World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters Set for Franklin's Kuala Lumpur Showcase

Anna Leigh Waters is coming to Kuala Lumpur. Franklin Pickleball Malaysia has confirmed the world No. 1 will headline the Franklin Pickleball Asia Pro Showcase 3 on 17 October 2026, at 91 Pickleball, Hextar Empire City, from 6PM to 10PM with doors opening at 4:30PM. Franklin's own teaser had floated a three day window before narrowing to that single date hours later, and independent coverage from The Pickle Base circled the same date separately.

Waters holds the No. 1 ranking on the Carvana PPA Tour in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at once, a level of across the board dominance the sport has not seen from any other player. She is 19 years old, with a career gold medal count that had climbed past 190 by early September.

The night runs as an exhibition, not a tournament bracket: exhibition matches, meet and greets, on court activities, and the reveal of a new Franklin paddle tied to Waters that the brand has not yet disclosed.

Tickets are on sale now through The Pickle Parlour, across seven tiers running from an Early Bird RM77 entry pack up to a RM1,599 Super VIP Fan Pack that bundles a next generation paddle pre release, a Pro Series bag, a VIP lounge experience, and a photo opportunity with Waters herself. A RM999 VIP pack and a RM1,299 Super Fan pack sit in between, each adding a meet and greet with the wider Franklin Pro Team.

Kuala Lumpur is one stop on a wider push. Franklin has teased three more Asia Pickleball Showcase dates for October, in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Vietnam, and Franklin Pickleball Malaysia has separately signed two more players to its own roster this month, Loh Shi Sheng and Lim Lynn.

A reigning world No. 1 headlining a standalone exhibition in Malaysia is a rare booking for the region, and Franklin is treating it as the centerpiece of a bigger October push rather than a one night stopover.

This article is based on social media posts and historical data tracked by Pickle361.