Four Indian juniors earn spot at 2026 Junior Pickleball World Championships

Four Indian junior pickleball players — Aadya Vinod, YS Keerthi, Anjali Bhupendra Pol and Stuti — have earned opportunities to compete at the 2026 Junior Pickleball World Championships in Dallas after strong performances at the Asia Pickleball Junior Open 2026.

Hyderabad: Indian pickleball has received a significant boost on the international stage, with four promising junior players Aadya Vinod, YS Keerthi, Anjali Bhupendra Pol and Stuti learning an opportunity to compete at the 2026 Junior Pickleball World Championships in Dallas, Texas.

The young Indian players earned the opportunity following impressive performances at the Asia Pickleball Junior Open 2026. Aadya Vinod and YS Keerthi secured bronze in the Girls Doubles 12U category, while Anjali Bhupendra Pol and Stuti emerged champions in the Girls Doubles 18U category. Anjali also secured silver in the Girls Singles U18 category.

---

The invitation from the Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP) gives the four young athletes an opportunity to compete at the Junior Pickleball World Championships, scheduled to take place from November 5–8, 2026, at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas. The championships will feature junior divisions across the 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U age categories.

Arvind Ramesh Prabhoo, President, All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), “This is a proud moment for Indian pickleball and, more importantly, for our young athletes who are showing that India has the talent and potential to compete at the highest levels of the sport. Aadya, Keerthi, Anjali and Stuti have earned this opportunity through their performances, dedication and hard work. Competing at the Junior Pickleball World Championships will give them invaluable international exposure and experience, and I am confident that they will represent India with pride. We hope their journey inspires many more young players across the country to take up pickleball and dream bigger.”

Commenting on the players’ performance at the Asian Junior Championship, AIPA President Arvind Prabhoo had earlier said “This is a very encouraging performance from our young Indian players at the Asian Junior Championship. Winning a gold, silver and bronze across different age categories reflects the growing depth and potential of junior pickleball in India. International exposure at this stage is extremely important for the development of these athletes, and performances like these give us great confidence in the future of Indian pickleball.”

The achievement underlines the growing depth of India’s junior pickleball programme and the importance of providing young players with opportunities to compete internationally. AIPA’s development programme focuses on identifying and nurturing emerging talent and providing players with structured support as they progress towards higher levels of competition.

For Aadya, Keerthi, Anjali and Stuti, the upcoming World Championships represent another important step in their sporting journeys and an opportunity to carry Indian pickleball onto the global junior stage.