World Pickleball Championship Debuts in India
Event Overview
The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) has launched the World Pickleball Championship (WPC) Series at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. This international event, running from November 12 to 17, features over 55 players from 16 countries, marking its first appearance in India after previous events in Vietnam and Bali.
Indian Players Shine
Indian athletes have made a strong impression, securing top positions in various categories. In the Boys’ Under-14 Advanced Plus category, Neel Linge won gold, and Aarisha Aga Choubey took silver. Ritam Chawla and Shourya Kukrecha claimed gold and silver in the Boys’ Under-18 Advanced Plus category. In the girls’ competitions, Anushka Chhabra and Jahnavi Iyer excelled in the Under-14 category, while Agnimitra Bhavatosh Bhattacharya and Naomi Amalsadiwala led the Under-18 category.
Men’s and Women’s Competitions
Rohit Patil and Christian Josua Luna excelled in the Men’s Singles 19+ Advanced category. Manickavasagam Sethu and Aditya Doshi shone in the 35+ category, while Gordon Watson and Ajay Kumar dominated the 50+ category. In Women’s Singles, Kavya J and Pakhi Bhatt led the 19+ category, and Shraddha Damani and Sindoor Mittal excelled in the 35+ category.
Doubles Matches
Aaradhya Satpute and Neel Linge won the Junior Mixed Doubles Under-14 Advanced Plus category. Arjun Singh and Naomi Amalsadiwala claimed gold in the Junior Mixed Doubles Under-18 Advanced category. Debbie Dcruz and Samrat Kapur excelled in the Mixed Doubles 35+ Advanced category.
Event Partners and Broadcast
AIPA has partnered with Skechers, Kinley, KheloMore App, DCB Bank, IISM, Nexus, and District by Zomato to ensure a world-class experience. Amuzi Sports and Doordarshan provide digital and television coverage, respectively.
Statements from Organizers
Jan Papi, Founder of Pickleball Global, expressed excitement about the event’s debut in India, highlighting the country’s vibrant sports culture. Arvind Prabhoo, President of AIPA, emphasized the significance of the event for India’s pickleball community.
Doubts Revealed
Pickleball -: Pickleball is a fun sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, usually on a small court.
Cricket Club of India -: The Cricket Club of India is a famous sports club in Mumbai, India. It is known for hosting various sports events, including cricket matches.
Skechers -: Skechers is a popular brand that makes shoes and sportswear. They are one of the sponsors of the World Pickleball Championship in India.
Kinley -: Kinley is a brand of bottled water. It is one of the sponsors of the pickleball event in Mumbai.
Amuzi Sports -: Amuzi Sports is a company that provides digital coverage of sports events. They are helping to show the pickleball championship on the internet.
Doordarshan -: Doordarshan is India’s national television broadcaster. It is helping to show the pickleball championship on TV for people to watch.
Jan Papi -: Jan Papi is one of the organizers of the World Pickleball Championship. He is excited about bringing the sport to India.
Arvind Prabhoo -: Arvind Prabhoo is another organizer of the pickleball event in India. He is working to make the sport more popular in the country.