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The Delhi Snipers and Chennai Cool Cats dink their way to the title

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Feb 14, 2025 01:15 PM IST

Delhi Snipers and Chennai Cool Cats dominate the Indian Open 2025, clinching Pro and Challenger League titles in an electrifying Pickleball showdown!

High stakes, unwavering determination, electrifying stands – The Indian Open 2025 Pickleball Tournament concluded on February 9, 2025 at the NESCO Hall in Mumbai. After a week of intense rallies, built up form, and exemplary sportsmanship, the final day culminated into a Pickleball fest like never before. If there is anything to take away from this season of the Global Sports’ Indian Open, it is that the next season is going to be back bigger, mightier and will leave no stone unturned. History was made with the first league games drawing to a close with the top contenders battling for the title.

L - Rohan Gajjar and Himanshu Dewaskar - 40+ Gold men doubles. R - Global sports athletes - Priyanka and Shraddha won Silver in advanced women doubles Priyanka- gold in 40+ women singles and women doubles with Varsha Majumdar
L - Rohan Gajjar and Himanshu Dewaskar - 40+ Gold men doubles. R - Global sports athletes - Priyanka and Shraddha won Silver in advanced women doubles Priyanka- gold in 40+ women singles and women doubles with Varsha Majumdar

Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors, Ahmedabad Olympians, Hyderabad Vikings, Nashik Ninjas, Jaipur Jawans, Bengaluru Blazers, Goa Gladiators, and Kolkata Kingz were the Super 8 who competed against each other to make their way up on the scoreboard. The Challenger League finals saw Chennai Cool Cats contending against Bengaluru Blazers in a suspenseful 5-set tie-breaker match. The Chennai Cool Cats emerged victorious with Dev Shah’s power-packed final minutes, bringing the trophy home.

L - Ranjith and Sujith from Dubai - 40+ Silver men doubles. R - Purav and Sahil - Silver in 30+ men doubles open
L - Ranjith and Sujith from Dubai - 40+ Silver men doubles. R - Purav and Sahil - Silver in 30+ men doubles open

Challenger League: Chennai Cool Cats Triumph in a Nail-Biting Finale
Chennai has been a consistent performer throughout the Challenger league and owner Yudhi Ruia said, “As a team owner, spending lots of time with my team, providing them with water, transport and emotional support to keep their spirits high, has really helped me come along with them this far.” Yudhi Ruia is a Pro Pickleball player himself and is a partner at Global Sports. He actively partakes in Pickleball tournaments around the world and leads multiple efforts dedicated to making the sport accessible to more people. The Jaipur Jawans came third in the Challenger league dominating the Hyderabad Vikings in a dramatic turn of events.

In the Pro League, the third-place fight was between the Kolkata Kingz and the Jaipur Jawans. Jaipur enjoyed a sturdy start with Himanshu Mehta dominating the Men’s singles game. The Kingz crawled back slowly from the women’s doubles match onwards. Mihika and Naimi set the court on fire and put them back on the lead against the Jawans. The chemistry that the players have managed to build with each other is incredible. “George Wall is the coolest captain ever!” said Mihika Yadav during the medal presentation.

L -Dev Shah and Purvansh - Gold in U18 men doubles open. R - Suraj desai - Silver in 30+ men singles open
L -Dev Shah and Purvansh - Gold in U18 men doubles open. R - Suraj desai - Silver in 30+ men singles open

Pro League: Delhi Snipers Reign Supreme
The Pro league finals match was the most awaited one with Chennai Cool Cats once again turning the court into a battleground against the Delhi Snipers. Led by Captain Jamie Haas, the Delhi Snipers delivered some unforgettable moments throughout the game. The men’s doubles match between Yudhi and Aidan was action packed with rapid rallies. The Delhi Snipers ultimately lifted the championship trophy with a hat trick win in the last 3 matches.

L - Aditya Singh - the MVP of the challenger league, Veer Shah - the center boy - Arjun Singh , U-14 Gold singles and doubles, and all 3 global sports athletes. R - Only Indian player to reach podium in all pro events - Tejas Mahajan
L - Aditya Singh - the MVP of the challenger league, Veer Shah - the center boy - Arjun Singh , U-14 Gold singles and doubles, and all 3 global sports athletes. R - Only Indian player to reach podium in all pro events - Tejas Mahajan

Pickleball's Rising Fame in India
Actor Manish Paul was seen cheering for the teams at the Pro league finals. “Seeing the scale at which this tournament has been done, with so many international and Indian players rising to play professionally, this Pickleball tournament is going to become as big as IPL in India very soon.” he said.

The winners of the Pro league shared a prize pool of USD 110,000 and the winners of the Challenger league shared a prize pool of USD 12,000. The Global Sports partners also declared the title of an MVP – Most Valuable Player in both Pro and Challenger leagues who will bag an extra USD 4000.

Awards & Recognitions
16-year-old Aditya Singh won the MVP in the Challenger League, for his phenomenal performance through all matches. Aditya Singh is an in-house talent who has been training with Global Sports for the past 2 years and was drafted with the Chennai Cool Cats for the Indian Open. Aidan Schenk from Delhi Snipers won the MVP in the Pro League. The 19-year-old Pickleball professional from LA chased some of the toughest games of the season with his focused play strategies. “My partners playing well helped me play better during all our games. Our team was incredible and I definitely look forward to coming back for the next season in 2026,” said Aidan.

List of additional winners across categories of the Indian Open 2025 Pickleball Tournament
List of additional winners across categories of the Indian Open 2025 Pickleball Tournament

Pickleball’s Future in India As champions lift their trophies and players reflect on their journey, India has marked its milestone in hosting the biggest Pickleball tournament in Asia so far. The Indian Open 2025 not only brought in talent from around the world but strengthened the Pickleball community in India, inspiring so many more to pick up the paddle. Global Sports has set a benchmark in organising one of the finest tournaments in the country and we have all eyes on the next edition to come back stronger, better and more competitive than ever before.

Note to the Reader: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times.

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