Hyderabad Pickleball League debuts with thrilling opening day

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 17 (ANI): Hyderabad Pickleball League (HPL), India's first city-based franchise pickleball competition, made a debut last Friday evening at the Re'serve Sports Arena, Kokapet with its opening Matchday hosted by the Keerthi Warriors, owned by Keerthi Reddy and co-owned by Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal.

The launch featured high-octane matches, a vibrant fan experience, and fans setting a benchmark for pickleball as a spectator sport, a release said. Happening from October 10 to December 13 in a round-robin format across eight franchises, HPL introduces a unique home-game model where each team hosts a showcase event, blending top-level competition with community engagement, it added.

The action opened with Dasos Dynamos and The Raptors game ending in a 3-3 deadlock before the Dynamos edged it in a GameBreaker (25-11), followed by a dramatic clash where The Mavericks beat All Stars 4-2, the highlight being an 18-16 finish in the 2nd Men's doubles game between Nandagopal Kidambi and Gopinath Reddy of the Mavericks versus Karunesh Reddy and Ravindra Varma of the All Stars. The host team, Keerthi Warriors were outplayed 4-0 by Starry Smashers, while the Nandi Chargers and Teramor Titans game finished 3-3 before the Chargers sealed the GameBreaker 25-18.

Nandagopal Kidambi (All Stars) said starting the league with such a close match was thrilling. "Playing in front of so many fans gave us incredible energy. Though pickleball is new to me, the atmosphere, team culture and the competition on court made it a memorable debut. This league is setting a new standard for the sport in India."

Beyond the matches, the event delivered a sporting spectacle. Curated fan zones, digital scoreboards and live coverage gave the event a prime-time feel.

Keerthi Reddy, owner of Keerthi Warriors, said that beyond the competitive excitement, the league is playing a significant role in bringing pickleball into the sporting spotlight.

"Events like this are inspiring communities to take up the sport recreationally. With increased visibility, partnerships and an enthusiastic crowd, pickleball is emerging as one of Hyderabad's fastest-growing sports, bridging age groups and bringing people together through healthy competition and fun."

Saina Nehwal, co-owner -Keerthi Worriers, said, "it was incredible to see the Hyderabad Pickleball League begin with such energy and support. As a co-owner, I felt proud watching our team take the court in front of a packed crowd and as a sportsperson, it excites me to see pickleball grow so quickly in India. The league is giving athletes a new platform to showcase their skills and the response from the fans show that pickleball has the potential to become a truly popular sport in our county."

With its inaugural day successfully hosted, HPL has already set the tone for a season of intense rivalries, passionate fan support and the rise of pickleball as one of Hyderabad's most exciting new sport. (ANI)

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