Now Reading: Aman Patel aims to narrow India’s pickleball gap at World Cup
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Aman Patel aims to narrow India’s pickleball gap at World Cup
Former ITF tennis player Aman Patel will represent India at the Pickleball World Cup for the second time, having taken up the sport by accident after returning from the US in 2024.…
The Story in Brief
Former ITF tennis player Aman Patel will represent India at the Pickleball World Cup for the second time, having taken up the sport by accident after returning from the US in 2024. He says India's biggest challenge is giving players consistent exposure to higher-level opposition.
Patel believes the gap between India and leading pickleball nations is narrowing rapidly, and that India's lower-rated status could work in its favour. He has focused on singles training to balance a team strong in doubles. Beyond the tournament, he wants pickleball to become a mainstream sport in India.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that Indian players are just happy to participate misses the mark. Patel's specific focus on singles and fitness shows a strategic ambition to close the skill gap, not just show up. The real test is not a medal count but whether India's lack of regular high-level match practice, as Patel himself flags, will prove decisive against more seasoned teams. How many more World Cup cycles will it take before India fields a player who trains abroad full-time?
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
