Las Vegas, NV – The Las Vegas Pickleball Cup is heating up as we approach the final day of competition. In a match that has pickleball fans buzzing, #17 Kate Fahey will face off against #1 Anna Leigh Waters in the ladies’ singles final.
To reach the final, Fahey defeated top players including Dodo Kong, Judit Castillo, Mary Brascia, Lea Jansen, and Lacy Schneemann in the semifinals, conceding just 46 points across five matches.
Throughout the tournament, Fahey has impressed both fans and opponents with her remarkable athleticism, calm demeanor, and fierce passing shots. A former standout D1 tennis player at the University of Michigan, she was a three-time ITA All-American, a two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Year, and holds the records for the most career singles wins (132) and the highest career winning percentage (.815) at Michigan.
Anna Leigh Waters has been incredibly dominant in singles, with just twelve losses throughout her professional career, most of which occurred during her early days in pickleball. This week in Vegas, she breezed through opponents Julia Ronney, Jorja Johnson, Lina Padegimaite, and Salome Devidze, winning every match and conceding only 37 points over four games.
Kate Fahey, who turned professional only a few months ago, has rapidly made a name for herself on the singles court. She has also made a significant impact in all three divisions while playing for the St. Louis Shock in the MLP, a surprising pick in the 2024 draft.
Sunday will mark Fahey’s third Championship Sunday appearance in her young career. Over the past month, she has earned a silver medal in Kansas City, followed by a gold in Salt Lake City, and now finds herself in another final in Vegas, guaranteeing yet another medal. Notably, Waters did not compete in either of the tournaments where Fahey won her medals.
In her post-match interview after the semifinals, Fahey shared her excitement about facing Waters for the first time on Sunday.
“It’s an amazing opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to it. Since I’ve never played her before, it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. But I have a lot of confidence in my game, and I plan to stick with what’s been working. I hope to rally the crowd behind me as well.”
