As the No. 1 professional pickleball player in the world in women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles, Anna Leigh Waters has played in her fair share of high-level matches.
But Wednesday inside the State Farm Field House on the campus of ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World Resort, Waters teamed up with perhaps the most unique doubles partner of her career.
Disney’s own Minnie Mouse.
And playing opposite end of the court? Fellow Disney character Goofy and Orlando Squeeze player Jack Sock, who’s ranked No. 8 in the world of men’s pickleball singles.
The four played a quick match to help set up the final week of the regular season of Major League Pickleball, which is set to take place Thursday through Sunday at the Wide World of Sports Complex for the first time.
“It’s so special to be here playing at Disney,” Waters, 19, said. “I grew up coming to Disney for the parks and honestly to be kind of like working in Disney, doesn’t feel totally natural. But I’m always so happy when I come to Disney. I definitely feel very excited for this week.”
It’s not only an exciting moment for Major League Pickleball to make its debut at Walt Disney World Resort, but the final week of the regular season also brings plenty to play for with four playoff spots up for grabs. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster and much of the weekend will be broadcast live on FS1.
Of the league’s 20 teams, only 12 make the postseason. Waters’s New Jersey 5s have already clinched their spot in the MLP playoffs and sit atop the league with 93 total event points.
The Squeeze, who are owned by the Orlando Magic‘s DeVos family and will serve as the host team this week, sit outside the playoffs at No. 14, but they’re only two event points behind the No. 12 Chicago Slice.
“It’s incredible,” Sock said of the opportunity to play at the Wide World of Sports Complex. “Especially being the home team, makes it even more fun. We’ll have amazing crowds and a lot of support this weekend. The energy will be great.”
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Squeeze mascot Lil’ Squeezy makes an appearance during a Major League Pickleball practice Wednesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
The MLP playoffs begin Aug. 7-9 in Dallas and continue Aug. 14-16 in Newport Beach, Calf., before culminating with the Finals the weekend of Aug. 28-30 in New York City.
The Squeeze face the Las Vegas Night Owls on Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by the Miami Pickleball Club on Friday and the St. Louis Shock on Saturday night. The Night Owls sit one spot ahead of Orlando in the standings.
The latter half of this season hasn’t gone as smoothly the Squeeze hoped. After earning 18 event points in two of the first three weeks, Orlando has only won seven in its past two events, placing the team just outside the playoff picture.
“It’s been an interesting one, for sure,” Sock, 33, said of Orlando’s season heading into the final week. “We started out well. We were kind of firing on all cylinders at the beginning. I think some injuries, illnesses, trades, all of the above, changed things up a little bit.
One of those trades that sent shockwaves through the league involved Orlando and New Jersey. The Squeeze sent Federico Staksrud and Milan Rane to the 5s in exchange for Martin Emmrich and Lina Padegimaite. New Jersey also sent an undisclosed amount of cash to the Squeeze as a part of the deal.
As of this week, Staksrud, 30, ranked second in men’s singles pickleball and fifth in doubles among hundreds of players on the pro pickleball tour.
Despite the blockbuster deal, Sock feels confident about Orlando’s chances to rise in the standings at home. Just nine points separate spots Nos. 10-14 in the MLP standings.
“We’ve got a roster here and a squad that is really excited to battle and go out and see if we can do something special and make the playoffs,” Sock said of the Squeeze.
The week overall at Walt Disney World Resort is just a continued part of what Waters described as “rapid growth” for Major League Pickleball. Regarded as a phenom in the sport, Waters made more than $3 million in 2024, Forbes reported.
“Coming to venues likes this, and when they’re sold out and packed when you’re playing the matches, you really feel it the most,” Waters said when asked where she recognizes the growth as a top player. “Because my first pro tournament, I was playing on like tape lines and temporary nets.
“So now to like come to events like this and just see the growth … venues and participation is where you see the most growth,” she added.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel
Anna Leigh Waters of the New Jersey 5’s warms up during a Major League Pickleball practice at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Wednesday. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Partnering on the court with Disney royalty Wednesday was just the cherry on top for Waters and years in the making for the MLP.
“I would have been very surprised if you had told me I’d be playing pickleball with Minnie Mouse,” Waters said. “Most surprising partner, for sure. … Just being at Disney is so happy. I feel like spirits are always up.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com