Carvana Surprises World’s No. 1 Female Pickleball Player Anna Leigh Waters With One-of-a-Kind Sweet 16 Gift

Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, recently surprised pickleball star Anna Leigh Waters with her new dream ride, in celebration of the burgeoning athlete’s 16th birthday. With the help of Anna Leigh’s mother and favorite double’s partner, Leigh, the Carvana team planned and executed the heartwarming surprise moment at one of the company’s signature Car Vending Machines.

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Carvana PPA star athlete Anna Leigh Waters is surprised with her dream car for her 16th birthday at one of Carvana's signature Car Vending Machines. (Photo: Business Wire)

Anna Leigh was under the impression that she would be touring one of Carvana’s 33 state-of-the-art steel and glass Car Vending Machines when she dropped in the commemorative, oversized Carvana coin and activated the automated vending process. Little did she know she would be getting a front-row seat to watch her vehicle descend through the brightly lit vending structure from the heart of the all-glass tower. And while Anna Leigh may be anything but your typical 16-year-old, the exhilarating thrill a young adult experiences sitting behind the wheel of their very first car applies to anyone—even an emerging pro athlete who has taken the pickleball world by storm and shot to the pinnacle of a wildly exploding sport last year. Now, Anna Leigh’s birthday ride can represent a small token of Carvana’s dedication to serving up happiness in the pickleball community.

“At Carvana, we know 16th birthdays are a really big deal. That’s because there’s nothing quite like sitting in the driver’s seat of your first vehicle,” said Ryan Keeton, Carvana co-founder and Chief Brand Officer. “So we decided to follow-up on our promise to create joyful experiences and drive people happy and create a one-of-a-kind birthday surprise for one of our favorite pickleball players.”

“When the car came down the Vending Machine and they handed me the keys—I couldn’t believe it! My parents and Carvana really pulled off quite the surprise. Thank you Carvana for making 16, and the start of the pickleball season, so sweet already,” added Waters.

This year, Carvana will champion America’s fastest growing sport at 25 tour stops across the country as the title sponsor of the Carvana PPA Tour – the home of all things pickleball and the pro circuit where professional pickleball players such as Waters compete. With the Carvana PPA Tour as the engine for pickleball’s meteoric growth thanks to its inclusive tournament structure, pro player personalities, robust broadcast partnerships, largest prize pool in history, and dynamic approach to fan engagement, the tour is positioned to attract millions of new fans and players alike in 2023.