Quick answer: Anna Leigh Waters age: she is 19 years old. Guinness World Records lists her date of birth as January 26, 2007, so she turns 20 on January 26, 2027. The PPA Tour ranks her world No. 1 and credits her with 199 career titles.
The 30-second version
- Age today: 19 (as of October 8, 2026).
- Birthday: January 26, 2007.
- Turned pro at 12 years, 26 days, a Guinness World Record.
- Won her first pro title three days later, with her mother as her partner.
- At 19: PPA world No. 1, 199 titles, 39 Triple Crowns and a first MLP championship.
Anna Leigh Waters age: how old is she right now?
Anna Leigh Waters is 19 years old as of October 2026, and she turns 20 on January 26, 2027. Her date of birth, January 26, 2007, comes from her Guinness World Records entry. The PPA Tour athlete page also lists her age as 19.
One warning. That same PPA page still calls her “the 18-year-old” in its written bio, a few lines above a Quick Info box that says 19. The bio is out of date. The birthday settles it.
What had Anna Leigh Waters done at each age?
Waters picked up a paddle at 10, turned professional at 12 and was the top-ranked woman in the sport as a teenager. Every row below comes from Guinness, the PPA Tour or results we covered at the time.
| Age | When | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 2017 | Started playing after her family evacuated for Hurricane Irma. The PPA says her grandfather introduced them to the game in Pennsylvania. |
| 12 years, 26 days | Feb. 21, 2019 | Played the Florida Grand Slam in Bonita Springs. Guinness record: youngest female professional pickleball player. |
| 12 years, 29 days | Feb. 24, 2019 | Won women’s doubles gold with her mother, Leigh Waters. Guinness calls them the first parent-child team to win a pro doubles title. |
| 17 | Oct. 13, 2024 | 128 PPA titles, by Guinness’s count on that date. |
| 19 | Aug. 30, 2026 | First Major League Pickleball title, with the New Jersey 5s in Central Park. |
| 19 | Sept. 2026 | Women’s singles and women’s doubles gold at the PPA National Championships. |
| 19 | Oct. 8, 2026 | PPA world No. 1 with 199 career titles (65 singles, 67 doubles, 67 mixed) and 39 Triple Crowns. |
The match-by-match detail is in our 2026 MLP Finals recap and our Nationals results. For how the No. 1 ranking is worked out, see world pickleball rankings explained.
Why do sources disagree about Anna Leigh Waters’ age and titles?
They disagree because the pages are updated at different times, not because the facts are in doubt. Two examples from today:
- Age: the PPA bio says 18 and the PPA Quick Info box says 19. Her birthday makes 19 correct.
- Titles: Guinness counted 128 in October 2024. The PPA page shows 199 now. Those are two dates, about two years apart.
What does her age mean for young players in New England?
It means the path can start early, and it can start at home. Waters began at 10 and was coached by a parent. She was a pro two years later. Kids here have organized ways to start:
- Find a coach. Our New England coaching directory lists instructors by area.
- School and college play. See high school pickleball in Massachusetts and our college pickleball hub.
- Watch her. The closest she played to New England in 2026 was the MLP Finals in New York City.
For her full story, read our Anna Leigh Waters pro spotlight. The PPA lists her paddle as the Franklin C45 Hybrid; we track that on what paddle Anna Leigh Waters uses. More profiles, including Ben Johns, are in the Pro Corner.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Anna Leigh Waters?
She is 19 as of October 2026. She was born on January 26, 2007, according to Guinness World Records, and turns 20 on January 26, 2027.
When is Anna Leigh Waters’ birthday?
January 26. Guinness World Records lists her date of birth as January 26, 2007.
How old was Anna Leigh Waters when she turned pro?
She was 12 years and 26 days old when she played the Florida Grand Slam on February 21, 2019. Guinness World Records recognizes her as the youngest female professional pickleball player.
How many titles has Anna Leigh Waters won?
The PPA Tour athlete page lists 199 career titles as of October 8, 2026: 65 in singles, 67 in doubles and 67 in mixed. It also credits her with 39 Triple Crowns. The count covers PPA Tour events only.
Who is Anna Leigh Waters’ coach?
Her mother, Leigh Waters. The PPA Tour says Leigh remains her coach and manager, and the two won a pro doubles title together when Anna Leigh was 12.
Sources: Guinness World Records, youngest professional pickleball player (female); PPA Tour athlete page, read October 8, 2026. Ages are our arithmetic from her date of birth.