.
THE DREAMBREAKER:
MLP’S GUN-AND-RUN GAME
MLP Dreambreakers, used when each team has won two matches and a tiebreaker is needed, promise surprises, intensity, and unpredictability; the action is constant from first serve to match point, 21. If you enjoy watching professional pickleball and haven’t watched a dreambreaker, don’t delay. Watch this! To see the best athletes in the sport in a one-on-one competition for four points at a time is to see players under pressure and having to be their best, which sometimes, believe it or not, isn't enough; the slightest mistake could turn into a point for the opposition. Unlike PPA matches, the server can lose a point, the receiver can win a point. And, piling on the fun, female players sometimes battle male players. The dynamics of the discipline give the players minimal time to think and strategize, the hurried pace and four-point sets making dreambreakers challenging for the players and a rollercoaster for the spectators.
Some pros play doubles only or just play singles here and there. Other players compete in both singles and doubles. But when it comes to dreambreaker performance, an athlete’s steadiness and high win percentage in PPA singles does not always guarantee success. However, inexperienced singles players have indeed won points against, and outfoxed, more accomplished players. Luck? Maybe. Sometimes, it seems, those who don’t often play singles have considerable talent in MLP showdowns, as if by magic out come dazzling shots and strategies. Low expectations may in fact benefit the underdog. After all, winning a point against a decorated player gives the weaker player a significant jump in confidence; the team harnesses that energy and uses it to motivate the group, cheering for and pushing their teammate. In PPA singles, a league with different rules and regulations, the players for the most part are alone in finding the mental and physical strength to overcome. Yes, their coach may be seated courtside, but there is not a whole team hollering words of support to keep that fire within burning.
Just about all dreambreakers are suspenseful to watch regardless of the final score, regardless of who wins or loses, regardless of a team’s standing. Most important to point out, dreambreakers show what players are capable of when there’s one more chance to win, and you see their emotions running circles and adrenaline helping them to believe in themselves, take chances, and accelerate. At times such intense emotion is difficult to govern in the thick of the fight and as momentum shifts. In close matches some players stay calm and in control, others become louder and more animated and have been known to signal the crowd for an energy surge. From match to match you may see PPA friends or doubles partners having to face off. That kind of contest brings extra tension to the game and really gets the crowd charged up and the players use that audience participation to their advantage. Suffice to say, the players and the crowd depend on each other to make pickleball a frontrunner in sports entertainment, and dreambreakers are becoming one of the main attractions.
ANDI GODWIN AND MARY MCGOWAN ARE EYEING THE MOUNTAINTOP—
THOUGH THEIR CLIMB IS A STEEP ONE, IT WON’T BE LONG
Promising young talent is easy to find in PPA pickleball. Anyone who is willing to work hard, be serious about the game, and enter a pro-level tournament has clear and realistic expectations. On August 8, 2025, at the Veolia Bristol Open, Round of 16, Andi Godwin, 15, and Mary McGowan, 17, played Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright, a match that Waters and Bright won in less than twelve minutes. Godwin and McGowan have had success on the Junior PPA tour, and came into Bristol having earned a reputation for themselves as being capable and consistent. Entering the pro tournament and going rip for rip with the number-one team took guts, determination, and, above all, a willingness to face a whopping challenge, take their lumps, learn, adjust, and improve. If you can’t do that much, well, you’re not ready for the major leagues.
Never underestimating the opposition, Waters and Bright went after their targets as if possessed. Using their entire arsenal and their hustle-and-get-it-done fightplan, Anna B and Anna Leigh vaporized the girls trying to stop their undefeated streak. Though Godwin and McGowan scored no points, they were not intimidated to the extent of falling apart and having too many lapses in concentration. In fact, at 8:28 the four of them got caught up in a long point, during which Waters and Bright slashed at the newcomers with hard drives from every angle. However, in a display of balance, self-belief, and grit, the junior girls defended their side, returning shot after shot, forcing Waters and Bright to work harder than expected for the put-away and earning well-deserved paddle claps from the top team.
