As India’s pickleball calendar continues to expand with bigger tournaments and stronger participation, HorizonX Courtplay co-owner Varun Chetal believes the growth was always part of the vision behind building the Gurgaon venue.
Speaking to Pickleball Now, Chetal said the facility was designed to host large-scale national tournaments as the sport continues to gather momentum across the country.
“We’ve seen pickleball grow steadily over the years, but especially in the last few months. There are now many more tournaments taking place, not just in this city but across India,” Chetal said.
“We designed this facility with exactly that vision in mind. We wanted it to be capable of hosting events of this scale, whether it’s a PWR 700, PWR 400 or even a PWR 1000 in the future.”
According to Chetal, the infrastructure was planned with both players and spectators in mind.
“With eight courts, a dedicated viewing gallery for spectators and players, and a capacity of more than 1,000 people, the idea was to create a venue that can comfortably host tournaments at the highest level.”
Beyond infrastructure, Chetal believes hosting national tournaments has helped raise the standard of local competition by bringing together players from across the country.
“It’s been incredible. We’ve had players from different states coming here to compete, and we’ve witnessed some outstanding matches and high-quality action on the courts,” he said.
“I think it also raises the standard for the local players because they’re exposed to athletes from across the country. That experience is extremely valuable for their development.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming Haryana Open, which will also serve as the Pickleball World Cup selection trials for the 50+ and 60+ categories, Chetal expects another highly competitive event.
“It’s going to be fascinating. When we first started this facility, we hosted a tournament specifically for the 50+ and 60+ categories, and the response was fantastic,” he said.
“Once again, I encourage players from every state in the 50+ and 60+ categories to register. It’s a great opportunity, and I expect to see some very healthy competition.”
