Eeshan Chaudhury Pickleball Journey: Eeshan Chaudhury, a Class 11 student at La Martiniere, is making waves in junior pickleball while managing a busy schedule of school, travel, and tennis. The 16-year-old uses YouTube and guidance from peers to improve his spin-heavy left-handed game and focuses on tournaments monthly around his academic breaks.
Balancing School and Sport
Eeshan plans his weekly routine carefully. “Basically, I plan my schedule for the week, and then I choose the tournament for the month. Since I also have to manage my academics, I stop playing for some time before the half-yearly break. However, as a break, I enjoy tennis and other recreational activities, as I have a tennis court in my apartment. My main sport is tennis,” he said.
Though tennis is his primary sport, pickleball has quickly become a passion. “When the ball becomes very fast while playing in front of the net, you have to be very reactive. Your reaction speed plays a crucial role, and you must remain agile and alert at all times. That motivated me to continue playing pickleball. I really enjoy the thrill in it,” Eeshan explained.
Firefights and Doubles Thrill
Eeshan especially enjoys doubles matches. “Mainly I’m a singles player, but in doubles, what I enjoy the most is the firefights. Firefights are when you are volley to volley, playing from kitchen to kitchen, hitting the ball directly. I really enjoy playing that in doubles,” he said.
Without formal coaching, Eeshan has improved steadily. “Mr. Arup Malik corrected my technique, and then I drilled among my friends. Players who are better than I counsel me, and they guide me. I copy drills from YouTube and try to emulate the techniques of professional players. Tennis and pickleball go hand in hand for me, so when I practise tennis, my pickleball game automatically improves.”
Left-Handed Advantage and Inspiration
Being left-handed gives him an edge. “I’m a huge fan of Rafael Nadal and also Djokovic, but mainly Nadal. I imagine myself as a skilled tennis player. Since people are often surprised by left-handed players in tennis, the same is true in pickleball. I can place my shots better. I have more spin compared to others, and I also have a bit more strength, to be honest. The technical difficulty means there is a different technique for lefties and righties, so it becomes easier for me to dominate the court as a lefty,” Eeshan said.
His current goal is to focus on juniors. “I’ll try my best. I don’t know how tough the competition will be, but my main aim is to reach the finals and, of course, try to win. I’m playing juniors only since my half-yearly examinations are on, so the juniors are my main focus.”
Encouraging Others
Eeshan recommends pickleball as a stress-relieving activity. “Pickleball is a stress buster, a perfect escape from studies. If you’re playing pickleball, your worries are reduced, and you can focus more on academics. If you are under-confident, it’s a good thing because pickleball is very easy to learn. And if you are good at it, you can go forward in it,” he said.
Inspired by Nadal and sharpened through practice, Eeshan Chaudhury is building a promising future in pickleball while balancing academics and tennis.
News in Brief: Eeshan Chaudhury Pickleball Journey
Eeshan Chaudhury, a Class 11 student at La Martiniere, is excelling in junior pickleball. The 16-year-old left-handed player uses YouTube and peer guidance to improve his spin-heavy game. He enjoys doubles firefights, balances tennis and studies, and encourages classmates to try pickleball for fun and stress relief.
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