The ABC’s* of 2023

*Anna Leigh and Ben’s Championships

(PPA Tour events only)

ANNA LEIGH WATERS:

Medals: Anna Leigh’s 47 medals in 2023 were all gold medals. She averaged 2.76 gold medals per tournament played in 2023. 

Singles: Waters won 14 times in 17 tournaments. The gold medal matches were against four different opponents. The three times she did not reach the finals: She lost to Catherine Parenteau in the semifinals at the Florida Open; she lost to Hurricane Tyra Black in the quarterfinals at the Takeya Showcase, and she withdrew from the Hertz Gold Cup (at Daytona Beach).

Doubles: Waters was undefeated in Women’s Doubles. She won ten times with Catherine Parenteau, including the last five tournaments of the year, and seven times with Anna Bright. The 17 gold medal matches were against 14 different teams.

Mixed Doubles: Waters won 16 times in 17 tournaments, facing nine different teams in the finals. She won 15 titles with Ben Johns and one with Jack Sock (North Carolina Open). Her only loss was to Jorja and JW Johnson in the quarterfinals at the Arizona Grand Slam.

Active Streak in Doubles: Waters has won 19 titles since her last Doubles loss at the DC Open in October 2022.

Active Streak in Mixed Doubles: Waters has won 14 titles since her last Mixed Doubles loss at the Arizona Grand Slam in February.

Greatness in Gold Medal Games: Waters won 88% of the games she played in gold medal matches, compiling a record of 121-17. She was remarkably consistent, winning 85% of her games in Singles, 89% in Doubles, and 88% in Mixed Doubles. She also won 87% of the first games in her 46 gold medal matches, not including winning the Mixed Doubles by default at the PPA Championships in Las Vegas.

Triple Crowns: Waters won 13 Triple Crowns, including a record-tying six straight tournaments. She had three “Immaculate Triple Crowns,” i.e., not losing a game on Championship Sunday, at the Masters, the Cincinnati Open, and the PPA Finals. 

2024: Waters has 20 Career Triple Crowns and 88 career titles entering 2024.

BEN JOHNS: 

Medals: Johns won 39 gold medals, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze, including his 100^th career PPA title. He averaged 2.29 gold medals per tournament played in 2023. 

Singles: In 16 tournaments (there was no Singles event at the Newport Beach Doubles Shootout), Johns won 11 gold medals against six different opponents. He also earned a silver, losing to Federico Staksrud in the final at the Cincinnati Open.

Doubles: In 17 tournaments, Johns won 13 gold medals (12 with Collin Johns, and one with Matt Wright while Collin was injured.) The titles came against five different teams. The Johns brothers also won a silver medal at the Takeya Showcase, losing in the final to Dylan Frazier and JW Johnson. 

Mixed Doubles: In 17 tournaments, Johns won 15 titles with Anna Leigh Waters against eight different teams. He also earned a bronze with Andrea Koop at the Newport Beach Doubles Shootout in April. The Johnsons kept Waters/Johns off the podium at the Arizona Grand Slam in February.

Longest Active Streak: Johns has won eleven Mixed Doubles titles since he won a bronze medal with Andrea Koop at the Newport Beach Doubles Shootout in April.

Greatness in Gold Medal Games: Johns won 81% of the games he played in gold medal matches, compiling a record of 105-24. He was remarkably consistent, winning 78% of his games in Singles, 76% in Doubles, and 89% in Mixed Doubles. He also won 82% of the first games in his 41 gold medal matches, not including winning the Mixed Doubles by default at the PPA Championships in Las Vegas. 

Triple Crowns: Johns won a career-high nine Triple Crowns in 2023. One of those was an “Immaculate Triple Crown:” He did not lose a game on Championship Sunday at the Denver Open. 

2024: Johns has 20 career Triple Crowns and 109 career titles entering 2024.