So easy it is to sit in the bleachers and criticize or to do so online having never experienced the weight and pressure of pro play—attacks coming high and low, left and right, balls dipping and spinning and rolling and sometimes too ferocious to counter, the players’ unsettled nerves causing unforced errors, the world watching and scrutinizing, opinions spilling over. Anybody can pontificate about what they would or wouldn’t have done had they played that same match. Doing that, many would say, is mindless and cheap. Comments, both positive and negative, have been made about these girls and their performance. What matters most is that Andi Godwin and Mary McGowan not only had the steadiness of mind and heart but also the mental and physical stamina to step on the court as underdogs and play with conviction, knowing judgment would come from everywhere. As many would no doubt agree, they held themselves together all match long, not once sulking or expressing frustration while being overwhelmed with the Annas’ firepower. Instead they showed resilience and spirit. What will the girls do next? Return to the court and try again, one would hope.
Pay attention to these youngsters; they have potential and, from word getting around, the work ethic and wisdom to climb high. Congratulations, Andi and Mary, on your progress! And the same to Anna Leigh and Anna Bright on your golden pickle!
FOUR TITANS OF PICKLEBALL:
ANNA BRIGHT AND KATE FAHEY
TANGLE WITH CATHERINE PARENTEAU AND JADE KAWAMOTO
Watching Anna Bright and Kate Fahey battle Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kamamoto is yet another example of world-class pickleball. These forty minutes of hard-won points will have you on your feet overflowing with awe, appreciation, and admiration. Almost every point is long and demanding, no one losing their spirit or their will to fight and win. Attacks come from every angle, every position as the scoring goes back and forth, neither team ever up by more than a few points. Amateur recreational players, think of all the players you’ve seen strutting around the court, the ones who believe their game is superior to the rest from top to bottom but who have been beaten by others or by you yourself. Next time you see them, watch this match and compare and contrast the players’ talent. Have fun doing a side-by-side analysis and determine who deserves to strut.
Pay attention in this MLP match to the dink rallies, how they move the ball around, how they set up other shots. Also notice the resets, the drops, the angles, the footwork, and how the players turn defense into offense and score. There are firefights, one after another, then slowdowns followed by finesse, speed-ups, and on and on they go, we as spectators never knowing how the point is going to end, the players themselves not knowing either because anything can happen when all four players are scrapping and scrambling. Fahey and Bright play a power game, Parenteau and Kawamoto a softer game. Here, though, opposing styles bring possibilities as well as challenges, and each team plays the other’s game when pushed. In general, the flow of the match is that of a choreographed dance, the players staying nimble and in control no matter where they are on the court and no matter how difficult the shots. Mistakes are minimal. Shot placement is near perfect. Not sloppy, not directionless, not done with poor form. Major errors are shrugged off, or corrected, in the frenzy of gameplay. This is pickleball! — an altogether different game from the one many play.
It is often said that the winner wanted it the most. Some agree with that belief, some don’t. Consider for a moment that luck plays a part in competition. Or perhaps a flub, a miscalculation or two can change the result of the closest match. Or the other team was better that day and had momentum all the way through. In this case, on this day, both teams locked horns with the intention of winning, all wanting a victory with every attack and counter. They hit their shots, applied constant pressure, defended their ground and never retreated. No doubt about it from an objective point of view. Even the most purblind observer would concede that much. Four sensational athletes—Anna, Kate, Catherine, and Jade—put on a show, the ovation for which hasn’t ended. What a match!
WATERS AGAINST JOHNS:
HYPED AS AN EARTHSHAKER, BUT FELT LIKE A TREMOR
The MLP mixed doubles match featuring Ben Johns and Catherine Parenteau versus Anna Leigh Waters and Will Howells came with rising anticipation and expectations (Johns and Waters being longtime PPA doubles partners, Parenteau her former partner as of April 2025). That didn’t change the fact that the players had jobs to do without letting the roaring and screaming and online hype become a distraction. The athletes performed as they always have, concentrating on one shot, one point, one strategy at a time. The four games between The New Jersey Fives and The LA Mad Drops, including the dreambreaker, show the world superlative pickleball, the pumped-up spectators pushing the athletes to outgun and outthink each other. Recreational players who wish to improve would be wise to watch this match and learn, learn, learn, learn.
MLP pickleball is among other things an all-star league. Fans see their favorite athletes work with different players. Some players, doubles players for the most part, have to compete in dreambreakers when necessary to determine the winner. In this match, as in all matches, off-court relationships are immaterial as the players go about their business. They are competitors, after all, with a mission to attack, scrap, and win, no matter the opposition—friend or not, drilling partner or not, family or not, which is what makes pickleball unpredictable, entertaining, and, good news all around, a sport that keeps gaining momentum. Myriad thrills come from the ferocity of the rallies, the blink-of-an-eye transitions from dinking to firefights, from firefights to dinking, and at any moment an ATP, an Erne, a Bert, a poach, a tweener, a lob, the shake and bake.
