Mumbai: Chennai Super Champs asserted dominance with a commanding 12-3 win against Dilli Dillwale on the opening day of the World Pickleball League (WPBL) tonight.
Having taken takeaways from the previous season in the right stride, Chennai notched victories in all matches barring the men’s singles one, to mark a positive start to the new campaign of the competition.
The tone for the victory was set by Domenika Turkovic, who swept aside Alejandra Lopez in the women’s singles match by 26-3.
The duo of Ly Hoang Nam and Ava Cavataio edged past the pairing of Trang Huynh and Max Manthou by 14-12 in the following mixed doubles encounter.
Dilli struck back through Vien Hien Troung’s triumph in men’s singles, but Turkovic, Carlota Trevino, Do Minh Quan, and Tanner Tomassi operated in cohesion to help Chennai clinch victories in the next two matches to ensure that they rounded off the clash in an authoritative manner.
Chennai Super Champs have consistently shown flashes of brilliance in their WPBL endeavours across both seasons. But, last time around, they picked up form in the backend of the tournament. In 2026, their resolution seems to demonstrate their credentials right from the onset, helping them position themselves appropriately for a spot in the playoffs.
For that to happen, nights like tonight, which produced cohesive teamwork and unflinching temperament under pressure, will have to be a regular occurrence for the Samantha Ruth Prabhu-owned outfit.