Om Pawar, Sandeep Jain emerge champions in first-ever UPA Independence Cup pickleball tournament

Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 18 (ANI): The inaugural edition of the pickleball">UPA Independence Cup pickleball tournament, organised by the Universal Pickleball Association (UPA), witnessed enthusiastic participation from more than 100 players at the newly-launched venue Pickleplay in Sector 121, Noida.
Pickleball players competed in 11 different age categories from Under-14 to 60-plus across 150 matches till late on Sunday night. The winners also received attractive cash prizes from the overall fund of Rs 66,000 (Rs 6000 per category), as per a release from UPA.
The event was graced by Mahesh Chauhan, President of the Bhartiya Janta Party's Noida City unit. Chauhan said that it was a new experience for him to try his hand at pickleball and that the Uttar Pradesh government will do its best to support the sport and promote it as a fitness activity in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat.
"I came here on the invitation of Universal Pickleball Association (UPA). I didn't know much about pickleball, but I got interested in it as one of our party workers told me about it. I was pleasantly surprised to know that this sport has seen a rapid growth in the State in the last 3-4 years. I am very happy to see that so many people of all ages have taken an active interest in the sport. I would urge the residents of Noida to pick this game not only for competition but to keep themselves fit and healthy in line with our Prime Minister Modi ji's vision," Mahesh Chauhan told reporters.
Prabhat Mani Vats, who is also the honorary secretary for the Universal Pickleball Association (UPA), was adjudged the Player of the Tournament with two gold and one silver medal. Prabhat clinched three medals, including a gold each, in the 35+ men's doubles category along with Tarun Goswami and the 50+ Split Age Mixed Doubles section with Vibha Choudhary. He also won silver in the 35+ Mixed Doubles along with Aditi Joshi.
18-year-old Om Pawar from Delhi sizzled with three medals, one gold and two silver medals. Om won gold in the Open Men's Singles category and topped it up with a runner-up finish in the Open Men's Doubles and Open Mixed Doubles sections, along with partners Rakesh Bansal and Sonia Kaur, respectively.
"I am very happy with my performance in the Independence Cup tournament. I picked up pickleball at the age of eight years and have been addicted to the sport ever since. My parents introduced me to this sport. In a short period of time, I have amassed numerous trophies in this game. My ultimate target is to win tournaments nationally and internationally someday," said Om Pawar, who has won multiple titles at the zonal, district and State level.
The beauty of pickleball lies in its inclusivity, and the tournament saw individuals beyond the age of 60 years not only competing in the event but also capturing medals. 64-year-old Sandeep Jain clinched gold in the 50+ Men's Doubles class.
"It was a fabulous experience playing in the tournament. What attracted me to pickleball was the longevity attached to it and that it can be played by all members of a family, irrespective of age and gender. I would like to congratulate the Universal Pickleball Association for organising such a wonderful tournament in a very professional manner. A lot of pickleball courts have come up in the Delhi NCR region, including Noida, and I would urge every Indian to take up pickleball," Sandeep Jain said.
Formed in October 2022 by a group of passionate sports enthusiasts, the Universal Pickleball Association (UPA) was established with a clear mission -- to promote and grow the sport of pickleball across Uttar Pradesh.
LIST OF WINNERS
Player of the Tournament - Prabhat Mani Vats
Open Men's Singles - Winner: Om Pawar; Runner-up: Janith Madhok
Open Women's Singles - Winner: Aarna Goswami; Runner-up: Mansha Malhotra
Open Men's Doubles - Winner: Ishaan Premwani, Pritam Sharma; Runner-up: Om Pawar, Rakesh Bansal
Open Women's Doubles - Winner: Divya Tandon, Jyoti Kandhari; Runnder-up: Aarna Goswami, Priyanka Goswami
Open Mixed Doubles - Winner: Ishaan Premwani, Alka Kansal; Runner-up: Om Pawar, Sonia Kaur
35+ Men's Singles - Winner: Apoorv Vats, Runner-up: Pritam Sharma
35+ Men's Doubles - Winner: Prabhat Mani Vats, Tarun Goswami; Runner-up: Gourav Soni, Ashish Eldeco
35+ Mixed Doubles - Winner: Mansha Malhotra, Apoorv Vats; Runner-up: Aditi Joshi, Prabhat Mani Vats
50+ Men's Singles - Winner: Jasminder Singh; Runner-up: Manish Aggarwal
50+ Men's Doubles - Winner: Sandeep Jain, Jasminder Singh; Runner-up: Manish Aggarwal, Sanjay Tuli
50+ Split Age Mixed Doubles - Winner: Vibha Choudhary, Prabhat Mani Vats; Runner-up: Pritam Sharma, Alka Kansal. (ANI)