Some highlights: Anna Leigh Waters displaying her skills, strategies, and overall dominance; Hunter Johnson demonstrating again and again that he is a leading singles player; Jade Kawamoto’s dreambreaker performance making one wish she would enter the PPA singles draws more often; Ben Johns continuing to dazzle under pressure and in precarious situations, his composure, control, and mechanics something to marvel at; Catherine Parenteau, although frustrated with herself here and there, is still one of the strongest and steadiest defensive players; Will Howells remaining unshakable by AL’s side; Meghan Dizon reliable in any situation; Noe Khlif, a man to watch. The Fives and The Mad Drops have rewarded the fans with a match to reflect on with pleasure for years to come. And no doubt Johns and Waters will return to the PPA court and continue as a team and as friends, this match a distant memory, though one that may happen again.
A RECREATIONAL PLAYER’S RANDOM THOUGHTS ON PRO PICKLEBALL
Winners come and go, in men’s and women’s singles in particular. Some players win a lot, while others (newcomers, sometimes) win here and there; hype is built around them but the quality of their game fluctuates throughout the season. The reality is, sustaining excellence at the highest level and competing with regularity on Championship Sunday is not easy, the long season bringing dozens of tournaments, extensive travel, unpredictable weather, and, maybe hardest of all, athletes having to work through, or be sidelined because of, injuries, keep full-time jobs, and raise families. Certain athletes are steadier and more durable than the rest. In my estimation, MLP-PPA players are the best I’ve seen and I respect anyone who tests their skills on a pro court, works hard on and off tour, and never loses sight of their destiny and is grateful for any rewards that come.
I am not interested in flamboyance or showboating, or persona or image. Call it what you want. No matter how talented a player may be, a spectacle does not draw me in. No need to swallow fire, eat glass, or perform a high-wire act. Ha! Playing to (or revving up) the audience is often welcome—charisma is an asset, no denying that. Overdoing it tries my patience. I prefer to let talent—a match well played—command my attention. By all means celebrate a good shot, a wild rally, a hard-fought victory, the winning of a medal, with respect shown to the opposition. Always. No unsportsmanlike conduct. No paddle-smashing or paddle-throwing. Keep it clean. Please.
Losing is hard for some players who seem to carry that burden around and do more harm than good to their game. And there are those who compartmentalize a loss, give it its due attention, show balance, sportsmanship, and grit, then continue learning and improving and come back better, stronger, and more determined than ever, a wise course indeed.
Fans pick players to like, players to despise, players to admire, players to tear down. Who they like and don’t like is not always based on performance alone. In many cases, dislike comes from jealousy, envy, intense emotion, that sort of thing. If a player is talented but obnoxious, and if I care enough to learn what I wish to know about them, I can only respect, study, and understand their game by cutting through the static. When and if that fails, I lose interest.
Some players seem to be natural athletes whose skills develop and mature in short order. Others make slower progress, struggling for long while finding a groove, a groove that may or may not come, may or may not hold. Watching promising players work through the draws (according to a number of players, progressive draws are the most grueling) and scrap with the best athletes has shown me the differences between recreational players and professionals, and those differences are gigantic.
Commentators can be helpful to a sport, pickleball being no exception. Some are not as helpful as they could be. Courtside interviews are from time to time bland, the questions and comments from the reporters lacking substance. Also, excessive dialogue during matches—even worse during points—diverts attention from the athletes at work. A precise, balanced analysis is necessary and important, I agree, but a nonstop commentary overloaded with statistics and other trifles becomes a nuisance.
Players’ personal lives—some fans care. I pay no attention. What pros do off court (not pickleball-related) can stay there. When players let the press/media and the public into their personal lives, their followers tend to want more. Again, I can do without the day-to-day stuff and the social-media narcissism. I admit that I like some players’ personalities and dispositions but don't care for how other players carry themselves. What kinds of paddles and gear they use is also not on my list of curiosities. As I see it, the top players would win using the worst paddle. And only practice and training would improve the skills of lower-ranked athletes.
Bad calls have been made. Referees are human, let’s not forget that. And well-trained. When errors in call-making happen, most players keep going without protest. Although momentum can shift because of a call gone wrong, all a player can do is shake it off and play the next point. In pickleball, maturity, resilience, humility, and a sense of humor work wonders regardless of age or experience.