Seven days ago, Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin had Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns on the ropes at Cape Coral. Match point. One shot away. They couldn't close it. Waters and Johns escaped in five games and walked away with gold — again.
Now Bright and Patriquin are back on Championship Court at the Carvana Mesa Cup. Same opponents. Same stakes. Except this time it's a final, the crowd is three rows deep on every side, and the pressure is as heavy as it gets in pro pickleball.
Waters and Johns are chasing their 60th title together. They are 59-2 in finals as a team. They have won 10 gold medals already this season alone. Bright and Patriquin are 0-6 against them all-time.
Can they do what they couldn't do a week ago? Or does the most dominant duo in the sport close the door again?
AI Generated·May contain errors
Yeah, so I want to see if they can get off to a good start here.
This is going to be fun.
0-2-2.
Honest behind them, especially attacking Ben down the line.
In point accuracy.
You put those two together and you have people all pretzeled up.
Whoopsie.
Oh, gets out of it.
Oh, what a shot.
Mixing it a lot.
But he's sending stuff early and sending it over her head as well.
Women's doubles partners heads up here.
Oh, over Ben's head.
Oh, kind of a foul.
Around grandstand as well.
That's wide.
What defense.
Right there.
You're so far ahead in the point.
You got to take advantage of that.
Oh, they switch midpoint.
Footwork and choice from Anna Bright there.
That is smart.
Oh, another one.
Ben's on it.
Wow, what a save, because the drive from Ben
would have been three feet out.
The attack from just behind the kitchen line way too high
from Patrick Nguyen.
Just back to Patrick Nguyen.
Back to the line.
Oh my, that is so.
Wasn't on it at all.
He would have been hit if it hadn't hit the tape.
Just wide.
Point.
As well, 5-0.
5-0-2.
Oh, no.
Stood heading into men's doubles.
And Ben knows that Hayden wants him to go back to.
Oh, look, it's open to my left, which it wasn't.
That's a smart shot from Ben.
Yes, please.
4-8-1.
Another dime.
You can hear who the crowd wants.
Oh, boy.
He's either sending it or throwing it over their heads,
and it is working.
That's from Ben.
Anything she has countered and let H be the offense.
Perfect.
A performance.
3-1.
It's been unbelievable.
Called on Hayden Patrick.
To her not benefit.
Oh.
Oh, no.
Just a no from Anisha.
Just, hi, this is my court, and that's a no.
She's saying it's a double hit, not one motion there.
But no.
That is a no from me, dog.
Bull's eye from Anisha.
