Ludhiana player bags four medals at state pickleball c’ship

Saxena won gold in the 40+ Men’s Singles category. He also secured silver medals in the 35+ Men’s Singles and 35+ Men’s Doubles events, besides winning bronze in the 45+ Men’s Doubles category

City-based pickleball player Amit Saxena, 45, won four medals across four categories at the 3rd Punjab State Pickleball Championship held at Glamton Sports Club on Pakhowal Road from August 21 to 23.

Amit Saxena has won one gold, two silver and a bronze at the tournament. (HT Photo)

Saxena won gold in the 40+ Men’s Singles category. He also secured silver medals in the 35+ Men’s Singles and 35+ Men’s Doubles events, besides winning bronze in the 45+ Men’s Doubles category.

Organised by the Punjab Pickleball Association, the championship saw players from across Punjab compete in various age and event categories.

The performance adds to Saxena’s record in the sport. He had won a bronze medal in the 40+ Mixed Doubles category at the IPA Nationals 2025 in Bengaluru, held from November 13 to 16 last year. The championship was organised by the Indian Pickleball Association and supported by the Sports Authority of India.

Partnering with Richa, Saxena won the national bronze and also reached the top 16 in the 40+ Men’s Doubles event. His background in table tennis has also helped him in pickleball.

Saxena said balancing training with a six-day work schedule could be challenging, but his passion for the sport kept him motivated. He credited his coaches, consistent training and the support of his wife, Arohi Saxena, for helping him continue his sporting journey.

He also recorded strong results in Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) tournaments in 2025. He won gold in Open Doubles at REPPP (Racckonect) DUPR events and a bronze in another Open Doubles competition. At the BUL DUPR tournament in Greater Noida, he again won gold in Open Doubles.