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Tag: Pranav Kohli

  • Pickleball World Rankings names National Pickleball League Australia as official 2025 Oceania partner

    Pickleball World Rankings names National Pickleball League Australia as official 2025 Oceania partner

    New Delhi: Pickleball World Rankings (PWR) and  National Pickleball League (NPL) have confirmed a partnership that establishes NPL as the exclusive and official tournament and league provider for the Oceania region in 2025. Through this partnership, NPL’s leagues and tournaments will now be part of the PWR structure, allowing NPL players to earn points towards their PWR ranking and assist in qualifying for the PWR World Series.

    PWR is home to the newly created Pickleball World Rankings, along with the PWR World Tour and PWR World Series. As a unified global ranking system, PWR offers a clear path for pickleball players to earn ranking points by competing in regional events. Players accumulate points through the PWR World Tour and can qualify for the PWR World Series.

    NPL runs the Professional Teams League (NPL ProTour) and a professional tournament circuit.

    As PWR’s exclusive partner in Oceania, only NPL events—both league and tournaments—will award PWR ranking points in the region. This collaboration aims to unify regional bodies under one global structure, supporting the long-term growth and governance of pickleball.

    The exact point structure for NPL Australia tournaments will be announced later in 2024, but all events will fall under PWR’s established categories: PWR50, PWR100, PWR200, PWR400, PWR700, PWR1000, and PWR2000.

    PWR is a partnership between The Times Group, the news and entertainment leader in India and Pickleball League Asia Private Limited.  PWR, the PWR World Series, and the PWR World Tour were launched in Dubai in July’2024, with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced as the host region for the first PWR World Series.

    PWR had also recently announced PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League, a grand pickleball tour and league for India. The former World number one tennis player Andre Agassi will visit India in January 2025 to officially flag off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League.

    PWR DUPR India Masters, a PWR700 event on the PWR World Tour, with an impressive roster of 750 players—both professionals and amateurs, is being held in New Delhi from 24th to 27th October 2024. This event is a key milestone for pickleball, boosting its presence on both the Indian and global sports landscapes.

    NPL CEO Ron Shell said: “We are thrilled to partner with PWR for 2025 and support their significant investment in the global pickleball ecosystem. PWR’s vision for the sport is incredibly exciting, providing our players with the opportunity to be part of a global movement while still enjoying regional competition. The introduction of a unified, international ranking pathway is exactly what has been missing. We look forward to delivering top-tier Oceania leagues and tournaments in 2025, helping players progress in their professional pickleball careers.”

    The Times Group managing director Vineet Jain said: “The vision of PWR is to unify the global pickleball community and drive the growth of pickleball in global markets. The partnership with NPL is a step in that direction and we are excited to partner with them”

    PWR CEO Pranav Kohli added: “Australia is a key market for the growth of PWR in the Oceania region. We’re excited to collaborate with Ron, David, and the entire NPL Australia team. This partnership is a major step in PWR’s global expansion.”

  • Pickleball World Rankings to host PWR DUPR India Masters in New Delhi

    Pickleball World Rankings to host PWR DUPR India Masters in New Delhi

    Mumbai: Pickleball World Rankings, the unified global ranking system for pickleball players, is set to host the PWR DUPR India Masters, a PWR700 event on the PWR World Tour, in the capital city of New Delhi. Pickleball, the  racquet sport in the world, is poised to establish a strong foothold in India with the launch of this prestigious event.

    The tournament will take place from 24 to 27 October 2024 at the RK Khanna Tennis Stadium, marking the first fully owned and operated event by PWR following the successful launch of the PWR World Tour in July 2024 in Dubai, UAE. The Dubai launch, attended by PWR’s anchor investor The Times Group, international pickleball officials, and some of the world’s top players, set the stage for PWR’s expansion across the globe.

    All eyes now turn to New Delhi, where an impressive roster of 750 players—both professionals and amateurs—will compete, further solidifying pickleball’s position as a major sport in India. This event is a key milestone for pickleball, boosting its presence on both the Indian and global sports landscapes.

    The PWR DUPR India Masters promises to generate excitement for pickleball as a growing sport, offering players a platform to showcase their talents and earn valuable ranking points. Participants include top international players such as Dustin Boyer (United States), Phuc Huynh (United States), Roos Van Reek (Netherlands), Mitch Hargreaves (Australia), Emilia Schmidt (Australia), Pei Chuan Kao (Chinese Taipei), as well as leading Indian players like Armaan Bhatia and Aditya Ruhela. They will compete for a prize pool of USD 50,000.

    As a PWR700 event, the tournament will award players up to 700 ranking points, which are valid for 52 weeks, directly impacting their seeding and eligibility for future global competitions. The event will also feature a thrilling PWR Battle of the Leagues—Minor League Pickleball, where teams of 2 men and 2 women will compete across different categories.

    PWR CEO Pranav Kohli said, “The PWR DUPR India Masters is a landmark event that highlights the emergence of pickleball as a beloved sport in India for all ages. Our mission is to build a vibrant community around this sport, blending competition and camaraderie. This event not only gives professionals a platform to compete and earn ranking points but also plays a key role in identifying and nurturing domestic talent, fostering a new generation of players and fans.”

    The Times Group managing director Vineet Jain said, “Pickleball is now the fastest growing sport in India. The Times Group is excited to bring The PWR DUPR India Masters, the first PWR700 event to the pickleball community. The PWR DUPR India Masters is the first pickleball tournament to be organised at such large scale in India with the participation of globally recognised players, iconic venue and live streaming of matches for viewers. This will further boost the player and fan engagement and drive many more players to make pickleball as a full-time career option. We at the Times Group are proud to be at the forefront of driving the pickleball growth in India and globally”

    The PWR DUPR India Masters will be live broadcast on Zoom and Mirror Now and streamed on Times Now (TimesNow.in), Pickleball Now (pickleballnow.in), You Tube channels @ZoomTV, and @ @SportsNowHindi. The live broadcast will start at 12 noon on 24 October and 25 October and at 3 pm on 26 October and 27 October.

