India’s Armaan Bhatia clinched two titles at the Macao Open, a PPA Tour Asia 500 event, on Sunday, May 31. Bhatia, the country’s No. 1 pickleball player who signed up with PPA in August 2025, first won the mixed doubles title before clinching the men’s doubles crown.
The double triumph marked another significant milestone in Bhatia’s rise on the international pickleball circuit as he continued to strengthen his credentials against some of Asia’s leading players.
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Bhatia’s first title came in the mixed doubles category, where he paired up with Hong Kong’s Kara Wheatley. The pair edged past Nok Yiu Tang and Eunggwon Kim in a closely contested final, prevailing 13-11, 11-7 to secure the championship.
Later in the day, Bhatia returned to the court for the men’s doubles final and produced another commanding performance. Forging a partnership with young Japanese player Tama Shimabukuro, he defeated the duo of Mitchell Hargreaves and Kenta Miyoshi 12-10, 11-5 to claim his second title of the tournament.
The victory underlined Bhatia’s growing stature on the PPA Tour Asia circuit, where he has emerged as one of the region’s most consistent performers since joining the professional ranks.
Shimabukuro also enjoyed a memorable outing in Macao, completing a double of his own. The youngster captured the men’s singles title after overcoming Hong Kit Wong in straight games. He prevailed 11-9, 11-9 in a tightly fought final to add another trophy to his successful campaign.
In the women’s singles event, Japan’s Rika Fujiwara delivered a dominant performance to lift the title. Fujiwara defeated Vietnam’s Ho Tam 11-4, 11-4 in the championship match, allowing her opponent little room to mount a challenge.
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Ho Tam, however, featured in a second final of the tournament in the women’s doubles category. There, she and partner Mihae Kwon fell short against the experienced pairing of Jamie Haas and Pei-Chuan. Haas and Pei-Chuan controlled the contest from the outset, winning 11–6, 11–2 to secure the women’s doubles crown.
The Macao Open, a PPA Tour Asia 500 event, is the third event on the continental calendar. A total of ten events will take place in the 2026 season.
