Indian Pickleball League 2025: Bengaluru Seal First Win, Chennai Make It Three Straight, Hyderabad Return to Form on Day 3

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New Delhi, Dec 3: Day 3 of the ongoing Indian Pickleball League (IPBL 2025) delivered thrilling rallies, dramatic comebacks and big statements from Bengaluru Blasters, Chennai Super Warriors and Hyderabad Royals at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Bengaluru finally opened their account with a nerve-jangling Grand Rally win over Mumbai Smashers, Chennai stretched their perfect start to three straight victories, and Hyderabad produced a dominant turnaround against Lucknow Leopards to get their campaign back on track.

Bengaluru Blasters edge Mumbai in Grand Rally thriller

Still searching for their first win following back-to-back defeats, **Bengaluru Blasters faced a similarly desperate Mumbai Smashers in the opening tie of the day. With both teams eyeing a breakthrough, Asia's top two players - and close friends - Quang Duong (Mumbai) and Phuc Huynh (Bengaluru) set the tone in the men's singles.

Huynh started strongly, dragging Duong into the kitchen and finishing with crisp winners into the backcourt. But the World No. 3 found his range and rhythm, flipping the script through trademark precision to take the opener 15-10 and give Mumbai an early edge.

Bengaluru hit back immediately. Huynh teamed up with teenager Arjun Singh in the men's doubles to outduel Duong and Ammol Ramchandani 15-11, levelling the tie at 1-1.

In women's singles, Pei Chuan Kao produced a composed performance, using smart angles and depth to defeat Allison Harris 15-7, pushing Bengaluru ahead.

Mumbai refused to go away, though. Harris returned to court with Pearl Amalsadiwala for the women's doubles, and the pair combined superbly to force a decider, taking the rubber and sending the tie into a high-pressure Grand Rally.

With both teams chasing their first IPBL victory, the Rally became a test of nerve as much as skill. In a dramatic finish, Bengaluru held firm for a 21-20 golden-point win, sealing a 4-2 Grand Rally victory and their first points of the season. Quang Duong and Pei Chuan Kao were named Players of the Tie for their standout displays.

Chennai Super Warriors stay perfect with third straight win

In the second tie, unbeaten Chennai Super Warriors were given an early scare by Capital Warriors Gurgaon, who came out swinging to land the first blow.

Arik Badami set the tone with sharp kitchen-line control and aggressive positioning in the men's singles, outplaying Mitch Hargreaves 15-11 to hand Capital an important 1-0 lead.

Hargreaves responded in style in the men's doubles. Partnering Harsh Mehta, he battled through a tense, high-paced encounter against Stavya Bhasin and Jack Munro. In a see-saw contest that went down to the wire, the Chennai pair edged it 15-14, dragging the tie back level and shifting momentum.

From there, Chennai shifted gears. In women's singles, Roos van Reek extended her perfect run in the league with a composed 15-12 win over Emilia Schmidt, giving Super Warriors a 2-1 lead. Van Reek then combined with Aaliya Ebrahim in women's doubles, and the duo repeated the scoreline - 15-12 - to tighten Chennai's grip on the tie.

With Capital Warriors needing the Grand Rally to stay alive, Chennai held their nerve once again. Trailing late, they mounted a composed comeback to close out the Rally 21-18, wrapping up a commanding 5-1 win and maintaining their flawless record with three straight victories. Roos van Reek and Arik Badami were recognised as Players of the Tie.

Hyderabad Royals overpower Lucknow Leopards to bounce back

The final tie of Day 3 saw Lucknow Leopards clash with Hyderabad Royals, both sides keen to recover from earlier setbacks.

Lucknow got off to the ideal start as Ryler DeHeart controlled the rhythm of the men's singles, mixing patience with sharp finishing to beat Divyanshu Kataria 15-9 and put Leopards 1-0 up.

Hyderabad, however, responded swiftly. Kataria returned for the men's doubles alongside Ben Newell, and the pair combined effectively to down DeHeart and his partner 15-12, levelling the tie and swinging momentum.

From that point, Megan Fudge took charge of the evening. She produced a ruthless performance in women's singles, dismantling her opponent 15-4 with relentless accuracy and court coverage. Carrying that dominance into the women's doubles, Fudge partnered Snehal Patil to a 15-10 win, giving Hyderabad a commanding 3-1 lead.

With the cushion firmly in place, Hyderabad Royals closed out the tie in style, dominating the Grand Rally 21-12 to secure a 5-1 victory and a much-needed return to winning ways. Megan Fudge and Ryler DeHeart collected Player of the Tie honours.

What's next on Gameday 4

Action resumes on Gameday 4 with another triple-header:

• Capital Warriors Gurgaon vs Lucknow Leopards
• Bengaluru Blasters vs Chennai Super Warriors
• Mumbai Smashers vs Hyderabad Royals

With Chennai looking to stay perfect, Bengaluru building confidence, and Mumbai and Lucknow chasing their first big result, the league table is set for more movement.