Anna Leigh Waters' most likely paddle is Franklin's unreleased "?" paddle, reported in her hands since the August 2026 MLP Finals, while her PPA Tour profile lists the Franklin C45 Hybrid. The paddle's name, shape and thickness, her playing weight, tape amount and placement, grip build, overgrip, and exact Nike shoe model are pending.
Anna Leigh Waters is one of the most visible players on tour, but her exact custom setup is less public than her sponsor relationships. This record separates the current Franklin and Nike associations from her earlier Franklin Aurelius and Paddletek-era setups.
Current equipment
What is on the record now?
A sponsor deal or product page tells you the brand and model, not the exact match paddle, weight, or tape. Each field below shows its own source and date.
via the Franklin pro paddle shop (this paddle is not listed yet)
Most likelyConflicting reports
Four outlets independently report Waters playing Franklin's unreleased "?" paddle, with dated use at the August 2026 MLP Finals and throughout the September 2026 Nationals, and she was still carrying it in Manila on October 13. The PPA's C45 Hybrid listing is undated and its own buy link points to a different paddle. No source covers her October matches, and the paddle's name, shape and thickness are unconfirmed.
An unreleased all-black Franklin paddle with a large white question mark on the face, reported in pros' hands since the MLP Finals in late August 2026. The UPA-A approved list carries three Franklin "?" models added August 12, 2026 (Elongated 14mm, Elongated 16mm and Hybrid 14mm). The Dink reported the name "Whip" without confirmation. Franklin had not listed or named it on its own shop when checked on November 1, 2026, so this record carries no retail specification, no thickness variant and no offer.
Retail Listing
None on Franklin's Pro Paddles page as of 2026-11-01
Franklin has not named or released the "?" paddle. UPA-A approved it in Elongated 14mm, Elongated 16mm and Hybrid 14mm versions; which one she plays is unconfirmed. Her Aurelius 12.7mm is kept under earlier setups.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
ShoesConfirmed
Nike Footwear (exact on-court model pending)
Anna Leigh Waters' current sponsor-backed footwear association. Public reporting names more than one possible court model, so this record does not promote one as her confirmed match paddle.
The "?" paddle is approved in 14mm and 16mm versions, and the C45 Hybrid the PPA lists is a 14mm model, but no source confirms the thickness she plays now. Her 12.7mm Aurelius thickness is kept under earlier setups.
Pending: Retail specs, handle, playing weight, weight added, tape placement, grip build, overgrip. Checked Nov 1, 2026
Retail specs
Pending
Franklin publishes no specifications for the unreleased "?" paddle, and the Aurelius retail specifications describe her earlier paddle.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Handle
Pending
No handle specification is published for the unreleased "?" paddle, and no source measures her handle.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Playing weight
Pending
No public source confirms Waters' playing weight with her current Franklin paddle. Retail stock ranges are not a substitute for a measured match paddle.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Weight added
Pending
Waters has a first-party lead-tape setup video from the Paddletek era, but no amount is publicly confirmed for her Franklin paddles.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Tape placement
Pending
The Paddletek-era video shows the setup but does not describe placement in its text, and no Franklin-era placement source was found.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Grip build
Pending
No public source confirms Waters' current grip build.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Overgrip
Pending
A Paddletek-era TikTok caption says she re-wraps fresh before events, but the current brand and model are not confirmed.
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Tape placement for Anna Leigh Waters' current paddle is pending. See the 8 other pros with sourced setups in the pro lead and tungsten tape guide.
Previous-era setup
Earlier setups, with dates
These setups are sourced but belong to an earlier paddle or sponsor, so they are not carried over to the current setup above.
Franklin C45 Aurelius signature setup
From its February 2026 approval until reports of the unreleased "?" paddle from late August 2026
Historical report
The Aurelius 12.7mm was announced in February 2026 as the thickness Waters would use going forward, and Franklin still sells it as her signature series. Since the MLP Finals in late August 2026, reports place an unreleased Franklin paddle in her hands instead, so this setup is kept as her earlier Franklin paddle rather than carried forward.
This previous-era record preserves the public setup clues without carrying them forward to the Franklin paddle. The first-party Instagram and TikTok videos have been reviewed; exact amount and placement remain not confirmed rather than being inferred from the frames.
The first-party videos show the Paddletek-era taped paddle, but the frames do not establish a precise, repeatable placement or amount. No Franklin-era placement source was found.
Official history lists gold in Women's Doubles with Anna Bright; Finals date 2026-05-10.
Window: Nov 9, 2023 to Nov 9, 2026. Selected verified results, ordered by finish and then date. This record may not cover every tournament appearance. Tournament results do not establish which paddle was used.
Change history
What changed, and when?
Each sponsor or gear change, with its date and source.
Aug 30, 2026
Paddle · reason not stated
Unreleased Franklin "?" paddle, reported
Franklin C45 Aurelius 12.7mm→Unreleased Franklin "?" paddle, reported
Dated to The Dink's August 30, 2026 report of her debut with the paddle at the MLP Finals. This record changed on November 1, 2026: the Aurelius moved to earlier setups and the current paddle is shown as conflicting, with the "?" paddle as the most likely lead and the PPA's C45 Hybrid listing kept visible.
Most likely Franklin's unreleased "?" paddle: The Dink, pickleball.com and The Kitchen report her playing it since the August 2026 MLP Finals, and Franklin has not yet named or released it. Her PPA Tour profile lists the Franklin C45 Hybrid instead, so the paddle is shown as conflicting.
Pending for her current paddle. The unreleased "?" paddle is approved in 14mm and 16mm versions, but no source says which she plays. Her earlier Aurelius was the 12.7mm version.
Yes, lead-tape use is confirmed for her previous Paddletek-era setup through a first-party video. The amount and placement are not confirmed in the text record, and no Franklin-era tape setup has been published.