Kasturi Vighne and Spandan PV’s Pickleball Journey: Kasturi Vighne and her husband Spandan PV captured attention at the Pickleball Now Grand Prix 2025 with their winning doubles performance. Off the court, Spandan works as a veterinarian, while Kasturi is employed in a fintech company. On the court, they combine discipline, coaching, and teamwork to achieve success.
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Training and Discipline
Kasturi said her improvement in the sport is closely linked to Spandan’s coaching. “I started playing pickleball in 2018. But after I got married to Spandan, he became my coach. I’ve improved a lot in the technical aspects of the game. We’ve been training together for almost two years now. We practise daily in the mornings. On court, he definitely rules. Off court, I rule,” she said.
She explained that their training focuses heavily on drills. “We do more drills than matches. Drilling is repeating shots again and again until you get muscle memory. For example, if I have to work on a third-shot drop, I’ll enact that shot again and again. At least one hour daily, we put into practice,” she added.
Challenges as a Couple
Playing as a married couple was not always easy. “They say couples shouldn’t play together because they fight on court. That was true for us too. We used to end up fighting a lot, so we stopped playing together. Then Spandan decided one of us would be the captain. Only the captain speaks, and the other goes completely mute. I am the one who goes quiet and just listen to him. On court, he is my coach and I am his student. We are not husband and wife when we play,” Kasturi shared.
She also pointed out the importance of maturity. “If both partners are very competitive, I wouldn’t suggest they play together. You have to be mature enough to leave a loss behind on the court and not carry it home. Otherwise, it affects your relationship. But if you have understanding, there’s no problem,” she said.
Return to Doubles
An injury brought the couple back as partners. “I strained my ankle three months ago and felt I had become a liability. Nobody would want to partner with me, so I asked Spandan. That’s how we started again. He coached me well, and now we’ve been playing tournaments back-to-back and getting good results,” Kasturi said.
The pair also developed a unique way to communicate during matches. “Spandan has technical words he uses when coaching. For example, he’ll say ‘stand at seventh’ and I know that means two feet away from the baseline. It’s about where I should be for the third or fifth shot. Opponents don’t understand it, but it works for us. We avoid hand signals or eye movements, because those can be picked up,” she explained.
Growth of Pickleball in India
Beyond her own journey, Kasturi praised the efforts of the Indian Pickleball Association. “IPA is playing a very good role in the growth of pickleball in India. They’ve formed state associations that are bringing in 100–200 players in each state. In Bangalore, the KPA has been formed under IPA. These bodies are taking initiatives to help players perform at their best. IPA is definitely playing a major role,” she said.
Significance
The story of Kasturi Vighne and Spandan PV highlights how couples can balance personal life, discipline, and teamwork to succeed in sports. Their experience also shows how structured coaching, maturity, and support from organizations like the Indian Pickleball Association are shaping the future of pickleball in India.
News in Brief: Kasturi Vighne and Spandan PV’s Pickleball Journey
At the Pickleball Now Grand Prix 2025, Kasturi Vighne and her husband Spandan PV won the doubles title. The couple train daily with discipline and use a unique code language during matches. Despite early challenges, they now thrive as partners, while praising the Indian Pickleball Association for growing the sport in India.