Armaan Bhatia Nets APP Tour Gold in Newport Beach Open as PPA Tour Dream Still on Horizon
Make that back-to-back gold medals for India’s Armaan Bhatia.
India’s no. 1 pickleball pro clinched the men’s singles title at the Newport Beach Open on Monday, besting Poland’s Patrick Kawka in the final to make it back-to-back APP Tour victories.
Bhatia’s win at Newport Beach comes on the heels of his dream championship run at the New York City Open in May, where he became the first Indian pickler to win an APP Tour title. He accomplished this milestone by defeating the highly touted Alex Crum, 15-10, 27-25, in a massive upset.
Prior to Bhatia’s successive titles, he secured silver at the Vlasic Classic in Cincinnati to become the first Indian pickler to win a silver medal on the APP Tour.
Ranked 13 in the APP Tour, the JOOLA-sponsored Bhatia has indicated strongly that his ultimate goal is to play in the PPA Tour, currently the most competitive pickleball league in the world—and arguably the most prestigious and financially rewarding. Unfortunately, he remains unsigned by the PPA Tour, barring him from competing in it.
“I have been in conversation with the PPA and the UPA for a bit and then we have not spoken a lot in the recent few weeks. But I am keen to play,” Bhatia told The Dink Pickleball vodcast. “My team and I are reviewing all possibilities to see what is going to be the best for me through this year. But if that does not happen this year, I am happy doing the APP and the international stuff for this year and then we can see what next year holds for me.”
With his recent run of success at the APP Tour, Bhatia’s dream to play in the PPA Tour might just be around the corner. And it might even be them who’ll come calling.
