Forget tennis, Nike is setting its sights on pickleball and has signed its first deal with a star of the sport.
Anna Leigh Waters is the No. 1-ranked pickleball player and has signed an agreement with Nike, CNBC reported.
The terms of the deal were not released, but it is said to be a multiyear deal, according to The Athletic.
Waters will now represent Nike for apparel and footwear when she’s appearing for events and pro tournaments.
She is also a global pickleball ambassador for Nike.
″Growing up, I watched my idols wear the Swoosh in their biggest moments, so joining the Nike family is a dream realized,” Waters said in a statement. “Nike is the gold standard in performance and I can’t wait to step on to the court representing a brand that believes in the same relentless pursuit of greatness that drives me every day.”
A corporate partnership isn’t anything new for the 18-year-old stand out. She had inked a deal with Fila that expired last year, CNBC reported. She is also working with Franklin Sports, Delta Air Lines, DoorDash and Ulta Beauty.
Waters teamed up with Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, last year, winning a match. She will go against him this April for the Pickleball Slam, The Athletic reported.
Waters is not only No. 1 in women’s singles, she also is the tops in doubles and mixed doubles with a record 181 gold medals and 39 career triple crowns. She started playing the game at the age of 12 in 2019, according to CNBC.
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. with participation growing 331% from 2022 to 2024, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association and USA Today.
Waters is showing off the Nike branding at the Carvana Masters in Rancho Mirage, California, this week.
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