IPBL: Bengaluru seal first win, Chennai make it three in a row

Bengaluru Blasters defeated Mumbai Smashers while league leaders Chennai Super Warriors beat Capital Warriors Gurgaon

New Delhi: Bengaluru Blasters bounced back from successive defeats with a 4-2 Grand Rally win over Mumbai Smashers, opening their account in the Indian Pickleball League on Wednesday.

Bengaluru Blasters defeated Mumbai Smashers in IPBL on Wednesday. (IPBL)

Later, league leaders Chennai Super Warriors stretched their winning run to three with a dominant 5-1 victory over Capital Warriors Gurgaon, while Hyderabad Royals returned to winning ways with a 5-1 win against Lucknow Leopards.

With both Bengaluru and Mumbai chasing their first win, the day’s opening tie burst to life as Quang Duong (Mumbai) and Phuc Huynh (Bengaluru) went to to toe. World No.3 Duong took the first match 15–10 but Huynh hit back instantly, teaming up with teenager Arjun Singh to beat Duong and Ammol Ramchandani 15–11 in the doubles.

Pei Chuan Kao then swung the tie Bengaluru’s way with a composed 15–7 win over Allison Harris, but Mumbai forced a decider through Harris and Pearl Amalsadiwala in the women’s doubles. In the Grand Rally, Bengaluru held firm for a dramatic 21–20 golden-point finish.

Capital Warriors Gurgaon came out swinging against unbeaten Chennai Super Warriors, stunning the league leaders with an opening blow. Arik Badami set the tone, using sharp control to outplay Mitch Hargreaves 15–11 in the men’s singles. Chennai’s Hargreaves and Harsh Mehta held firm to beat Stavya Bhasin and Jack Munro 15–14.

From there, Chennai shifted gears. Roos van Reek remained perfect in singles with a 15–12 win over Emilia Schmidt, then paired with Aaliya Ebrahim to take the women’s doubles by the same margin. Chennai completed the comeback in the Grand Rally, overturning a late deficit to win 21–18 and extend their flawless run to three.

Capital Warriors Gurgaon will face Lucknow Leopards in the curtain-raiser on Gameday 4, before Bengaluru Blasters take on Chennai Super Warriors. Mumbai Smashers will be up against Hyderabad Royals in the day’s final tie.