It’s official: Anna Leigh Waters has signed a new equipment deal with Franklin Sports.

Waters and Franklin announced the partnership Thursday morning, putting an end to the rumors and speculation that had taken over the pickleball world since Waters' contract with Paddletek expired on Dec. 31.

As part of the new contract -- which is rumored to be in the millions -- Waters will assist in the design of a signature line of paddles, bags and accessories. More below.

Also in this issue:

• We’re giving away a new RPM Friction Pro 🙌

• This is what true mastery looks like 🤯

• Expert review of the new Enhance DUO paddles 🤓

• Pro player Vivienne David announces retirement 👏

• Introducing Nos. 41-45 on the Pickleball Power 50 💪

Let’s get cookin’. 🧑‍🍳

GIVEAWAY

Win a new RPM Friction Pro paddle

To celebrate the New Year we are partnering with RPM to give away a brand new Friction Pro pickleball paddle! 💥

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO ENTER

1. LIKE this post

2. TAG a few friends (every tag is a new entry!)

3. FOLLOW @thekitchenpickleball and @rpmpickleball on Instagram

4. SHARE the post to your stories

***YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL STEPS TO BE ELIGIBLE***

We will choose ONE random winner on Friday, Jan. 9.

🔗 Check out the RPM Friction Pro here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for 15% off

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This is what true mastery looks like

They say it takes 10,000 hours to reach elite-level mastery.

The guys in this match — Ben Johns, Gabe Tardio, Andrei Daescu and Christian Alshon — have probably logged 100,000 hours combined.

And it shows during this point, which has everything you could ask for: Lobs, great defense, drives, drops, counters and more.

🔗 Check out this highlight on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok

FEATURED STORY

Anna Leigh Waters signs paddle contract with Franklin

Big news in the pro pickleball world dropped Thursday morning: Anna Leigh Waters has officially signed an equipment contract with Franklin Sports.

The deal — rumored to be in the millions — has been in the works for weeks, and Waters will assist in the design of a signature line of paddles, bags and accessories with Franklin.

"I am incredibly proud to begin this next chapter of my career with Franklin Sports," Waters said. “When looking for the right partner for the future of my game, performance was a priority, and I’ve been so impressed by Franklin’s commitment to paddle innovation."

Waters plans to use a new iteration of Franklin's popular C45 line of paddles, which were released in 2025 and have kept the sports equipment brand near the top of the paddle market, where it has been since it entered the pickleball space in 2017.

In photos provided to The Kitchen, Waters is shown using an unreleased C45 model called the Aurelius, which is a Latin word meaning golden. The paddle has Waters' familiar crown logo on the face and has a thickness of 12.7mm, which would be the thinnest paddle in the C45 line and likely would make it the most poppy. It also appears to be a widebody paddle -- similar to what she has used previously -- although exact dimensions haven't been released.

Waters and Franklin will also release a new pickleball geared toward higher-level play to complement the brand's existing X-40 ball line, which is the most popular ball in the sport.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the undisputed No. 1 pickleball player in the world to the Franklin Sports family,” said Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports. “Anna Leigh’s remarkable talent, competitive spirit, and passion for the game align perfectly with our mission to support athletes at every level while continuing to grow the sport globally.”

It has also been rumored that her contract with apparel manufacturer FILA has ended and a new apparel deal with Nike has been discussed, although there has been no official announcement on that. In the photos that Franklin released, Waters was wearing plain clothing and shoes with no logos, suggesting that she will have a separate apparel and shoe deal in addition to the paddle deal with Franklin.

🔗 Learn more about Waters’ paddle contract with Franklin and why the partnership works for both sides

PICKLEBALL POWER 50

Introducing Nos. 41-45 on our power list

In case you missed it earlier this week, we recently launched our Pickleball Power 50 series, a ranking of the most influential people in pickleball. The list includes investors, CEOs, players, league executives, team owners, creators, podcasters, operators and more.

