Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a landmark event for Goa’s sporting landscape, the inaugural BPS Open Pickleball Championship 2025, held at the BPS Sports Club in Margao from January 5-7, 2025, saw Nihaal Borkar, Nishad Shevde, and Simran Bundela etch their names in the state’s pickleball history. This three-day tournament, organized in collaboration with the Goa Pickleball Association and the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), drew an impressive 123 participants across various age groups and categories.
Nihaal Borkar emerged as a standout performer, securing a remarkable treble by winning the men’s 35+ singles, 35+ men’s doubles, and 35+ mixed doubles categories. In the 35+ men’s singles, Nihaal defeated Noel Noronha with a convincing score of 11-6, 11-5. He then paired with Akhil Lawande to win the 35+ men’s doubles, beating Chinmay Kantak and Ehrlick De Ataide 11-6, 11-6. Nihaal’s winning streak continued in the 35+ mixed doubles, where he and Ruta Borker overcame Ehrlick De Ataide and Natasha Viegas De Ataide with a score of 10-12, 11-7, 11-9.
Nishad Shevde also made a significant impact, winning the open mixed doubles alongside Sweta Kantak with a thrilling score of 11-5, 10-12, 11-2 against Cleon Barreto and Janice Dias. Additionally, Nishad and Ehrlick De Ataide secured the men’s open doubles title by defeating their opponents 11-8, 11-3.
Simran Bundela, a tennis ace from Goa, dominated the open ladies’ singles category, winning the title based on cumulative points. She scored 33 points against her opponents, outperforming Tvisha Sardesai, Solania, and Sumangali.
The championship featured 10 categories, including open ladies’ singles, open ladies’ doubles, open men’s singles, open men’s doubles, and various age-specific categories. The winners of all categories shared a winning purse of approximately Rs. 1 lakh. Other notable wins included Clarence Noronha and Noel Noronha in the men’s 50+ doubles and Audrey Menezes and Melanie Chowgule in the open ladies’ doubles.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Geeta Nagvenkar, Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa, in the presence of key officials from the BPS Sports Club and the Goa Pickleball Association. This tournament marked a significant milestone in Goa’s sports circuit, highlighting the growing popularity of pickleball in the state.
