India’s Mihika Yadav Gets Golden Finish at Chennai, Looks Forward to More International Competition
Indian sensation Mihika Yadav had a full-circle moment on Sunday at Chennai. Not only did she return to the city where she won several major tennis tournaments, she also won another competition—only at a different sport.
Yadav, a former tennis star in India, returned to Chennai over the weekend as a pickleball pro and won the gold in Women’s Singles at Rise Up Championship – Pickleball By The Bay 2025. The tournament, organised and overseen by the Indian Pickleball Association, is a sanctioned PWR 1000 event and the biggest one in India to date.
A Special Moment for Mihika Yadav in Chennai
One of the tournament’s stars, no doubt, was Yadav, who clinched the title with a commanding 11-8, 11-4 victory against Snehal Kishor Patil. That she won a pickleball competition in a city where she had much success in her previous life as a tennis pro only made the moment just a bit more special.
“Chennai has always been very special to me. I used to play tennis before, I was a professional tennis player, and I’ve won some big tennis tournaments here. And now to win a pickleball singles event in this city—very, very special,” said Yadav after winning gold.
The quality of opponent Yadav beat for the gold medal also added to the magnitude of her golden feat.
While Yadav has emerged as India’s No. 1 women’s singles player, Snehal was certainly no pushover. In fact, she was playing some of her best pickleball in Chennai, making the finals in three events and winning gold in Women’s Doubles.
That’s why Yadav had to dig deep and show why she’s India’s best in Women’s Singles. She was calm under pressure. She was sharp and precise in her execution. She was relentless and assertive all at once. In short, Yadav played true to form in Chennai.
“I think I stayed solid throughout the match. Whatever I had planned, whatever I had prepped for, I managed to execute. And yeah, that’s what helped me win today,” Yadav shared.
Mihika Yadav Looks Forward to More Challenges
Now, having conquered a familiar stomping ground, Yadav is looking for bigger challenges. She had already tested herself in the PPA Tour Asia and played across Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. She also struck gold at the Dubai Open and clinched bronze at the Monsoon Pickleball Championships, showing unequivocally that she can compete against Asia’s best.
But she wants more. She wants to truly test herself—and she already has a plan to do just that.
“I am now looking forward to competing in a few international events—some PPAs, some APPs,” she noted. “And, of course, we have our state championship selections coming up, and the (IPA) Nationals later in November. A lot of exciting events to look forward to.”
Mihika Yadav is spot-on. And from the way she cruised to gold at Rise Up Championship – Pickleball By The Bay 2025, it’s looking like she’s ready for these events.
