- The World Pickleball Championship will be held from November 12th to 17th this year
- The World Pickleball League will be held from January 24th to Feb 2nd 2025
Mumbai, October 22, 2024: The World Pickleball League (WPBL) – India’s first and only franchise-based Pickleball tournament, set to kick off in January 2025, is proud to announce its association as the ‘Powered By’ sponsor for the upcoming World Pickleball Championship (WPC).
This strategic partnership comes as India prepares to host the World Pickleball Championship Series for the first time. The tournament, slated for November, will feature a galaxy of close to 650 stars from the Pickleball universe. The Championship will make its Indian debut after tremendously successful events in Vietnam and Bali earlier this year.
India has witnessed an encouraging and rapid rise in the adoption of Pickleball, as more and more players across demographics and age groups pick up the sport, either professionally or as a means to stay fit and socialize. The World Pickleball Championship serves as a perfect precursor to the WPBL, offering an opportunity to witness all the thrill and excitement the sport offers live, ahead of the debut of India’s first Pickleball league.
Gaurav Natekar Former Indian no 1 Tennis player, Arjuna awardee and Founder & CEO of WPBL, Gaurav Natekar, stated “Firstly, we would like to congratulate the All India Pickleball Association for their efforts to bring the World Pickleball Championship to India. The tournament, already a global phenomenon, will see the best of Pickleball talent from across the world descending on the island city of Mumbai for an action-packed event. Such tournaments are crucial as they help us identify the talents at the grassroot level. Additionally, it increases the aspirational value of Pickleball worldwide and further strengthen its reputation as one of the fastest-growing sports in India. The World Pickleball League will be India’s first and only official global franchise-based Pickleball league, and we are delighted to support the WPC, a tournament dedicated to developing the sport at grassroots levels globally, as the Powered By Sponsor.”
The All India Pickleball Association has been instrumental in bringing the World Pickleball Championship to India and promoting the growth of Pickleball in the country. Arvind Prabhoo, President of the All India Pickleball Association and President of the International Pickleball Federation, shared, “Our journey with Gaurav and Arati in helping shape WPBL – India’s first and only official global franchise-based Pickleball league – has been delightful so far. We are extremely happy that Gaurav’s commitment to building and developing Pickleball in India goes beyond the league, and we are excited to invite the World Pickleball League (WPBL) as the Powered By Sponsor for the World Pickleball Championship.”
The World Pickleball Championship is the brainchild of Jan Papi, Founder of Pickleball Global and the WPC Series. His vision and aspiration to grow Pickleball globally, along with the efforts of AIPA and WPBL in India, will ensure that the country embraces a Pickleball revolution as it further elevates the sport’s popularity, development, and participation to new heights.
About the World Pickleball League (WPBL)
The World Pickleball League (WPBL), promoted by Natekar Sports and Gaming, founded by former India Number 1 Tennis players, Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, is at the forefront of revolutionizing pickleball in India. WPBL is dedicated to transforming pickleball through exceptional events, engaging fan experiences, and fostering a vibrant pickleball community, while setting new standards for the sport. Set to debut in January 2025 with six teams, WPBL will also sponsor grassroots tournaments in each franchise city to develop local talent. With Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India (SETVI) as a core investor, WPBL works closely with the All-India Pickleball Association (AIPA), which is affiliated with the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) in the USA.
