Good morning, pickleballers.
Welcome to your weekend!
Have you read the February World Pickleball Magazine yet? If not, why not? You can get it at the end of today’s pickleball news report.
Here’s the latest pickleball news from around the world.
Pune United Upsets Chennai as World Pickleball League Semi-Final Stage Set
Mumbai, India – The league stage of the 2026 World Pickleball League (WPBL) concluded with high drama at the Jio World Garden, finalising the four teams that will battle for the championship. In a thrilling group-stage finale, Pune United secured a morale-boosting 3–2 victory over the table-topping Chennai Super Champs meaning they qualified in thrilling style.
Despite resting key starters, Chennai displayed their depth, with Domenika Turkovic winning her women’s singles match decisively. However, Pune United capitalised on the opportunity. William Sobek and Madalina Grigoriu dominated the mixed doubles with an 18–5 win, while Vanshik Kapadia’s stellar performance in men’s doubles alongside Mateusz Matysik earned him “Player of the Tie” honours. Although Chennai lost the tie, they finished the league stage at the top of the leaderboard with 61 points and 20 matches won.
Elsewhere, the Rajasthan Titans defeated Dilli Dillwale 3–2, with stellar performances from Jack Foster in men’s singles and the doubles pairing of Max Manthou and Rob Cassidy. Despite the loss, Dilli Dillwale secured the second seed in the standings.
The stage is now set for the semi-finals on Saturday, February 7. The first fixture will see a rematch of the league finale as top-seeded Chennai Super Champs face fourth-seeded Pune United. The second semi-final will feature a clash between second-seeded Dilli Dillwale and third-seeded Bengaluru Jawans. With the knockout rounds beginning, teams have no room for error as they vie for the premier title in Indian pickleball.
MLP-Backed Initiative Targets One Million Students in Ambitious NYC Youth Pickleball Launch
New York City, USA – A groundbreaking partnership launched this week aims to place a pickleball paddle in the hands of every public school student in New York City. “Conquer Kids” has been named the Official Youth Pickleball Program of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, marking the first time a Major League Pickleball (MLP) franchise has formally backed a youth development initiative of this scale.
Powered by equipment manufacturer JOOLA, the program’s goal is to introduce the sport to the more than one million students enrolled across the NYC public school system. The initiative is already underway, serving students from second grade through high school via physical education instruction, after-school enrichment, and community programming. Pilot programs have launched at several schools, including PS 307 in DUMBO, East Side Community School in the East Village, and multiple locations in the Bronx.
“Youth development is the foundation of any sport that wants to grow the right way,” stated Adam Behnke of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, a franchise owned by a high-profile group including Eva Longoria and Justin Verlander. The program currently operates in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, with plans to expand to Staten Island later this year.
Proponents of the plan believe that by investing in the city’s diverse youth, they are building a future generation of players and fostering community. If successful, this partnership could serve as a blueprint for professional team-backed development in public schools across the United States.
Waters and Bright Eye Continued Dominance as PPA Tour Hits Florida
Cape Coral, USA – The PPA Tour returns to Florida next week for the Zimmer Biomet Cape Coral Open, bringing the world’s top professionals to The Courts at Cape Coral for fierce competition across all divisions. As action begins, all eyes are on the seemingly unstoppable duo of Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright in women’s doubles.
Waters and Bright enter the tournament as the top seed, looking to maintain an unbeaten streak in 2026. Their primary challengers include the third-seeded pair of Tyra Black and Jorja Johnson, the only team in the top half of the draw with a history of upsetting the favourites. In mixed doubles, Waters teams up with Ben Johns as the top seed, though they face a potential challenge from the brother-sister duo of Jorja and JW Johnson in the bottom half of the draw.
A major storyline for this event is the absence of Anna Leigh Waters in the singles category, cracking the field wide open. Kate Fahey takes the top seed, but she faces a gauntlet of talent in the top half of the draw, including Brooke Buckner and Catherine Parenteau. Meanwhile, men’s singles remains the most volatile bracket in the sport, with over 25 players capable of claiming gold. Hunter Johnson and Federico Staksrud hold the top two seeds, but dangerous floaters like Tyson McGuffin loom in the early rounds.
The tournament also highlights a youth movement, with veterans increasingly partnering with teenage rising stars, such as Tyler Loong playing with Elsie Hendershot.
Kuala Lumpur Hosts Historic Global Pickleball Alliance Tour Opener
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Professional pickleball makes its official debut in Asia this week as the Leapmotor APP Kuala Lumpur Open 2026 kicks off at the PLAYA Racquet Club. The event marks the launch of the 2026 Global Pickleball Alliance Tour and has already set records, boasting a field of 1,760 participants across professional, amateur, and junior divisions—the largest pickleball tournament ever held in Malaysia.
Running from February 9 to 14, the tournament features over 20 elite APP professionals from the United States, including Megan Fudge, Jack Munro, and Sofia Sewing, competing against top talent from Asia and Australia. The extreme humidity and new environment will test the adaptability of the visiting pros. “For many players, this is about adaptation, chemistry, and proving that their game travels,” the APP noted in its preview.
Intrigue surrounds the professional doubles brackets, where several top players are debuting new partnerships. Megan Fudge and Sofia Sewing will join forces in women’s doubles, while Jack Munro pairs with Ryan Fu in men’s doubles. In singles, Sofia Sewing enters as the favourite for the women, while the men’s draw features a clash of styles between American veterans like Ryler DeHeart and Asian standouts such as Thomas Yu.
This tournament serves as more than just a competition; it is a statement on the sport’s global expansion. As the first APP Tour event in Asia, the Kuala Lumpur Open is poised to set the tone for the 2026 season and the future of professional pickleball in the region.
If you enjoyed this article, check out the February World Pickleball Magazine here.
Chris Beaumont
Founder and Editor-in-ChiefChris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at…
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