By Sudipta Biswas

Copyright timesnownews

Udaipur, the City of Lakes, has fast etched its name on India’s pickleball map. This week, Pickle Up 3.0, a PWR 50 IPA-sanctioned event, got underway at the state-of-the-art Sports Fusion facility of the city. The three-day (September 12-14) tournament – third edition in just nine months – has already become a landmark sporting event in Rajasthan. “This is the third tournament in Udaipur, Rajasthan. This is the third edition of the Pickle Up within nine months. This is a three-day tournament. This time we have 150 plus participants from Rajasthan and Gujarat. All the semifinals and finals will be played on Sunday,” Anmol Singhvi, organiser of Pickle Up 3.0, told Pickleball Now. More than 150 players are competing at the event. The tournament has drawn top names. “Among the top players Shivraj Singh, Shail Pandya, Chirag Vyas among others have come here to play the tournament,” Singhvi added. Sports Fusion: Home of Pickleball in Udaipur The venue for the Pickle Up, Sports Fusion, has quickly become synonymous with pickleball excellence in Rajasthan. Its co-owner, Prateek Pagariya, spoke passionately about how the facility has raised the bar for the sport in the region. “This is the premier pickleball facility in Udaipur,” said Prateek. “We have six pickleball courts – five covered and one open. And out of five covered courts, three are premium courts because they have 12 layers, and it gives extra cushion so that players can avoid picking up knee injury,” he added. “We have installed lights on the ceiling, so that players do not get distracted and they can enjoy the game. We have extra space seating arrangement at the facility. Our normal courts are also covered. So matches will continue regardless of rain and sunny weather. The open court is used for training young children. And those who want to play in the open, they can play. Other than these we have a tennis, basketball and Rajasthan’s first padel court. Padel is a developing sport along with pickleball,” Prateek elaborated. Beyond the infrastructure, Sports Fusion has presented itself as a community hub. “We started pickleball along with our friends in Udaipur because it seemed fascinating to us. Since then we ourselves have been playing this sport and enjoying it. So many youngsters from Udaipur come here to play. Families also come here to play along with their children. We also provide them coaching. We have among us is national player Shivraj Singh. He is a coach here and we have another coach called Ajitpal Singh, who also teaches tennis. We have kitchen, washroom and cafeteria in this facility,” Pagariya explained. With six high-quality courts, over 150 players, and the presence of top national players, Pickle Up 3.0 is more than just a tournament – it is a festival of sport. From covered courts that withstand the weather to premium flooring that protects players, and from Rajasthan’s first padel court to family-friendly spaces, Sports Fusion has redefined the pickleball experience in Udaipur. As the semifinals and finals set for Sunday, all eyes will be on the Pickle Up 3.0 to see who emerges as champions.