Naidu faced Ashwin in the men’s singles final and controlled the match from start to finish, clinching a convincing 15-5 victory. Speaking to Pickleball Now after the win, he said, “I’ve won singles in Chennai, and I am feeling very good.”
Praising the tournament organisers and playing conditions, Naidu added, “I like the facility, and they have run a very good show. All the courts are really good, and playing with the finest players on the show court was a really good experience.”
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Naidu also shared an optimistic assessment of pickleball’s growth in India. “The future is very, very good,” he said, pointing to the rapid expansion of infrastructure in major cities. “If you see Bengaluru compared to last year and this year, there are so many courts which have come up. It’s growing so quickly, and we see a lot of youngsters also coming in.”
The Team 16 Pickleball Power Play 2026, a PWR200 event sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), is being held on January 10-11.
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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