Pickleball in India
| Pickleball in India | |
|---|---|
 Pickleball balls and paddles | |
| Country | India |
| Governing body | All India Pickleball Association |
| National team(s) | India |
Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis,[1] is growing rapidly within India.[2][3][4][5] The Times Now reported in September 2024 that over 50,000 people in India played the game over the previous 18 months and at the time there were over 500 courts throughout the country, with 40 or 50 new courts being added every month.[6] The popularity of pickleball is causing waiting lists for booking courts.[7][8] Its increasing reach is attracting sponsors and investment.[9]
The sport is played in several states, including Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.[10] Various clubs and centers, such as Pickleball Arena, offer coaching, court booking, and equipment sales to promote the sport.[11]
Sunil Valavalkar introduced pickleball in India in 2006.[2]
Mayur Patil from Maharashtra was among the six Indians representing India at the English Open in August 2023. He won a silver in the open category in the Bainbridge Cup.[2]
The Indian contingent won four gold and two bronze medals in the Asian Open Pickleball Championship 2024 held in Vietnam.[12]
A pickleball league called the World Pickleball League is planned to be launched in India with the backing of Gaurav Natekar.[13][14][15][16][17] There are also plans to bring PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball to India in 2025.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Essential Rules of Pickleball: A Quick Overview". Team Pickleball. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ a b c "From Mumbai To Goa, And Jharkhand To Kerala, The Growing Popularity Of Pickleball In India". Forbes India. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Tennis but not quite: Pickleball gains ground in India, riding a pandemic-born craze". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "From Goa to Mumbai - How Pickleball Went From A Trend To A Sporting Revolution In India". Times Now. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Pickleball Fever Sweeps India: From Mumbai to Kerala, the Sport Takes Center Stage". Times Now. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ Sadhu, Rahul. "Pickleball Fever Sweeps India: More Than 50,000 Players, Nearly 500 Courts Signals Popularity Across Nation". Times Now News. Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Padel craze sparks waitlists for courts, Pickleball booms with ₹1 crore prize". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Pickleball: The rising craze in India's sports scene | The Established". www.theestablished.com. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ Philip, Lijee (2 October 2023). "Pickleball growing in popularity, draws more sponsors". The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Pickleball in India: The game that gives life (Pt. 1)". PickleballCentral.com. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Pickleball Arena". Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Indians dominate Asian Pickleball Championship with 4 gold, 2 silver". The Times of India. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Pickleball gets a league of its own in India with $10-mn investment in 3-5 years". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "India Set To Get First-Ever Professional Pickleball League With WPBL | Other Sports News". NDTVSports.com. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "KheloMore and All India Pickleball Association to establish 100 pickleball courts in 2 years". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "India set to launch its first-ever professional pickleball league with World Pickleball League". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "All India Pickleball Association and Natekar Sports and Gaming Forge Pathbreaking Partnership for India's Inaugural Pickleball League". ANI News. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ Golden, Jessica (25 April 2024). "Professional pickleball signs first international deal, looks to grow the sport in India". CNBC. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
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