Khanna Brothers Oxbridge Pickleball Rivalry: Aditya Khanna and Ashish Khanna stole the spotlight at the Oxbridge Alumni Pickleball event in Delhi, battling each other in a tense singles final before joining forces to win the doubles title. The event took place under floodlights at Rackonnect Exclusive Padel Pickle Park (REPPP), Mehrauli, during a PWR 50 alumni reunion.
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Brothers Face Off in Singles Final
In the singles final, the brothers turned their lifelong rivalry into a sporting spectacle. Aditya Khanna, an alumnus of Oxford University, defeated his older brother Ashish Khanna, an alumnus of Imperial University, with a 15-9 scoreline. Both had years of experience on the tennis court, and their duel was filled with grit and long rallies.
Aditya admitted that the win felt personal. “In pickleball, we have had a few competitions against each other, and last time he won the final at an alumni event. This time, I was on the lucky side to win. As long as he does not take his best back home, I think it is fine,” he said.
For Aditya, 43, pickleball is more than just a game. As the co-founder of the Pickleball World Ranking (PWR), he has been a driving force behind the sport’s growth in India. He also shared his favorite move on court: “My best shot is a forehand inside out.”
Ashish, 46, spoke about his strategy and where things slipped away. “I was trying to keep the ball as low as possible, making it skip and stay down. But he came up with a few really good passing shots that turned the match around. I was up 4–1, and then he hit these fancy winners which I wasn’t expecting,” he said.
He also praised his brother’s skill. “He ran and flipped a couple of balls that were phenomenal – running, curving the ball all the way down for the passing shot. I tried hard, I tried to use the surface, which is weak, and keep the ball low and fast. I think that made a difference because I was not expecting those balls to be that accurate. So, that was, I think, the only bit of a changing point and we had like long rallies, long points. So, I think the passing was the major difference,” Ashish added.
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Reunion on Court in Doubles Final
The rivalry quickly turned into reunion as the Khanna brothers teamed up for the doubles final. Showing strong coordination and sharp shot-making, Aditya Khanna and Ashish Khanna cruised past Bhavya Bishnoi and Kunal Raj Bahadur with a commanding 15-4 win.
Ashish, who had earlier lost the singles final, felt proud of the shared victory. “Finally, a bigger trophy is in! I was really tired after my singles final, but I am very happy to have won the doubles title. I really enjoyed the event,” he said.
More Than Just Wins and Losses
The Oxbridge Alumni Pickleball event offered more than just competition. For the Khanna brothers, it became a story of rivalry, redemption, and reunion. While Aditya Khanna took home the singles crown, the doubles victory gave them both a reason to celebrate.
The evening showed how sport can both divide and unite. Their performances proved that sibling rivalry can be fierce, but shared passion and teamwork can create lasting moments of pride and joy.
News in Brief: Khanna Brothers Oxbridge Pickleball Rivalry
Aditya Khanna defeated his brother Ashish Khanna 15-9 in the singles final at the Oxbridge Alumni Pickleball event in Delhi. Later, the brothers paired up to win the doubles final against Bhavya Bishnoi and Kunal Raj Bahadur 15-4, turning their rivalry into a shared triumph.
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