In Wind-Battered Texas, ALW Did It Again
In March 2026, the "Texas Open," a stop on the PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) Tour held in Texas, came to a close. The one who showed overwhelming presence at this tournament was Anna Leigh Waters (known as ALW). She swept all three events -- singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles -- achieving what's called a "triple crown."
But this triple crown wasn't just any triple crown. On the Texas courts where fierce strong winds blew throughout the tournament, ALW put on a stunning performance, as if turning even that wind into an ally. For outdoor-court pickleball, strong wind is one of the hardest conditions to deal with. That she pulled off serves, drop shots, lobs, and precise exchanges at the kitchen line all at a high level within those conditions was a tournament that once again made us feel ALW's otherworldly consistency.
A PPA triple crown can't be achieved simply by entering three events. Every opponent is a top pro in the world. Standing at the top in all three events, especially including mixed doubles, which easily becomes a scramble, is impossible unless the three factors of stamina, concentration, and tactics all mesh.
What Is the PPA Texas Open? Tournament Overview and Highlights
The PPA Texas Open is one of the series tournaments thatPPA Tourruns throughout the year. Texas is an area with very high pickleball popularity even within the US, and this tournament, using large outdoor courts, brings top male and female pro players together in one place.
The defining feature of this tournament was the weather conditions particular to Texas in March. Gusting winds blew intermittently and fiercely, and situations that made ball control markedly difficult persisted. Anyone with experience playing outdoors will understand: with just wind present, predicting a serve's bounce, a drop shot's trajectory, and a lob's landing point all go haywire. Reportedly, the conditions were such that even pro players commented that they "couldn't play proper pickleball."
Despite such a situation, ALW's play was steady throughout. Rather than disliking the wind, it was a tournament that showcased an adaptive play style, reading the strength of the wind and adjusting the power and direction of her shots each time.
Pickleball Viewing Guide | The Highlights of APP, PPA and MLP, Plus a Pro Player DirectoryAs introduced in, the PPA is a tour series representing America's pro pickleball world. Along with the APP and MLP, it's an organization leading the world's pro scene. This tournament's results are also an important match directly tied to the overall rankings for the entire 2026 season.
What Kind of Player Is Anna Leigh Waters (ALW)?
For those who don't know, here's a brief introduction. Anna Leigh Waters (Anna Leigh Waters) is a female pro pickleball player from the US, a presence sweeping the women's pro scene of the 2020s. She rose to prominence as a pro in her teens, and in her early twenties she has a record impressive enough to be called "the strongest female player ever."
What's noteworthy is the breadth of her adaptability. Not just powerful attack shots, but delicate drop shots, lobs that shake up the opponent, and precise hand control at the kitchen line -- every technique is at a world level, and being able to display it even under harsh conditions like "strong winds" is ALW's true specialty.
In doubles, she pairs with her mother, Leigh Waters, and is also famous as the "Waters family." In mixed doubles her partner sometimes changes by tournament, but she shows a high degree of completeness with any partner. Top pro players who are family is a distinctive presence rarely seen even in Japan's sports world.
This triple crown achievement will likely be one of the especially memorable victories in ALW's career. The fact that she alone could maintain exceptionally high performance while the external factor of "strong winds" acted as an equal negative against the other players proves that her technique, mental strength, and physical ability are all a cut above.
Practical Lessons You Can Learn from Strong-Wind Conditions
Here, rather than stopping at a spectator's article, let's add a player's-eye analysis. The play style ALW showed in the wind should be greatly useful to amateur players too.
1. Strengthen Your Awareness of Keeping the Ball Low
On strong-wind days, high-trajectory shots are easily carried by the wind, raising the risk of losing control. As ALW showed, making frequent use of drop shots anddink(low cross shots) and continuing to hit on trajectories that pass over the net as low as possible becomes the key.
