What’s the Score?
Matchday 7 of the World Pickleball League (WPBL) delivered high-stakes drama as the Chennai Super Champs extended their lead at the top of the table, while Mumbai Pickle Power clawed back into contention with a gritty win. In a double-header that showcased the depth of talent in the league, Chennai defeated the Bengaluru Jawans 3–1 to reach 43 league points, asserting themselves as the team to beat. Meanwhile, Mumbai Pickle Power managed to edge out the Hyderabad Super Stars 3–2 in a tie defined by wild momentum swings and standout individual performances.
Hit it deeper!
The day’s action began with a tightly contested affair between Mumbai and Hyderabad. Mumbai Pickle Power relied heavily on their male roster to secure the win. Brandon Lane was the architect of their success, earning “Player of the Tie” honors. Lane combined with Santhosh Narayanan to win the Men’s Doubles 9–5, and later dominated the Mixed Doubles alongside Glauka Carvajal Lane with a decisive 16–07 victory over Hyderabad’s Lauren Mercado and Josep Canyadell. Mumbai’s Max Green also delivered a crucial point in Men’s Singles, defeating Marcello Jardim 14–10.
However, Hyderabad did not go down quietly. They showcased dominance in the women’s categories. In one of the most lopsided matches of the season, Hyderabad’s Seone Mendez dismantled Mumbai’s Jada Bui in Women’s Singles, winning 27–09. Hyderabad also claimed the Women’s Doubles, with the pair of Kaitlynn Hart and Seone Mendez defeating Sabrina Mendez and Glauka Carvajal Lane 20–07. Despite these heavy defeats in the women’s brackets, Mumbai’s consistency in the other three categories secured them the 3–2 tie victory.
In the second tie, the league-leading Chennai Super Champs demonstrated why they are the favourites. They defeated Bengaluru 3–1, anchored by superior doubles play. Do Minh Quan and Tanner Tomassi took the Men’s Doubles 14–08, while Carlota Trevino and Domenika Turkovic secured the Women’s Doubles 15–06. The Mixed Doubles unit of Ly Hoang Nam and Carlota Trevino further padded the score with a 17–05 rout.
Bengaluru’s bright spot came from Katerina Stewart, who salvaged a point for her team with a crushing 27–08 victory over Rika Fujiwara in Women’s Singles. Additionally, the tie featured a rare stalemate in the Men’s Singles, where Chennai’s Ly Hoang Nam and Bengaluru’s Dusty Boyer battled to a 16–16 draw.
The World Pickleball Verdict
As the WPBL season progresses, a clear hierarchy is emerging. Chennai Super Champs (43 points) have built a comfortable cushion over second-place Dilli Dillwale (36 points), proving to be the most balanced team in the competition. Their ability to win across gender doubles and mixed categories makes them difficult to dismantle. Conversely, the battle in the midfield is intensifying. Mumbai’s narrow win keeps their playoff hopes alive, but their vulnerability in women’s singles—evidenced by the blowout loss to Hyderabad—remains a concern they must address. With Matchday 8 pitting Mumbai against the Rajasthan Titans and Dilli against Pune United, the race for the remaining playoff spots is set to tighten further. The recurring draws and blowout scores in singles suggest that while doubles strategies are maturing, individual matchups remain volatile and highly unpredictable.
