Hyderabad’s Ashritha Raju is still finding her footing in pickleball, a sport she picked up only recently. But the 18-year-old’s rapid rise is already turning heads. Competing in just her third national-level tournament at India’s first-ever Junior Pickleball Championship last week in Ahmedabad, the former tennis player walked away with a gold and a silver medal, underlining both her adaptability and early promise in the world’s fastest-growing sport.
What makes her podium finishes more striking is her tenacity and ability to challenge seasoned players despite her limited experience. Ashritha has been playing pickleball for just six months, yet she has shown promise by quickly translating raw tennis instincts into results on the pickleball court. At the recently concluded Junior Championship, she won the U18 girls doubles gold and the U18 girls singles silver.
Pickleball World Cup – fingers crossed
“My overall performance in the competition was good. It was a new experience playing with different people from different states. It was good exposure for me,” Ashritha told Pickleball Now.
Despite her remarkable, she is keeping her fingers crossed about the possibility of being selected for the Indian team for the upcoming Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam, scheduled from August 30 to September 6. The Junior Championship also marked the pinnacle of performances of the junior and sub-junior selection trials, serving as a defining stage for India’s emerging talents.
“I feel like my chances are kind of in the ratio of 80 to 20. I have given my best there in singles and doubles, and let’s see,” she said.
Before she picked up pickleball, tennis laid the foundation for her game. She stepped away from the sport just last year only to restart her competitive career in a different discipline.
“I used to play tennis. I stopped it last year before my 12th board exams. After that, I started playing pickleball,” she apprised.
Even in such a short span, the transition has already begun to bear fruit. Last year, she announced her arrival at the IPA Nationals in Bengaluru by winning the U18 girls team gold with Telangana, followed by a bronze in the open women’s singles category. At the Indian Open in April, she raised the bar further, claiming gold medals in both women’s doubles and mixed doubles categories.
Aggressive baseline game
Inspired by the modern, attacking style of World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, Ashritha is steadily shaping her game around a blend of aggression and control.
“I watch Anna Leigh Waters a lot. I like everything about her game. She is very aggressive in both singles and doubles and does not give up easily. Her consistency is incredible – she has barely lost any matches. I do have a similar style of aggressive game,” said Ashritha.
The shadow of tennis still lingers in her game. A baseline-oriented player, she relies heavily on power and depth, especially in singles, while gradually adapting to the demands of doubles, where dinking rallies matter more than outright hitting.
“I rely on power and feel strong in singles. In doubles too, I am very solid. My backhand counter-volley is my strongest weapon in doubles – especially the backhand counter near the net,” she said.
Defeat and redemption
Ashritha delivered a strong account of herself at the Junior Championship. She powered her way into the U18 girls singles final, including a notable win over Pickleball World Cup medalist Anushka Chhabria in the semifinals, before going down to fellow Hyderabadi Diya Mattipati 21-17 in a tightly contested final – her first meeting with the eventual champion.
Reflecting on her defeat, Ashritha said, “I lost the match by a small margin. I have made a few silly errors at a crucial time. If I had those points, I would have still made it and won. My opponent was very consistent. She was creating tough time for me and giving little reaction time.”
Redemption, however, came quickly. In the U18 girls doubles final, she paired up with Minal Shaik Kalyan to clinch the title, overcoming Ruvanashri SK and Aashrithaa S 21-14.
As competition rises, so does the quality of the game on India’s domestic circuit. Ashritha acknowledged that. “It was quite good and competitive enough. Since pickleball is an upcoming sport in India, I don’t think there’s too much tough competition yet. But it’s growing every day, you know. It’s way better compared to events that happened last year,” she said.
Focus on improvement
Despite her impressive performances, Ashritha remains firmly focused on improvement as she continues to polish her technique and skills while also working to add more deception to her game to meet the sport’s evolving demands.
“Right now, I am consistent enough to keep the ball in play. But there are other shots like fake shots and resets. I also need to improve my net game in singles. Since I am a baseline player, I tend to stay back. Then in doubles, I have to maintain consistency in resetting the ball,” said the architecture student.
Looking ahead, Ashritha is eager for greater exposure on bigger stages, with ambitions that stretch well beyond domestic circuit. She has her sights set on the PPA Tour – and a long-cherished meeting with her idol, Anna Leigh Waters.
