Mumbai to host first open pickleball championship on October 28-29

At 830 am we walk into PL Deshpande playground in Vile Parle East to find Swapnali Agre 20 Kunal Bare 21 and Ashish Mahajan 21 engaged in what looks like a tennis match on a 20x44 ft badminton court But instead of the thump of a felt ball we hear sharp rhythmic music from a perforated plastic ball that bounces off Agres racquet as she tries an underhand shot Hold the paddle tighter Bare guides her referring to the racquet which resembles a bigger and rectangular version of a table tennis bat The net is also tied much closer to the ground This hybrid of lawn tennis badminton and table tennis is called pickleballA game in progress at PL Deshpande playground in Vile Parle East PicsFalguni AgarwalThe trio who are part of a 100member community of pickleball enthusiasts in Mumbai will participate in the first Indian Open Pickleball Championship next weekend The idea is to spread awareness about pickleball and showcase it as a professional sport rather than a recreational activity says Kashif Mohammed of Sports Wizards a sports management enterprise that he cofounded with Abhijeet Malve which is organising the championship in collaboration with All India Pickleball Association AIPA The event will feature 96 participants from across the world including a class eight student from Jalgaon and players from the UK USA and Thailand While pickleball can be played in singles too the championship will only feature Mixed Doubles Mens Doubles and Womens DoublesChampionship participants Ashish Mahajan Swapnali Agre and Kunal Bare top rightLearn the rulesThe sport arrived in India only 10 years ago when tennis enthusiast Sunil Walavalkar learnt it in Canada and returned with the equipment He founded AIPA Indias official governing body for Pickleball which now has 15 states under its umbrella and organised four national competitions so farPickleball is easy to learn assures Bare who took to the sport four years ago when it was introduced at ML Dahanukar College of Commerce in Vile Parle and has won medals at several districtlevel competitions Players must focus on the ball and keep a calm temperament says Bare as Mahajan adds You need to follow the rules The server must play diagonally and hit only underhand shots The team that receives the ball needs to let it bounce once before hitting the shot The kitchen area is important too Thats the sevenfoot zone marked on both sides of the net which serves as a nonvolley areaOrganisers Abhijeet Malve and Kashif MohammedAcross the netFor players finding topnotch quality paddles and perforated balls is a challenge Theres only one store on Charni Road that stocks the equipment which is imported and of good quality says BareSunil WalavalkarFinding space for practice is also a challenge as several clubs arent willing to include a new sport in their activity lineup they are unconvinced about its commercial value reasons Malve Through their enterprise the duo is also keen to include the sport in school curriculum but it is still a workinprogress However they are optimistic about pickleballs future Mahajan says Several international competitions help with exposure Once the government recognises it as an official sport we can also get employment benefit with other sportsWalavalkar sums up Unlike badminton or tennis where competition creates a warlike situation this sport inculcates a strong feeling of bonding Its also economical and noninjuriousON October 28 and 29 8 am to 10 pmAT Jamnabai Narsee School Vile Parle West