Aaliya Ebrahim had a fantastic performance at the Picklebay Zonals - South, PWR 1000 event with two gold medals. A young pickleball player won Open Women's Singles and Open Women's Doubles titles and finished her season with a double title.
The outcome of Ebrahim's singles campaign was a win against Mihika Yadav in the final. She kept the heat on at 11-8, 11-7 in straight games. The performance of Ebrahim in the title match was the best of the tournament and she had been a steady player.
Ebrahim got ahead of the important exchanges in the singles final and kept Yadav from building momentum. She remained composed and won both games to win the Open Women's Singles title.
Aaliya Ebrahim Dominates Women's Singles Final
The 11-8, 11-7 scoreline was an open final, but Ebrahim preserved this advantage when it really counted. Her ability to lead rallies and dictate the pace was enough for her to win the singles match without a deciding match.
Winning the singles title also set the stage for what became an even bigger tournament for Ebrahim. With the women's doubles final to come and another final to come from the PWR 1000, she had the chance to complete a rare double at a PWR 1000 event.
Ebrahim’s win against Yadav was the first of her two titles and underlined her ability to perform under pressure in a high-level regional pickleball competition.
Doubles Final Goes Down To The Wire
Ebrahim then teamed up with Sharmada for the Open Women's Doubles final, where the two faced Khushi and Shreya. Unlike the singles final, the doubles title clash was decided by very narrow margins, and went down to the final points of the deciding game.
Ebrahim and Sharmada won the opening game 11-10 but Khushi and Shreya took the second game strongly. The two came out victorious with 11-8 to level the draw and force a close game.
With the championship on the line, neither team was able to build a comfortable advantage in the third game. Ebrahim and Sharmada were able to stay calm and collected, and in the end won 12-10 in the decider to win the final and finish off their victory.
The doubles final illustrated the competitive nature of the Picklebay Zonals - South event. Both teams remained within touching distance of each other in the final game after trading games. Ebrahim and Sharmada were the two that gave the gold medal.
Double Gold Makes Tournament Special For Ebrahim
The fact that Ebrahim won two titles at the same PWR 1000 event was a great achievement. Her success in singles showed her individual ability and her victory in doubles also proved her ability to work in a team as well.
Ebrahim took to Instagram after the tournament to celebrate her win. She expressed her happiness at winning the Open Women's Singles gold and her joy at winning the women's doubles with Sharmada.
Ebrahim described the tournament as an awesome moment and thanked those who helped her. She made a social media post about how she felt happy with the double and how she had enjoyed competition in both categories.
The two titles also meant Ebrahim had to adapt between singles and doubles in the competition. Singles requires players to handle rallies and court coverage in their own right and doubles places greater emphasis on positioning, coordination and communication with a partner.
Pickleball Continues To Grow In India
Ebrahim’s success reflects the popularity of pickleball in India. In the country, pickleball is growing with tournaments and organised competitions in every region and at national level, providing more places to play pickleball as well.
Events like the Picklebay Zonals are also helping to boost players’ competitive skills by mixing athletes from various categories. The PWR 1000 format also benefits players to gain competitive experience and become competitive on the Indian pickleball circuit.
The Indian Pickleball Association is the governing body that is responsible for the development and management of pickleball in India. The association promotes the sport through competitions and initiatives to encourage players as well as skills with different age groups and abilities.
IPA is affiliated with the Asian Pickleball Association and the Global Pickleball Federation, connecting Indian pickleball to international sporting organizations.
A Memorable Chapter For Aaliya Ebrahim
For Ebrahim, the Picklebay Zonals - South was an opportunity to demonstrate her skills in two different disciplines. She kept herself focused in the singles final before returning to the court with Sharmada for a hard-fought doubles championship match.
The two wins also showed the different aspects of her game. In singles, she dominated Yadav and won in straight games. In doubles, she had to work with Sharmada to navigate a much tighter battle which was decided by two points in the final game.
The success of the campaign gives Ebrahim lots of satisfaction to celebrate as she continues her pickleball career. A double crown at a PWR 1000 event is another achievement for her competitive career and shows her ability to win both singles and doubles titles.
As pickleball spreads in India, performances like Ebrahim’s double title campaign also strengthen the growing presence of pickleball in the women’s game. At the Picklebay Zonals - South, she has given herself a memorable tournament to build on as the Indian pickleball calendar continues.
