THE 2026 EDITION of the Indian Open, organised by Global Sports, will now be an Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) sanctioned PWR 1000 event following a new alliance between the two organisations.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from 1 to 5 April at Crosscourts in Hyderabad. More than 1,500 participants are expected to compete across 56 categories for a total prize pool of USD 50,000.
This will be the fourth edition of the Indian Open organised by Global Sports. Across previous editions, the event has attracted more than 4,000 pickleball players representing 19 countries across multiple categories. Securing sanctioning from the IPA is expected to bring greater legitimacy and structure to the tournament within the growing Indian pickleball ecosystem.
The collaboration between Global Sports and the IPA integrates the tournament series into the official national governance framework. It also marks the beginning of a new phase in which future events organised by Global Sports will operate under the aegis of the IPA.
The transition of the Indian Open into a PWR 1000 event is also expected to be significant for athletes. The introduction of a uniform ranking structure and centralised governance aims to strengthen the competitive ecosystem by providing clearer player pathways, standardised competition formats and improved data integrity.
IPA president Suryaveersingh Bhullar said, “This partnership is a milestone for Indian sports. By bringing Global Sports into the IPA fold, we are ensuring that every volley played in the Indian Open contributes to a single, unified vision for the country. We are committed to providing our athletes with a world-class platform that is governed by the highest standards of integrity and excellence.”
Global Sports co-founder and partner Shashank Khaitan added, “At Global Sports, our mission has always been to build a robust infrastructure for Pickleball. Aligning with the IPA allows us to formalise our efforts and ensure our players receive the national recognition they deserve. The Global Sports Indian Open becoming a PWR 1000 event is just the beginning of a long and fruitful journey to make India a global hub for the sport.”
