What’s the Score?
The league stage of the 2026 World Pickleball League (WPBL) came to a dramatic conclusion at the Jio World Garden in Mumbai. In a fixture that served as a prelude to the playoffs, Pune United pulled off a morale-boosting 3–2 upset over the league-leading Chennai Super Champs. While Chennai had already secured the top seed, the victory provided Pune with critical momentum as they squeaked into the fourth and final playoff spot. With the group stages finished, the bracket is officially set: the top-seeded Chennai will seek immediate revenge against Pune in the first semi-final, while the second-seeded Dilli Dillwale will lock horns with the Bengaluru Jawans.
Hit it deeper!
Friday’s action in Mumbai was characterised by strategic manoeuvring and high-pressure execution. The Chennai Super Champs, having dominated the league with 61 points and 20 match wins, opted to rest several starters to preserve energy for the knockout rounds. This decision opened the door for Pune United, who desperately needed to prove they belonged on the same court as the titans of the league.
Chennai’s depth was immediately apparent in the Women’s Singles. Domenika Turkovic, stepping in for the heavy favourites, dismantled Pune’s Katie Morris 20–12. Turkovic controlled the pace, offering Morris very few openings to attack. However, Pune United responded with ferocity in the Mixed Doubles. The pairing of William Sobek and Madalina Grigoriu was unstoppable, crushing Chennai’s duo of Tanner Tomassi and Ava Cavataio 18–5. The lopsided nature of this victory was a wake-up call for Chennai, proving that Pune possesses the firepower to punish even the best teams if they aren’t firing on all cylinders.
The tie saw a back-and-forth struggle in the remaining matches. In Men’s Singles, Pune’s Balint Bako defeated Sonu Vishwakarma 21–13, capitalising on Chennai’s rotated lineup. However, Chennai fought back in Women’s Doubles, with Rika Fujiwara and Carlota Trevino edging out Pune’s Grigoriu and Sarah Jane Lim in a nail-biter, 12–10.
Ultimately, the tie was decided by the “Player of the Tie,” Vanshik Kapadia. Partnering with Mateusz Matysik in Men’s Doubles, Kapadia led Pune to a decisive 14–10 victory over Ly Hoang Nam and Do Minh Quan. This win didn’t just give Pune the tie; it solidified their psychological standing heading into the weekend.
Elsewhere in the league, the Rajasthan Titans defeated Dilli Dillwale 3–2, a result that ultimately wasn’t enough to push Rajasthan into the top four. Despite valiant efforts from Jack Foster—who won his singles match and was named Player of the Tie—and the doubles team of Max Manthou and Rob Cassidy, Rajasthan finished fifth with 46 points. Dilli Dillwale, despite the loss, held onto the second seed with 51 points, setting up a clash with the third-seeded Bengaluru Jawans (49 points).
The World Pickleball Verdict
While scoreboard watchers might dismiss Chennai’s loss as the result of resting starters, the psychological impact of this match cannot be overstated. In professional franchise sports, momentum is everything. Pune United has gone from a team scrapping for the fourth spot to a squad that knows exactly how to beat the tournament favourites.
The upcoming semi-final between Chennai and Pune is now far more intriguing than a standard “1 vs. 4” matchup. Chennai has the consistency and the points, but Pune has the most recent win. For Dilli Dillwale and Bengaluru Jawans, the path to the finals is equally treacherous. The WPBL has shown that the gap between the top four teams is razor-thin. Saturday’s semi-finals will likely come down to which teams can handle the transition from league-play consistency to knockout-round pressure.
If you enjoyed this article, check out the February World Pickleball Magazine here.