Golestan Stars Shine as Alborz Hosts Iran’s 500-Point National Men’s Pickleball Championship
Iranian pickleball just had a busy week to end October and start November. In that stretch, The 500-point national men’s pickleball tournament wrapped up in Alborz province, with 103 players from 13 provinces fighting through 197 matches. When the dust settled, one province had plenty to celebrate: Golestan.
The event was hosted at the pickleball courts of the Padel Zone complex in Alborz, with players competing in four categories: singles and doubles, each for the 17+ and 35+ age groups. It started on a Tuesday and ran for five days. Amir Mardai served as referee, and Mehdi Khalghi as organiser.
For clarification, the “500-point” label refers to the tournament’s ranking-points level. It’s the kind of event that matters for a national pecking order, which helps explain why players travelled in from across the country.
35+ Categories
In the 35+ singles, Mohammad Akbari of Mazandaran province took the title. A player from Yazd province finished second, and Majid Shah Hosseini of Tehran was third.
The 35+ doubles went to an interesting pairing: Hojjat Nasrallah of West Azerbaijan and Masoud Piroozee of Golestan won the title, a reminder that national events often bring together players from different provinces. Tehran’s Alireza Rouhani and Mehdi Shafiq took second place, while Mehdi Liaghat of Fars and Majid Shah Hosseini of Tehran finished third. That gave Shah Hosseini two podium finishes in the same event.
17+ Categories
Golestan owned the 17+ singles. Masoud Piroozee won the title, with his provincial teammate Roozbeh Faraji second, and Radin Fakhimi of Alborz, the host province, third.
In the 17+ doubles, Alborz’s Daniyal Hajivand teamed up with Golestan’s Roozbeh Faraji to win. Rouhani and Shafiq of Tehran took second place again, and Mohammad Noori and Mani Khosravi of Golestan finished third.
The Standouts
A few names stood out over the five days:
- Masoud Piroozee (Golestan): Champion in both the 17+ singles and the 35+ doubles, a double title.
- Roozbeh Faraji (Golestan): Runner-up in 17+ singles and champion in 17+ doubles.
- Alireza Rouhani and Mehdi Shafiq (Tehran): Second place in both doubles categories.
It’s a good showing for Golestan, which put players on all four podiums, and for the Iranian game more broadly: champions from Mazandaran, West Azerbaijan, Golestan and Alborz.
The Ceremony
The awards ceremony of the 500-Point National Men’s Pickleball Championship was attended by Mohammad Reza Safi, president of the Iranian Pickleball Association, and Omid Fatholami, head of the Alborz district tennis committee and head of the national committee of the association.
For a sport that’s still young in Iran, 103 players from 13 provinces is a solid turnout. With national events like this one, a path to regional and international competition may not be far behind.
