For Aaliya Ebrahim, the biggest memory of the 2026 Pickleball World Cup is not a scoreline. It is the moment she stepped on court in the India jersey.
Speaking to Pickleball Now, she said, “Vietnam was honestly the best feeling I could’ve experienced as an athlete.”
“Representing India and getting on court wearing the India jersey was a feeling I can’t really put into words. I’m so grateful I got to play and compete for the team.”
The World Cup was held in Da Nang, Vietnam this year, and Ebrahim was part of India’s pro squad, alongside Harsh Mehta, Arjun Singh, Anish Froilan, Aman Patel, Pearl Amalsadiwala, Naomi Amalsadiwala and Mihika Yadav.
The squad made a dominant start to their campaign, easing past China in the Round of 32 and then beating the Philippines. Ebrahim was key in that tie, winning her match 21-12 and also helping India seal a place in the quarterfinals.
Waiting in the quarterfinals was the United States. India fought hard but fell short, and the defeat ended their campaign.
“It was extremely competitive,” Ebrahim said.
“There were so many strong and best players from around the world. We had some really tough matches, including a close quarterfinal against the USA, and in the individual events you could see how deep the international field has become.”
She isn’t dwelling on the defeat. Testing herself against the world’s best has given her more clarity.
“For me personally, it made me realise that there’s still so much to learn and improve, especially when you’re competing against the best players from different countries,” she said.
“It’s made me even more motivated to keep working, get more international experience and come back stronger next year.”
The trip to Vietnam was more than just competition.
“I also loved getting to experience Vietnam itself,” she said.
“The whole atmosphere around the tournament was amazing,” she further added.
Pickleball has been growing in popularity in India. The World Cup performance this year has been a further boost.
For Ebrahim, the plan is clear. She needs to play more tournaments abroad, more hours on the court. The gap to the top, she believes, can be closed.