Photo Credits to: Times Now
India’s first-ever PWR 1000 delivered spectacle and stakes at VGP Golden Beach Resort on East Coast Road (ECR), Chennai, and Mihika Yadav rose to both. The Mumbai native—India’s No. 1 women’s singles player—clinched the Women’s Singles title at The Rise Up Championship — Pickleball By The Bay 2025, defeating Snehal Kishor Patil 11–8, 11–4.
From Preview Promise to Proven Champion
Days before the event, Yadav told Pickleball Now she would load up her card—open women’s singles, women’s doubles with Gurdleen Singh, and mixed doubles with Amol Ramchandani—calling Chennai “the biggest PWR event India has had so far.” She backed that confidence with composure in the final. “I think I stayed solid throughout the match. Whatever I had planned, whatever I had prepped for, I managed to execute,” Yadav said to Pickleball Now.
A City That Keeps Calling
Chennai isn’t just a venue for Yadav—it’s history. A former professional tennis player with major wins in the city, she framed this title as a homecoming with a paddle. “Chennai has always been very special to me… And now to win a pickleball singles event in this city—very, very special,” she told Pickleball Now. The seaside build matched the moment: “It’s a stunning, stunning facility… by the beach. Kudos to Rise Up Championship,” Yadav added.
Photo Credits to: Rise Up Championship
Asia-Forged Form
Yadav’s edge has been sharpened across the region. Earlier this season she competed on the inaugural PPA Tour Asia in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan, and added gold at the Dubai Open plus bronze at the Monsoon Pickleball Championships. Those reps showed up in Chennai as early depth, disciplined third shots, and relentless kitchen pressure—the non-volley zone that rewards balance and timing.
Gratitude in the Glow
Post-match, Yadav spread the credit widely. “First of all, I want to thank my sponsor JOOLA for the amazing paddle, apparel, and their continuous faith and support in me. Thank you Hemal sir for all your support throughout,” she told Pickleball Now. She smiled at her “lucky charms”: mixed partner Amol Ramchandani and her mom watching from court-side.
The Engine Behind the Event
The Indian Pickleball Association (IPA)—affiliated with the Asian Pickleball Association (APA) and Global Pickleball Federation (GPF)—sanctioned the PWR 1000, part of a ranking system that spans all ages, divisions, and formats and informs selections from school to national level. A champion’s run on this stage doesn’t just move points; it moves the sport.
On a temporary court kissed by the Bay of Bengal, Mihika Yadav turned expectation into excellence, confirming that India’s No. 1 is more than a ranking—she’s the standard. Chennai didn’t just crown a champion; it showcased how India can stage, compete, and win at its highest domestic tier, with the surf as soundtrack and a nation’s ambition at full volume.
