Pickleball, a game that has seen exponential growth in recent years, made its official league debut in India with the World Pickleball League. The league, a brainchild of Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, came to life on January 24, 2025. The league is now in its final stage, with Priya and Atlee’s team, Bengaluru Jawans, emerging as one of the strongest contenders. The team boasts a healthy mix of young and experienced players, including 17-year-old Mauro Garcia and 51-year-old Marcello Jardim. One of the shining stars of the Bengaluru Jawans is 23-year-old Jack Foster, who already has extensive experience, having played over 300 pickleball games.
Jack Foster, who is part of the Bengaluru Jawans team, opened up about his experience in India as well as sharing the dressing room with Indian teammate Vrushali Thakare. “This is my first time in India and my first time playing internationally. It’s been such a fun experience seeing the sport grow here. The World Pickleball League has been one of my favorite tournaments. Everyone’s been so supportive, and my teammates and I get along really well, which I think has contributed to our success so far. Vrushali has a great backhand counter. I had never seen her play before, but she’s really impressive. I got to play a mixed match with her, and she did well. It was fun to team up with her,” he said.
Reflecting on his humble beginnings, Jack said, “I have been playing for six to seven years now. I started in high school gym class back in the U.S., and ever since then, I’ve seen pickleball grow so much. I started playing, and as I got better, I began looking for tournaments. In the past three to four years, a professional tour has started to emerge in the United States and is now expanding internationally.”
With Bengaluru Jawans sitting at the top of the table and having qualified for the semi-finals, Jack Foster opened up about his bond with his teammates and coach Oliver. “Oliver’s been amazing-really supportive, just encouraging us to believe in ourselves and each other. He reminds us to enjoy the experience and understand that it’s a privilege to be able to play here,” he added.
The Bengaluru Jawans have been in top form, winning 4 out of 5 ties and finishing the round-robin stage with 52 points, including a victory over the undefeated Mumbai Pickle Power. The Bengaluru Jawans will face the Hyderabad Superstars in Semi-final 1 and will look to secure a spot in the finals to be held on February 2nd.
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