Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The BPS Open Pickleball Championship 2026 began on an energetic note at the BPS Sports Club in Margao, with experienced campaigner Lincoln Furtado and the husband wife duo of Nihaal and Ruta Borkar emerging as the first title winners of the tournament. The opening day produced competitive matches across categories and drew strong interest from players and spectators alike.
Lincoln Furtado captured the Men Singles 60 plus crown after a confident performance in the final. He defeated James Anderson 11 to 4 to secure the title and cap an impressive run through the event. Earlier in the semi finals, Anderson had edged out Parag Joshi 15 to 12, while Lincoln overcame Savio Vales by the same 15 to 12 score line. The round robin stage also witnessed close encounters, with Anderson defeating Capt. Ravi Peris 11 to 7 and Lincoln 11 to 8. Parag Joshi registered an 11 to 4 win over Shailendra Singh, while Savio Vales beat Joshi 11 to 6 and Singh 11 to 1. Lincoln added another victory by defeating Capt. Ravi Peris 11 to 2.
In the 35 plus Mixed Doubles section, defending champions Nihaal Borkar and Ruta Borkar successfully retained their title after a thrilling three game final. The pair defeated Immanuel Rohan and Audrey Menezes 11 to 8, 10 to 12, 11 to 9 in a closely fought contest that kept the crowd engaged till the final point. During the semi finals, Immanuel Rohan and Audrey Menezes overcame James Anderson and Jen Noronha 11 to 7. Nihaal and Ruta advanced after Nishant Verghese and Gitanjli Chauhan retired while trailing 12 to 5.
The earlier rounds of the mixed doubles category also produced notable results. Nishant Verghese and Gitanjli Chauhan defeated Chirag Sukerkar and Karishma Verlekar 11 to 8, while Immanuel Rohan and Audrey Menezes registered an 11 to 8 win over the Borkar pair. Nishant and Gitanjli later recorded an 11 to 1 victory against James Anderson and Jen Noronha, who subsequently bounced back to beat Chirag Sukerkar and Karishma Verlekar 12 to 10.
The championship, being conducted in association with the Goa Pickleball Association, will continue over three days from February 6 to 8. Several age group and open category events are scheduled, promising more competitive action as the tournament progresses.
