For nearly a decade, Sonam Bali was known as a fierce competitor on the basketball court, even representing India at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the only edition where basketball was included.
“That was the highest level an Indian could play,” she recalled in an exclusive chat with Pickleball Now. “I was the only female player from Karnataka in that squad. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” she added.
Injuries forced her to step away from basketball, but the sport never left her life. Seven months ago, Bali picked up a pickleball paddle for the first time at a court in Indira Nagar, Bengaluru, encouraged by her cousins. “I had never played a racket sport in my life. We entered a tournament just for fun, but we lost every game. That’s when I told myself – I need to come back, get better, and actually win matches,” she said.
Since then, Bali began her tryst with pickleball and despite having no tennis or badminton background, she started from scratch. But it was her years in basketball that gave her an edge. “Basketball taught me movement, reflexes, and patience. Those helped me adapt faster to doubles and mixed doubles. Playing a team sport made it easier to understand dynamics with partners on court,” she explained.
At the Coimbatore Pickleball Open, Bali impressed seasoned players with her composure in doubles and ultimately went to lift the title in mixed doubles. “In mixed doubles, men often dominate 80% of the points. Many women get frustrated. But I’ve learned patience. If my partner is in rhythm, I let him play while staying ready for every ball. It’s still a team effort,” she said.
Beyond sport, Bali juggles two entrepreneurial ventures, luxury real estate and wedding events. When asked how she manages to juggle the two with pickleball. “It’s tough, but I finish most of my work by 4 p.m. so I can train in the evening. Weddings are seasonal; real estate is year-round. Having a small team helps me strike that balance,” she described.
Inspite of the shift in sports, her heart still beats for basketball. “I’ll always be a basketball player first. I even wear my basketball jerseys while playing pickleball,” she laughs. “But I don’t miss basketball anymore. Right now, pickleball has taken over. I want to play it all day.”
About Indian Pickleball Association:
The Indian Pickleball Association is the official governing body for pickleball in India and is dedicated to promoting, developing, and organising the sport across the country. The association continues to inspire players of all ages and skill levels to embrace the game through events like the IPA Nationals. IPA is affiliated with the Asian Pickleball Association (APA) and the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF).
About Pickleball World Ranking:
PWR is a national ranking system that spans all age groups, skill divisions, and formats -including singles, doubles, and mixed categories. It serves as the official National Sports Federation Ranking for India. With multiple sanctioned events taking place every week across the country, PWR defines the top Indian players at every level and forms the foundation for team selection at the school, district, state, and national stages.
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