November 23 and 24 saw an impressive turnout as the Bengal Pickleball Association took over Ace Sportz for the Bengal Open 2.0. A total of 300 players competed at the arena at Remount Road, with six courts hosting singles, doubles and mixed doubles for junior, senior and open categories. Thirty women also competed. Vinay Sethia won big — taking the 35+ singles gold in a compelling game against Sudarshan Jagnani
Krishnungshu Gangopadhyay
In the women’s events, Aashna Arora won gold in the open singles while Disha Sikri placed second. Danielle Jones and Ankita Dokania took gold in the open doubles over Natasha Kedia and Saachi Sirohia. Ankita Dokania and Riddhika Damani placed second in the women’s 35+ doubles with Aditi Nahata and Priyanka Sanganeria (left) winning gold over them. It was Aditi Nahata who won another gold in the women’s 35+ singles ahead of Sunanda Maloo (right)
Krishnungshu Gangopadhyay
Vinay Sethia, who came out on top at the Bengal Open 2.0, started playing pickleball only in April. He said: “It’s great to see the kind of competition we have here. There’s a vast difference from the games at Bengal Open 1.0”. Having started off as a tennis player Vinay, 40, is a certified tennis coach and has also started coaching pickleball in Kolkata
Krishnungshu Gangopadhyay
My Kolkata spoke to Aditi Nahata, a 36-year-old homemaker, who played badminton as a kid. Aditi won gold in the women’s 35+ singles and doubles and also took silver in the open mixed doubles. She said: “This was a really fun tournament. I have been playing this sport for seven months, and I’m always excited for these events.”
Bengal Pickleball Association and Krishnungshu Gangopadhyay
Danielle Jones, director & hair colour artist at The Bridgette Jones Fashion Salon, walked away with the women’s MVP award after a unanimous vote. Having a tennis background, Danielle has only played pickleball for three months. “The smaller court demands precision. The pace of the dink game and the paddle, which feels more like an extension of your hand, took some adjusting. I had to unlearn certain habits, especially with my footwork and the way I approach the net. My tennis instincts helped me get a head start,” she said
Krishnungshu Gangopadhyay
Manish Sikri, the secretary of the Bengal Pickleball Association, said: “The Bengal Open is a celebration of growth, camaraderie, and the palpable energy of our pickleball community. From Bengal Open 1.0 to 2.0, we’ve witnessed incredible growth, not just in the numbers, but in the intensity and skill level of players. The level of competition has increased significantly. This growth speaks volumes about the rising interest in pickleball in the city and its potential as a mainstream sport.”
Bengal Pickleball Association
