Chief Minister Pramod Sawant tries his hand at pickleball at tennis court, Fatorda.
PANAJI
Kuldip Mahajan (Maharashtra) and Snehal Patil (Maharashtra) won the men's singles and women's singles titles respectively at the 3rd National Ranking Pickleball Tournament 2023, which concluded at the tennis courts, Fatorda on Sunday.
In the men's singles, Divyanshu Kataria (Rajasthan) and Sonukumar (Jharkhand) won the silver and bronze medals respectively. In the women's singles, Vrushali Thakare (Maharashtra) won the silver and Urvi Abhyanka (Maharashtra) claimed the bronze medal.
The tournament's closing function was graced by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who said the State had the potential to become an "international hub" for the sport.
"Had an amazing time trying my hand at pickleball during the 3rd National Ranking Tournament in Goa. I enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm of all the players. I believe Goa has the potential to become not just a national hub, but also an international hub for pickleball. Let's work towards promoting and developing this exciting sport in our beautiful State," Sawant said.
The national tournament, the first of its kind to be held in Goa, was organised by the Goa Pickleball Association in collaboration with the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) with the support of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Sports Authority of Goa.
Other notable winners were Mayur Patil & Yuvi Ruia in Open Men’s Doubles, Armaan Bhatia & Isha Lakhani in Open Mixed Doubles, Aditya Singh & Arjun Singh in 14 and Under Boys Doubles, Aditya Singh & Anjali Pol in 14 and Under Mixed Doubles, Anush Popli & Stavya Bhasin in 19 and Under Boys Doubles, Aditya Singh & Snehal Patil in 19 and Under Mixed Doubles, Marius Pereira in 35+ Men’s Singles, Sandeep Tawde & Yashodhan Deshmukh in 35+ Mens Doubles, Vishal Jadhav & Chitra Chettiyar in 35+ Mixed Doubles, Sandeep Tawde & Thakurdas Rohira in 50+ Men Doubles and Thakurdas Rohira (Mah) And Denise Burchette in 50+ Mixed Doubles.
“The Goa Pickleball Association, along with its esteemed partners, aims to further propel the growth and recognition of pickleball in Goa, not only by organising National events but events on an international scale as well. The success of the 3rd National Ranking Pickleball Tournament marks a significant milestone in achieving this vision, as Goa emerges as a prominent destination for this exhilarating sport, which would also be a boost to tourism”, stated Manoj Patil, the President of Goa Pickleball Association while sharing few future plans.
