IPBL: Hyderabad stun Chennai as Mumbai Smashers script fairytale run to the final

NEW DELHI: Hyderabad Royals staged a stunning comeback to topple Chennai Super Warriors 4-2 in Qualifier 1, while Mumbai Smashers’ fairytale surge continued as they swept past Lucknow Leopards in the Eliminator and stunned Chennai in Qualifier 2—both 4-2—to book their place alongside Hyderabad in the Grand Finale of the Indian Pickleball League (IPBL).

Hyderabad will meet Mumbai at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall on Sunday to decide the winner of the inaugural IPBL season, a release said.

A three-way tie for fourth meant a Play-In preceded the knockouts, unfolding before Global Pickleball Federation President Javier Regalado and Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha, star of hit movies Pyaar ka Punchnama 1 & 2, Dream Girl, and more. With Grand Rallies played to 25, Mumbai Smashers edged Capital Warriors Gurgaon 25-24 in a breathless opener, then backed it up with a composed 25-22 win over Bengaluru Blasters to secure fourth place and seal their spot in the playoffs.

In the placement rally, Bengaluru defeated Gurgaon 25-21 to finish fifth.

In Qualifier 1, Chennai Super Warriors faced Hyderabad Royals for a direct ticket to the Grand Finale.

Mitch Hargreaves gave Chennai the ideal launch, winning the men’s singles 15-11 before teaming with Harsh Mehta to repeat the scoreline in a patient men’s doubles display for a 2-0 lead. The women’s singles delivered the headline clash: unbeaten Roos van Reek versus Megan Fudge.

Fudge came out on top, dominating the kitchen line to script a stunning 15-13 upset–van Reek’s only singles loss of the league.

Hyderabad carried that momentum into the women’s doubles, where Fudge and Shreya Chakraborty held off a late Chennai push to win 15-13 and level the tie.

Hyderabad rose to the moment in the Grand Rally, overturning a brief Chennai lead to prevail 21-17 and book their place in the final, sending Chennai to Qualifier 2. Fudge and Newell were named Players of the Tie.

Later, Mumbai Smashers and Lucknow Leopards met in a high-stakes Eliminator.

DUPR World No. 3 Quang Duong came out firing, beating Ryler DeHeart 15-8 before returning with Ammol Ramchandani to edge a tense 15-14 men’s doubles win for a 2-0 lead. Lucknow fought back through Mihika Yadav’s 15-10 women’s singles win and then levelled the tie as Bates and Naomi Amalsadiwala took the women’s doubles 15-11.

The Grand Rally produced a point-for-point thriller, with Mumbai holding firm for a 21-18 finish, while Duong and Yadav took Player of the Tie honours.

Catching form at the right time, Mumbai then proceeded to face Chennai in Qualifier 2.

Duong got things going again with a 15-7 triumph over Hargreaves–his seventh straight singles win—before partnering Ramchandani to a composed 15-10 victory that pushed Mumbai 2-0 up. Chennai battled back through van Reek and Aaliya Ebrahim, who dominated the women’s doubles 15-7, but Mumbai pulled clear in the Grand Rally, sealing a 21-15 win to reach the final.

Duong and Pearl took home the Player of the Tie awards. (ANI)