Pickleball fever grips India as World Pickleball League debuts with a bang

The inaugural day of the World Pickleball League was a spectacle to remember, held at the iconic Brabourne Stadium on Friday.

With an atmosphere brimming with excitement, the stage was set for an extraordinary opening, and it delivered beyond expectations. 

The league kicked off with a bang, featuring an electrifying Maharashtra derby between Mumbai Pickle Power and Pune United.

With the league’s fast-paced 15-minute-per-match format, fans were guaranteed nerve-wracking and exciting moments throughout, and the first tie delivered exactly that!

Grand opener: Maharashtra derby

The event was graced by Gaurav Natekar, Co-Founder of the World Pickleball League, along with his wife. Joining them were Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh, co-owners of Pune United, who brought star power to boost their team’s morale.

The tie commenced with an exciting matchup, as both teams fielded their top players, Brandon Lane for Mumbai Pickle Power and Mateusz Matysik for Pune United. However, the support of the star power didn’t matter much as Mumbai Pickle Power’s Brandon Lane completely outclassed Mateusz in every department of the opening clash as the sun set the tone.

Although Mateusz did have some flashes of brilliance, it was not enough to defeat the USA powerhouse. Brandon won the first match of the inaugural day’s first tie by an 18-9 margin, which gave Mumbai the upper hand.

The momentum of the clash continued in the second match, which was the women’s doubles. Representing Mumbai Pickle Power were Glauka Lane and Katie Morris, who faced off against Talia Saunders and Brooke Revuelta from Pune United. It was another magnificent performance by the Mumbai duo, who secured the win and gave their team a 2-0 lead early on!

However, sports is an unpredictable arena where no team can ever be ruled out. Just as it seemed like Mumbai Pickle Power might dominate the first tie, Louis Laville and Vanshik Kapadia stepped up for Pune United in the men’s doubles against Kim Eung Gwon and Mayur Patil.

Though bruised, Pune United ensured they remained in the tie after an exceptional performance in the men’s doubles. Their enthralling gameplay saw them clinch victory in the third match by a 12-5 margin, narrowing the score to 2-1.

The highlight of the tie was the women’s singles, where Mihae Kwon of Mumbai Pickle Power went head-to-head with Brooke Revuelta of Pune United. At one point, Mihae seemed too hot to handle for Brooke, but as mentioned before, you can’t rule anyone out in sports, and this match was no exception.

Brooke made an astounding comeback against Mihae Kwon, ensuring her team stayed in the tie after a gripping game of pickleball that ended 15-15, keeping the score 2-1 with just the final game remaining.

The final game, a mixed doubles showdown, featured Pune United’s Talia Saunders and William Sobek taking on the real-life couple Glauka Lane and Brandon Lane from Mumbai Pickle Power. When the tide seemed unpredictable, the Lanes ensured they outmaneuvered their opponents, which they did by winning the final match 16-9, as well as the tie, by a 3-1 margin.

This brought an exciting conclusion to the first tie, with Mumbai Pickle Power emerging victorious.

Bengaluru Jawans dominate Chennai Super Champs

The second tie, which commenced shortly after, saw some renowned names cheering from the sidelines for their teams.

The Bengaluru Jawans’ owners, Atlee and Priya Atlee, were joined by the Chennai Super Champs’ owner and celebrated actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Adding to the star-studded lineup was Manushi Chillar, further elevating the event’s glamour quotient.

Before the second tie began, the event included a beautiful candle-lighting ceremony, followed by a few words from Gaurav Natekar himself. Once everyone took their seats, the action began with the men’s singles featuring Jack Foster from Bengaluru Jawans and Edward Perez from Chennai Super Champs.

Edward Perez started strong, racing to a considerable lead, but the momentum shifted when Jack Foster turned up his A-game. Jack came from behind to secure a close 15-14 win, giving his team a 1-0 lead.

From there, it was a dominant performance by Bengaluru Jawans, who outclassed Chennai Super Champs in every match. Trang Huynh-McClain and Alejandra Borobia stormed through the women’s doubles, easily winning 15-6 against Sarah Jane Lim and Thaddea Lock of Chennai Super Champs.

The third match saw Bengaluru’s men, Marcello Jardim and Mauro Garcia, continue the momentum with a solid 12-9 victory against Chennai’s Tanner Tomassi and Etienne Blaszkewycz.

With Bengaluru Jawans already leading 3-0, they were determined to secure a clean sweep, and they did so with ease! Katernia Stewart emerged as a star performer for Bengaluru, overwhelming her opponent Anna Clarice Patrimonio with a 22-11 win. The final matchup, a mixed doubles clash, once again showcased an outstanding performance by Trang Huynh-McClain and Jack Foster, who dominated the Chennai duo to seal the whitewash.

This brought Day 1 of the World Pickleball League to a thrilling conclusion, with Mumbai Pickle Power and Bengaluru Jawans emerging on top.

To keep the energy high, the WPBL had entertainment lined up for the audience, with the popular singer Rajakumari gracing the main stage and mesmerizing the crowd with her performance.

The event was filled with excitement and positive vibes, wrapping up a memorable opening day for the World Pickleball League!  

Note:

- With PNG Jewellers as the associate sponsor, the event, which will culminate on the 2nd of February, promises thrilling action for sports enthusiasts

- Fans can catch all the live action on Sony Sports Ten 2 and FanCode

- For those looking to experience the excitement in person, tickets are available through Swiggy Genie, the official ticketing partner.