  • Pickleball launches Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), PWR World Series & PWR World Tour

    Pickleball launches Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), PWR World Series & PWR World Tour

    Mumbai: Pickleball, widely regarded as the world’s fastest growing sport, has announced the launch of the new Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), the PWR World Series and the PWR World Tour. In a powerful evening of announcements for the sport, the GCC was also named as the region that will host the first PWR World Series in March 2025. This news is backed by Pickleball League Asia Pvt Ltd in partnership with The Times Group at a time when the sport is experiencing an unprecedented surge in popularity worldwide.

    PWR will bring together regional bodies under one unified structure to enhance sports governance and future longevity. The announcement was made by PWR, The Times Group, colleagues from international Pickleball bodies and some of the world’s top players, including women’s world number one on APP Tour, Megan Fudge DeHeart.

    PWR CEO and founder Pranav Kohli said: “Pickleball originated from relatively humble beginnings in the backyards of America in the sixties, and has now become one of the most exciting sports enjoyed by millions around the world. It is with great honour to be part of the creation of Pickleball World Rankings, PWR World Series and PWR World Tour and we are delighted to be the team taking Pickleball to the next level both on and off the court.”

    He continued, “We will be offering $15 million in prize money for the PWR World Tour and $1.5 million for the GCC stop PWR World Series. This is the highest prize money ever offered in the sport! It is my hope that existing stars and the champions of the future from the United States and all around the world can rise through the rankings and reach their full potential, all in front of millions of followers globally.”

    He concluded, “It is no coincidence that we selected the GCC as the location for this announcement and we are thrilled to confirm that our first PWR World Series – in a grand style will be hosted in the region. The ambition and visionary leadership within the region and the positive pace of societal change is in step with the growth of the sport and we are confident that the sport will enjoy a bright future here,”

    The Times Group MD Vineet Jain said: “The ‘Times Group is proud to be an anchor investor in PWR, a path breaking initiative that unifies the global pickleball community. Times Group is known for its innovation and its ability to be ahead of the curve in every one of its initiatives. We are happy that PWR is bringing the PWR Rankings, PWR tour and PWR World Series, and we really hope that this further accelerates growth of Pickleball globally. I personally believe that Pickleball will overtake Tennis in terms of participation in near future. PWR is a platform that will empower players from every corner of the globe to compete, excel, and showcase their talents on an international stage.”

    Pickleball is already a worldwide sensation, enjoyed by celebrity fans such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Taylor Swift. It is the fastest-growing sport in the USA and is now on its way to becoming the fastest-growing sport in the world.

  • Times Group enters new age sports – Pickleball

    Times Group enters new age sports – Pickleball

    Mumbai: Pickleball, which is billed as the fastest growing modern sport, will soon have a new superstar league- the Pickleball World Series. The Times Group –the news and entertainment leader in India — is partnering with Pickleball Asia to start this exciting new series on a global stage. The Pickleball World Series will start in the United States and travel across different continents with six major events in a year.  

    Pickleball –which has become a world-wide sensation in a very short period of time— is a fusion of tennis, table tennis and badminton. Its accessible gameplay has attracted enthusiasts of all age groups across the globe as well as sports stars and celebrities including champions from these three racquet sports,

    While there are several existing competitions and leagues in the US, the Pickleball World Series will be the first tournament with global ambitions and will also have a significantly enhanced entertainment quotient. In the first year, the Pickleball World Series will comprise of 64 players in the individual format and six teams comprising four players each, from the US and the rest of the world, including India – which is the rising hotspot for Pickleball.

    Times Group managing director Vineet Jain states: “Pickleball is gaining ground as the game for urban sports enthusiasts. Times Group is known for its innovation and ability to be ahead of the curve in every one of its initiatives and we hope that this effort to take the fastest growing modern sport to the next level will inspire its exponential growth all over the world including in India. I personally believe that in five to seven years, Pickleball will overtake Tennis in terms of participation.”

    Times Group CEO, New Media and Investments, N Subramanian added, “Rapidly accelerating participation and increasing fandom is driving the popularity of many innovative sports globally. That is the opportunity we spotted in Pickleball, an exciting sport that is being enjoyed by millions the world over. Powered by passion and fueled by competition, this fun and immersive sport has won over the hearts of Gen Z and Millennials, making it a natural choice for our partnership and an important addition to our portfolio of strong brands. The Pickleball World Series, our marquee event, will provide a unique platform to bring out the best in players and teams, for fans to enjoy and support their favourites, and for brands to engage and interact with these audiences.”

    Pickleball Asia Pranav Kohli  said, “The Pickleball player community is now 60 million strong worldwide and is growing steadily. We could not have found a better partner, anchor and investor than the Times Group –which brings us many positives that will swiftly move the needle of growth. That is a big gain for the sport and the Series.”

    Outlining details, he said, “Pickleball World Series will embody the spirit of the Pickleball community and aim to provide action-packed competition along with scintillating entertainment built around the game. Starting in the US, the Pickleball World Series will travel across different continents with six major events. The Series will be supported by Pickleball World Rankings, a one-of-a-kind ranking system that allows players to accumulate points and qualify for the Pickleball World Series. We expect this will enable Pickleball stars to rise from different corners of the world and not just from the US.”