Mumbai Smashers Triumph in Indian Pickleball League Final
Mumbai Smashers Claim Championship Title
New Delhi, December 7: The Mumbai Smashers achieved an incredible feat by clinching the championship title after starting the season in sixth place, defeating the Hyderabad Royals in the final of the Indian Pickleball League (IPBL). This league, recognized as India's only official pickleball competition, is sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association and supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, according to a press release from the IPBL.
The final match took place at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall, where Mumbai secured a decisive 5-1 victory in front of Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs.
Vineet Jain, Managing Director of the Times Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the sport, stating, "Pickleball has unique qualities that could encourage mass participation. I extend my gratitude to all team owners, players, referees, and everyone involved in the league. Today marks the beginning, and we have many exciting plans ahead."
The Grand Finale was preceded by an All-Star match, featuring prominent figures such as Jain, GPF President Javier Regalado, IPA President Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, and international star Hercilio Cabieses. Bollywood actor Harshvardhan Rane also graced the event, which attracted a large audience eager to witness Team Dink's 2-1 victory over Team Volley.
As the championship match commenced, both teams had taken different paths to reach this point. Hyderabad started strong but faced challenges mid-season, ultimately finishing second in the group stage. In contrast, Mumbai, who had not won until their last league match, turned their fortunes around by defeating Gurgaon, which led to a three-way Play-In scenario. They then triumphed over Lucknow in the Eliminator and Chennai in Qualifier 2 to earn their spot in the final.
With momentum on their side, Mumbai began the final match aggressively. Quang Duong, a standout player, defeated Tejas Gulati with a commanding 15-4 score. The DUPR World No. 3 maintained his unbeaten streak in singles throughout the IPBL, showcasing his skills in both the back-court and kitchen-line. Duong later teamed up with Ammol Ramchandani to secure a 15-10 victory against Hyderabad's Ben Newell and Divyanshu Kataria in men's doubles, putting Mumbai ahead 2-0.
Desperate for a comeback, Hyderabad turned to Megan Fudge. After trailing 2-3, Fudge quickly regained control, dominating the next ten points and winning 15-5, giving Hyderabad a much-needed victory.
However, Mumbai responded strongly in the women's doubles, with Allison Harris and Pearl Amalsadiwala overcoming an 8-6 deficit to win 15-10.
In the Grand Rally, Mumbai surged to a 6-1 lead, but Hyderabad fought back to narrow the gap to 5-8. Nevertheless, the Smashers maintained their composure, extending their lead to 17-11 before sealing the championship with a final score of 21-14. Duong and Pearl were recognized as the Players of the Tie.
The league concluded with notable individual accolades. Duong was awarded both Male MVP and Best Men’s Singles Player, while Fudge received the Female MVP title. Roos van Reek, who remained unbeaten throughout the league, was named Best Women’s Singles Player. Harsh Mehta and Pearl Amalsadiwala were honored as the Best Doubles Players in their respective categories.