Samantha Ruth Prabhu Applauds AIPA's Role in Pickleball Growth

Samantha Ruth Prabhu praises the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) for promoting pickleball. Her team, Chennai Super Champs, finished second in World Pickleball League 2, underscoring AIPA's impact in India. Dilli Dillwale won the tournament with standout performances, highlighting the sport's competitive edge and community efforts.

Famed actress and part-owner of the Chennai Super Champs, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, has showered accolades on the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) for its significant efforts in popularizing pickleball across India.

Speaking through her Instagram stories, Prabhu acknowledged AIPA's unwavering dedication over the years towards nurturing the sport, supporting Indian talent, and strengthening the broader pickleball ecosystem, according to a release from AIPA.

She emphasized that the sport's rapid growth in India is largely due to the commitment and hard work of AIPA's members who focus on grassroots development while creating robust professional pathways for athletes. Her commendation follows her team's near win in the World Pickleball League 2, a premier tournament backed by AIPA, highlighting the association's pivotal role in raising India's competitive pickleball standards.

This recognition underscores AIPA's mission to establish a strong, inclusive, and sustainable future for pickleball by concentrating on athlete development and long-term growth nationwide, the release stated. Just recently, Dilli Dillwale emerged victorious in the World Pickleball League (WPBL) 2026, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory against the Chennai Super Champs in the finals hosted at the Jio World Garden.

The team, co-owned by Sunil Gavaskar, overcame an initial women's singles loss to prevail in three of the subsequent four matches. Max Manthou of Dilli was honored as Player of the Tournament, while Katerina Stewart and Ly Hoang Nam were awarded the Band of Honour for their high scoring among women and men, respectively, in this campaign, as per the release.

The day's competitions began with Rika Fujiwara's dominant victory over her Dilli Dillwale counterpart Alejandra Lopez, boasting a 27-3 scoreline. Fujiwara's formidable Grand Slam experience allowed the Super Champs to take an early lead. Nevertheless, Dilli Dillwale secured the championship in a nail-biting mixed doubles match, where Max Manthou and Trang Huynh narrowly defeated their opponents Ly Hoang Nam and Carlota Trevino by 11-10, clinching the title with a tight one-point margin in a thrilling finale.

(With inputs from agencies.)