New Delhi: Armaan Bhatia continued his fine run at the PWR DUPR India Masters Pickleball Tournament, reaching the mixed doubles finals at the DLTA courts here on Saturday. The 25-year-old, considered one of the best pickleball talents in India, partnered Dutchwoman Roos Van Reek to beat the Indian-Australian pair of Vishal Masand and Sarah Burr 11-5,11-1 to reach the title round.
Bhatia will be the only player in the $50,000 event who will feature in three finals on Sunday’s last day. In the final, the Indo-Dutch pair will meet the Australian duo of George Wall and Danni Townsend, who beat the Australian-US pair of Emilia Schmidt and Casey Diamond in a hard-fought semis.
Earlier, Bhatia and Van Reek defeated the Australian pair Kaitlynn Hart and Mitchell Hargreaves in straight games in the quarters. After running away to a 7-0 lead in the opening game, Bhatia-Reek took the first game 11-1. The second set was a closer affair (11-6) but Bhatia and Reek held their own to post a straight-games win.
The result means Bhatia will feature in three finals. He is also in the men’s singles and men’s doubles – with Harsh Mehta.
“I am hoping for a hat-trick tomorrow,” an elated Bhatia said. Having picked up pickleball professionally last September, Bhatia has eased into this rapidly growing sport. A professional tennis player who didn’t get much success on the domestic tour, Bhatia would occasionally play a game of pickleball at the Khar Gymkhana in Mumbai.
“Whenever it would rain, I would just go indoors and play pickleball. It was super fun,” Bhatia recalled. The recreational activity took a serious turn during the Covid years when outdoor activities were suspended due to lockdown. Struggling with a dodgy hamstring, Bhatia turned his focus on pickleball. Played with a racket and a perforated plastic ball, it can be played indoors as well as outdoors.
“It was not a whimsical decision. I thought over it for about two years before taking the plunge,” he said. His tennis skills came in handy too. Bhatia is especially efficient at the net where his quick hands come in handy and his volleys are very effective.
“It wasn’t too tough for me to make the transition although getting rid of muscle memory is not easy,” he said.
In men’s singles, Bhatia will be up against US top-seed Dusty Boyer, who too made a switch from being a tennis professional. “It will be a tough match. Armaan is in great form and I am looking forward to the match-up,” the Florida-based player said.
