Indian Pickleball League Ignites Delhi as Lucknow, Hyderabad & Chennai Claim Opening-Day Wins in a Spectacular Debut

New Delhi, Dec 1: The Indian Pickleball League (IPBL)-launched by The Times Group and recognised as India's only official pickleball league sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports-made a blazing debut in the Capital, with Lucknow Leopards, Hyderabad Royals, and Chennai Super Warriors delivering emphatic opening-day victories.

The action began with Lucknow defeating the Bengaluru Blasters 4-1, powered by India's top-ranked star Aditya Ruhela, who opened the season with a commanding 15-10 win over Vietnamese international Phuc Huynh.

Hyderabad carried forward the momentum in the second tie, securing a composed 4-2 win over Capital Warriors Gurgaon after sweeping the first four matches, despite

Gurgaon snatching a fighting Grand Rally finish. The final tie of the night saw Chennai Super Warriors overturn an early deficit to dominate the Mumbai Smashers 5-1.

Earlier in the afternoon, Delhi witnessed a landmark sporting moment as the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Smt. Rekha Gupta, formally inaugurated the inaugural IPBL season at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. With the ceremonial lamp lit and the league trophy revealed, the opening ceremony reinforced Delhi's commitment to empowering emerging sports and fostering a vibrant, inclusive sporting culture.

"India has always been a sports-loving country, and every Indian today wants to explore new sports. A new sport has now been added to our ecosystem, and I congratulate everyone involved. I assure you that we will introduce Pickleball in Delhi schools as well, so it becomes yet another successful sport for our youth," said Smt. Rekha Gupta.

Lucknow Leopards set the tone for the league with a dominant 4-1 victory over Bengaluru. Ruhela kick-started the campaign with a sharp 15-10 win against Huynh, before Bengaluru briefly hit back in the men's doubles.

But from that point, Lucknow took complete control-Shelby Bates cruised through the women's singles 15-5, then teamed with Pearl Amalsadiwala for a gritty 15-13 women's doubles win that swung the tie decisively in their favour. Lucknow sealed it with a 21-17 Grand Rally triumph, with Ryler Deheart and Bates earning Player of the Tie honours.

Hyderabad Royals followed with a strong 4-2 victory over Capital Warriors Gurgaon. Ben Newell opened with a narrow 15-13 win before partnering Divyanshu Kataria to claim the men's doubles.

Veteran Megan Fudge delivered the day's closest contest-a nail-biting 15-14 singles win-before wrapping up the women's doubles 15-10 alongside Snehal Patil. Though Gurgaon captured the Grand Rally, Hyderabad had already secured the tie through disciplined, high-pressure play. Newell and Fudge were named Best Male and Female Players of the Tie, respectively.

The final tie saw Chennai Super Warriors storm past the Mumbai Smashers 5-1 after an initial setback. DUPR World No. 3 Quang Duong opened for Mumbai with a confident 15-12 win over Mitchell Hargreaves, but Chennai flipped the script immediately after-Hargreaves joined Harsh Mehta to dominate the men's doubles 15-9.

With momentum on their side, Chennai surged ahead as Roos van Reek claimed the women's singles, followed by van Reek and Aaliya winning the women's doubles. A 21-18 Grand Rally win capped off Chennai's statement performance, with van Reek and Mehta taking Player of the Tie honours.

Hyderabad and Lucknow will look to build on their winning starts when they face Chennai Super Warriors and Mumbai Smashers, respectively, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Blasters and Capital Warriors Gurgaon will aim to register their first win when they meet in the day's final match.

About the Indian Pickleball League

The Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), launched by The Times Group, is India's official national league for Pickleball, sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India.

Scheduled from December 1-7, 2025, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the inaugural edition positions Delhi as the epicentre of India's next major sporting revolution. The event brings together top Indian and international players, franchise-owned city teams, and millions of fans through live and digital platforms. (Pictures in the below page).