2. Deliberately Reduce Your Serve's Ball Speed
On windy days, a hard serve can conversely be pushed by the wind and go out. A control-type serve prioritizing depth and direction over speed is effective.Practice methods to stabilize your pickleball serve | Tips for getting it in and repetition trainingAs touched on in, a stable serve is also directly tied to psychological reassurance throughout the match.
3. Shorten Your Mental Reset Cycle
In the wind, no matter how carefully you hit, unexpected errors come out. If you dwell on these each time, you fall into a vicious cycle. One of the reasons ALW could achieve a triple crown is, without a doubt, her "ability to switch her mindset with every single point."Mental Toughness in Pickleball | Handling Pressure in Matches and Recovering From MistakesThe way of thinking described in is especially useful in situations like this.
4. Use Your Opponent's Rattled State
This is a slightly more advanced perspective, but strong wind affects not just you, but your opponent too. When your opponent is struggling with the wind and their errors are increasing, you can sometimes score simply by deliberately repeating simple, reliable shots. There are situations where the choice to "just return it" works better than continuing to apply pressure.
The Impact on the Japanese Pickleball World
ALW's triple crown is noteworthy news for the Japanese pickleball community too, in several senses.
First, as footage and articles of matches unfolding on the PPA's world-class stage increase, a "culture of watching pro pickleball" is growing in Japan too. As of 2026, the number of tournaments in Japan is increasing, and an ecosystem in which watching and playing stimulate each other is gradually forming.
Next, that a player like ALW continues to be someone who can consistently aim for a triple crown proves the high competitive level of pickleball as a sport. Pickleball still tends to be seen in part as "easygoing recreation," but watch a top player's play and that misunderstanding vanishes in an instant. ALW's triple crown continues to send the message that pickleball is a competitive sport worth taking seriously.
Also, from the perspective of a play style that overcomes the adversity of strong winds, there are many hints directly applicable to matches on Japan's outdoor courts. In Japan too, there are many windy days in early spring and early autumn, and at outdoor tournaments, wind countermeasures can sway the outcome. Building the habit of learning from pro matches and incorporating it into your own game is a shortcut to improvement.
Summary: The Depth of Pickleball That ALW's Triple Crown Reveals
ALW's triple-crown achievement at the PPA Texas Open holds meaning beyond mere news that "a strong player won again." Under strong winds, a condition equally disadvantageous to everyone, why could she alone produce exceptional results -- confronting that question becomes a hint for growing as a player.
Steady technique, mental strength, and adaptability to conditions. A pro match is a real textbook in which all of these are condensed. Please be sure to watch the next PPA match too.
Source:Gusting Winds Wreak Havoc, but ALW Still Grabs a Triple Crown – PPA Texas Open Recap
FAQ
Q1: What does triple crown mean in pickleball?
A1: It refers to winning all three events -- singles, doubles, and mixed doubles -- at the same tournament. At pro-tour tournaments like the PPA, it requires high overall ability in stamina, concentration, and tactics, so achieving it is extremely difficult -- a feat even top pros rarely accomplish.
Q2: What kind of player is ALW?
A2: ALW is the abbreviation for the American pro pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters. She rose to prominence as a pro in her teens and is an overwhelming talent sweeping the women's pro scene. Her doubles pairing with her mother, Leigh Waters, is also famous, making her a distinctive presence -- top pros as a whole family.
Q3: What are the tricks to playing pickleball well on a strong-wind day?
A3: The three basics are keeping your trajectory low, reducing your serve's ball speed to prioritize control, and habituating a mental reset that switches away from errors quickly. Learning from pro matches and mastering an "adaptive" play style that flexibly switches shot options according to the situation is the shortcut to improvement.
Q4: What's the difference between the PPA and the APP?
A4: Both are US-based pro pickleball tours. The PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) is in a format close to a selective, invitation-based one, while the APP (American Pickleball Professionals) is an open-format tour where more pros and amateurs can take part. Many players are active on both tours, and as of 2026 they lead the scene together.
