Anna Leigh Waters is now pickleball’s World No. 1, but she once counted herself among its critics. In Manila, the 19-year-old said she was “one of the haters” until one game changed her mind.

Waters spoke at a Decathlon Philippines and Franklin Sports showcase on Oct. 13, 2026, where fans met her and her coach and mother, Leigh Waters. She urged newcomers to “give it a shot” because pickleball has “room for anybody.”

Anna Leigh Waters Explains Her Turn From Pickleball Hater to World No. 1

Waters said she had played only once when she changed her mind. The first time she hit the ball, she said, she knew she would want to keep playing. She called the sport “so inclusive.”

Waters, 19, arrived with more than 200 Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) titles. The Daily Tribune reported she turned pro at 12 and became the sport’s youngest professional player.

The showcase also drew celebrity Vern Ong, beauty queen Alethea Ambrosio and volleyball player Ced Domingo. Gabe Ocampo, 11, a Philippine Pickleball League 13U multi-medalist, played an exhibition point with Waters.

Why Pickleball Is Booming in the Philippines as Franklin Sports Bets on Manila

Franklin Sports chose Manila as the first stop of its Asia Pickleball Showcase, ahead of Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam. The company says the Philippines posted 1,213 percent year-over-year growth in pickleball participation.

Decathlon Philippines’ Jessica de Leon-Ramos said seeing an athlete at the top of her game can inspire new and improving players. She noted the crowd was mostly women and said “movement can begin anywhere, any time.”

Fans also got a look at a mystery Franklin paddle teased for release soon. Franklin sells paddles, balls and bags in the Philippines through Decathlon and other retail partners.

At a later press conference in Makati City, Waters said Filipino players seem to play every day, calling the sport part of the country’s lifestyle. It was her first trip to the Philippines, the Daily Tribune reported.