In the sweltering Florida sun, Nitten Kirrtane rewrote India’s pickleball sporting script, winning gold in the 50+ Men’s Singles (5.0 category) at the Pickleball World Cup, decades after gracing the lawns of Wimbledon.
From the roar of Centre Court to the buzz of Fort Lauderdale, Kirrtane’s journey is nothing short of a full-circle saga.
“Amazing feeling to win the Gold medal for Team India at the Pickleball World Cup. Yes, still very active on the tennis court and enjoying my time on the pickleball court also. A few years back, after I took up pickleball, my main aim was to win medals for the country. So very happy that the circle is complete in two sports from Wimbledon to Florida,” the 51-year-old told Pickleball Now in an exclusive interaction moments after winning the gold medal for India.
Kirrtane, who has a prolific tennis background, having reached the final at the 1992 boys Wimbledon Championship, along with Mahesh Bhupathi, and a gold medal at the 2002 National Games, reckons that his pickleball game perfectly complements his years of hard work on the tennis court.
“Yes, totally. I will always maintain that pickleball complements tennis. Just helps in mind control, posture, reflex, and hand-eye coordination. Both are close to my heart. So, I guess sport wins today,” he reflected on his stupendous win.
And then came the moment of nostalgia. “Mahesh (Bhupati), Leander (Paes) are family to me. Somehow, I have always been inspired by them. We played a lot together in major events and were part of the Davis Cup team. I kept contributing in my own way to the sport. So thrilled to add pickleball to my CV. Today’s medal is dedicated to all. I hope this inspires Mahesh to come out of retirement, and we can play doubles and relive old memories, but this time on the pickleball court,” he concluded.
Kirrtane’s achievement at 51 makes one thing clear. Legends don’t retire. They just change courts and keep rewriting history.
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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