Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau have long been the dominant force in women’s doubles pickleball, but today at the CIBC Atlanta Slam presented by Vizzy, No. 2 seeds Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright took a monumental step by clinching the gold in a thrilling four-game match.
The final score was 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5.
“This win is huge for us,” Bright said after the match. “Waters and Parenteau are at the top of their game and are the benchmark in women’s doubles. To come out on top against them means so much.”
This victory marks the first Grand Slam title for Rohrabacher and Bright as a pair. The match was a dramatic showcase of skill and intensity, highlighted by Rohrabacher’s decisive backhand counter that secured the championship. Reflecting on the match-winning point, Rohrabacher admitted, “I was definitely a bit nervous because I had missed our first match point. I wanted to stay focused, not overthink, and keep doing what had been working for us throughout the match.”
Rohrabacher and Bright had previously broken Waters and Parenteau’s winning streak at the Veolia Austin Open in March, but today’s win, broadcast nationally on CBS Sports, was a significant upset.
“I knew this was a big moment, so I took a little extra time with my makeup this morning because I wanted to look my best on TV,” Bright shared. “It’s incredible to see so many people tuning into pickleball. This is so exciting.”
With their impressive performance, Rohrabacher and Bright have firmly established themselves as the team to beat, proving they can take down the reigning champions not just once, but twice.