Today we dropped Nos. 41-45, which includes some big names that fans will recognize as well as behind-the-scenes operatives.

41. Steve Kuhn – Founder of Major League Pickleball and DUPR, he was a central architect of the modern pro game and a key figure in the 2023 “Tour Wars.” Steve also founded DUPR, which became the sport’s first widely adopted global rating system, and Dreamland, a now-closed facility that helped set the early standard for professional pickleball training.

42. John Kew – YouTube paddle reviewer, John is widely respected for his technical knowledge of paddle performance. Known for maintaining one of the sport’s most comprehensive paddle statistics databases, his data-driven reviews and testing methodology strongly influence consumer perception, purchasing decisions, and how new paddles are received across the market.

43. Zane Navratil – Pro player and podcaster, Zane serves as president of the newly formed UPA Pro Player Committee, the first official player representation body formally recognized by the UPA. In this role, he sits at the center of player advocacy, governance dialogue, and collective input on issues impacting contracts, competition structure, and the future of professional pickleball.

44. Tim and Ashley Owens – Co-founders of Court Reserve, a leading platform powering pickleball facilities worldwide. They have helped professionalize the sport’s infrastructure by enabling clubs, tournaments, and communities to operate and scale more efficiently, positioning the Owenses as key behind-the-scenes figures in pickleball’s continued growth and commercialization.

45. Jorge Barragan – Co-founder and CEO of The Picklr, Jorge leads the largest indoor pickleball facility chain in the United States. He is also an investor in STACK Athletics and Vulcan Sporting Goods, and a part-owner of MLP’s California Black Bears, placing him squarely at the intersection of facilities, equipment, and league ownership within the pickleball ecosystem.

🔗 This list will be updated daily until we reach No. 1

TRENDING

Pro player Vivienne David on Tuesday announced her retirement from playing professionally after competing for more than 5 years on the PPA Tour, APP Tour and in Major League Pickleball.

David, 28, won 15 gold medals (5 women's doubles, 10 mixed doubles) and 42 total medals during her career, making her one of the winningest women's players in the pro game.

She also has played in Major League Pickleball each season since the league was formed in 2021, playing for nine teams in that span -- most recently the Atlanta Bouncers.

"At first I wasn’t sure if I was making the correct decision, but as time went on and I’ve given it a lot of thought and prayer, I’m excited and at peace with this decision," David said on Instagram. "I’ll still be in pickleball but more geared towards teaching, which really excites me!"

🔗 Read more from Vivienne David’s retirement announcement

GEAR

Expert review: New Enhance DUO paddles are among the best foam-core options right now

Enhance Pickleball got started as a company making training aids and producing instructional content.

Over the years they have dabbled in manufacturing paddles, but their main focus was their Dink Master training board and several other products meant to help players work on their game. That all changed in 2025, first with the release of the Enhance Gen 4.5 paddle and then the launch of the Enhance DUO elongated and widebody models late in the year.

The DUO is a 100% foam core paddle that has turned heads in the industry, proving that Enhance is capable of producing paddles that perform at or near the top of the market.

Here’s what’s under the hood ⬇️

Ridge-core design: The DUO features a patent-pending EPP foam core with a ridge along its side, which is meant to produce the power and sweet spot of a Gen 3 paddle, while keeping the durability, dwell and consistency that foam offers.

Dual foam core: As the paddle's name suggests, the DUO combines two foams — EPP at the center for structure and power, and EVA around the edges for softness and dwell. Together, they create a balance of control and explosiveness that single-foam paddles lack.

SHOP THE ENHANCE DUO -- Use code "KITCHEN" at checkout for $20 off.

🔗 Check out our in-depth review here

QUICK HITS

• Yikes: How would tennis players react if the roles were reversed?

• Wow: This behind-the-back winner was insane

• Happy trails: In honor of Vivienne David’s retirement

• Can’t wait: Palm Springs pickleball is right around the corner