First ever FIP padel tournament kicks off in India

 India Padel Open Begins with Electrifying Performances by Digvijay Pratap Singh, Miguel Vega, Aryan Goveas, Rahul Motwani and Mohit Dahiya

Aryan Goveas & Rahul Motwani. 

Khel Today Bureau

Greater Noida: The FIP Promotion India Padel Open has kicked off spectacularly at Bennett University, showcasing electrifying performances by players such as Digvijay Pratap Singh, Miguel Vega, Aryan Goveas, Rahul Motwani and Mohit Dahiya on Day 1. Marking a historic moment for the sport, this is India’s first-ever international padel tournament and the debut of the CUPRA FIP Tour in the country. The tournament, spanning from November 21 to 24, is being held at the state-of-the-art padel courts at Bennett University, Greater Noida.

Sanctioned by FIP, the international governing body for padel, and organized by Padel League Private Limited (a subsidiary of PTL Sports Group), with support from The Times Group, the event marks a major milestone in the growth of padel in India. With various international athletes representing countries such as Spain, Japan, Netherlands, France, Italy, and Iran, alongside top Indian talent, the tournament promises an exciting showcase of skill and sportsmanship.

Speaking to the participating athletes and the enthusiastic audience, Mr. Vineet Jain, Managing Director, The Times Group, said, “Bennett University is fast becoming a premier destination for new-age sports that have taken the world by storm. I am delighted to welcome you all to the first-ever international Padel event in India. It’s an honor to host some of the best Padel athletes from around the world alongside top players from India at the state-of-the-art Bennett University campus for the CUPRA FIP Tour Promotion India Padel Open.”

He further added, “It’s a matter of pride for all of us at The Times Group that our very own Bennett University – a hub for rising athletes and academic excellence – is fast becoming a premier destination for new-age sports that have taken the world by storm. Just a month ago, we hosted some of the world’s top pickleball players for exhibition matches following a global pickleball tournament co-organized by The Times Group. I look forward to some really exciting games ahead and wish all participants the very best for the tournament.”

Magnetic performances in the qualifying round on Day 1 saw 9 teams with Indian padel athletes make it to the round of 16. The semi-finals and finals on November 23 and 24 will be telecast live on Zoom TV and live-streamed on FIP’s YouTube Channel.

On the first day, the tournament witnessed high-energy performances on both courts. India’s Mohit Dahiya and his partner Marc Bernils Garcia from Spain clinched a straight-set victory against the Indian pair of Aditya Jagtab and Aryan Hemdev, with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-1. The Sood brothers (Chandril and Lakshit) triumphed in a hard-fought match against Pulkit Mishra and Vivek Shokeen, winning 6-0, 4-6, 6-2, in a thrilling contest that showcased exceptional skill and agility from both sides. In an all-Indian matches, Chaitanya Shah and Vikram Shah defeated Kunal Chadha and Deepak Arora in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0; Arjun Uppal and Rishi Kapur defeated Shaun Joseph & Abhijeet Dangat, 6-1, 6-1; Aryan Goveas & Rahul Motwani defeated Utsav Birla & Hardik Kashyap, 6-0, 6-0. Also, Famaz Shanavas and Austin Varghese defeated Nikhil Sai Kodali (India) & Adit Patel (Great Britain) comfortably by 6-4, 6-1.

Former tennis player Digvijay Pratap Singh, teaming up with Spain’s Miguel Vega Martin, also had a dominant start, displaying tactical brilliance to secure a straight-set victory (6-2, 6-1) over the Wild Card entry of Rakshit Chauhan and Param Yadav.

Match Results:

Center Court:

• Match 1: Chandril Sood & Lakshit Sood (India) defeated Pulkit Mishra & Vivek Shokeen (India): 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
• Match 2: Chaitanya Shah & Vikram Shah defeated Kunal Chadha & Deepak Arora (India): 6-1, 6-0
• Match 3: Arjun Uppal & Rishi Kapur (India) defeated Shaun Joseph & Abhijeet Dangat (India): 6-1, 6-1
• Match 4: Famaz Shanavas & Austin Varghese (India) defeated Nikhil Sai Kodali (India) & Adit Patel (Great Britain): 6-4, 6-1

Court 2:

• Match 1: Mohit Dahiya (India) & Marc Bernils Garcia (Spain) defeated Aditya Jagtab & Aryan Hemdev (India) 6-4, 6-1.
• Match 2: Aryan Goveas & Rahul Motwani (India) defeated Utsav Birla & Hardik Kashyap (India) 6-0, 6-0
• Match 3: Digvijay Pratap Singh (India) & Miguel Vega Martin (Spain) defeated Rakshit Chauhan & Param Yadav (India) 6-2, 6-1

What’s Next:

As the tournament progresses, fans can look forward to even more gripping encounters. Friday’s matches will see the start of the Round of 16 with games beginning at 11 AM IST across both courts.

Fixtures for Day 2:

Round of 16

Center Court:

• Sergi Guimet Bigas & Joel Oliver Palaos (Spain) vs Andrea Masoero & Gioele Lorenzin (Italy)
• Pol Alsina & Edu Altimires Ros (Spain) vs Famaz Shanavas & Austin Varghese (India)
• Islam Ghunaim (Bahrain) & Mohamed Elzayat (Egypt) vs Chaitanya Shah & Vikram Shah (India)
• Aryan Goveas & Rahul Motwani (India) vs DigDivijay Pratap Singh (India) & Miguel Vega Martin (Spain)

Court 2:

• Chandril Sood and Lakshit Sood (India) vs Mohit Dahiya (India) & Marc Bernils Garcia (Spain)
• Arya Roghani (Ireland) & Hami Golestan (Sweden) – Into the next round (Walkover)
• Arjun Uppal & Rishi Kapur (India) vs [WC] Rahul Belwal & Manresh Malhotra (India)
• Shashank Narde & Aditya Bakshi (India) vs [2] Arthur Hugounenq and Thomas Seux (France).