Armaan Bhatia and Harsh Mehta: The 4th IPA Pickleball Nationals at Bennett University in Greater Noida featured thrilling finals on January 26, showcasing top players across various age and skill divisions. Exciting matches highlighted the growing popularity of pickleball in India, captivating fans and participants.
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Men’s Doubles Championship
On a chilly Saturday night, top seeds Armaan Bhatia and Harsh Mehta clinched the men’s doubles title. They defeated the third seeds, Divyanshu Kataria and Aditya Ruhela, in a hard-fought match. The score was 11-4, 7-11, 11-5. Bhatia and Mehta have DUPR ratings of 6.364 and 6.632, respectively.
Veteran Competition
In the 50+ men’s doubles final, top seeds Dilesh Bhullar and Suryaveer Singh Bhullar came back after losing the first game to win against fourth seeds Shalin Jain and Akhil Mathur. The final score was 9-11, 11-7, 11-5. SB Sharma won in the 60+ men’s singles category, defeating Ashwini Wadhwa.
Women’s Doubles Title Match
In women’s doubles, second seeds Naimi Mehta and Mihika Yadav faced Asmi Sapra and Megha Kapoor. After losing the first game 2-11, they made a strong comeback to win the next two games 11-1 and 11-3, securing the title.
Shefali Arora and Nitanya Malik also delivered an upset, beating top seeds Amrita Mukherjee and S Dipti to claim third place in the PRO Open women’s doubles.
Singles Finals Highlights
The singles finals saw impressive performances. Aditya Ruhela dominated the PRO Open Men’s Singles final, defeating ninth-seeded Harsh Mehta in straight games, 11-2, 11-2. Amrita Mukherjee claimed the PRO Open Women’s Singles title, adding to the excitement of the day.
Mixed Doubles Success for Bhatia
Armaan Bhatia also shined in the PRO Open Mixed Doubles, partnering with Sindoor Mittal to defeat second seeds Shail Shah and Rakshikha Ravi in straight sets, 11-8, 11-6.
In the 50+ Men’s Singles, Akhil Mathur won decisively, beating Sanjay 11-1, 11-0. Kavita Khanna claimed the 50+ Women’s Singles title, defeating top-seeded Babita Langthansa 11-3, 11-9.
Dramatic 35+ Men’s Singles Final
The 35+ Men’s Singles final featured a thrilling match between top-seeded Rahul Belwal and unseeded Santosh Bhagat.
Belwal won the first game 11-4, but Bhagat fought back to take the second game 11-10. In a tense final game, Bhagat led 7-0, but Belwal made an impressive comeback to win 12-10 and secure the title.
Significance of the Event
The 4th IPA Pickleball Nationals highlighted the growing popularity of pickleball in India. With exciting matches and strong performances across age groups, the tournament showcased the talent and competitive spirit of the players.
As interest in the sport increases, events like these are likely to inspire more participants and enhance the pickleball community in the country.
News in Brief: Armaan Bhatia and Harsh Mehta
The 4th IPA Pickleball Nationals at Bennett University on January 25 featured exciting finals across divisions. Armaan Bhatia and Harsh Mehta won the men’s doubles title, while Aditya Ruhela secured the PRO Open Men’s Singles.
Amrita Mukherjee won in the PRO Open Women’s Singles. The event highlighted the growing popularity of pickleball in India, engaging fans and players.
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