Pepela, Namaganda top the fourth Uganda Pickleball Open Championship

The fourth edition of the Uganda Pickleball Open ended Sunday at the Old Kampala Indoor Sports Arena, with Kenyan Grivine Pepela and Ugandan Madia Namaganda winning the men's and women’s singles.

Pepela beat Uganda’s Raykhan Balina 2-1 (11-3, 6-11, and 11-5), while Namaganda also won 2-0 (11-4, 11-6) in the event that had representation from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, India, the USA, the UK, and Germany.

The third-place playoff had Ugandan Adrian Magandazi face off with Kenyan Stephen Okoth, with the former winning 2-0 (11-7, 11-9), while Lisa Amenya won the all-Kenyan clash against Salisha Chandra 2-1 (11-3, 6-11, 11-6) in the women’s division in the competition that was a show of great energy and great competition, bringing together a brilliant pickleball community competition in Kampala.

Other standout players included Shafick Kabanda and James Mugula, who won the men’s doubles ahead of Latiff Ntale and James Mulwana, while Aly Alibhai and Green Believen came third overall.

Lisa Amenya/Salisha Chandra also won the doubles title over Madia Namaganda/Veronica Nakabira, with Nina Kamukama & Patience Namataka coming third.

The top mixed doubles pair was Shafick Kabanda/Madia Namaganda, who finished ahead of Stephen Okoth/Lisa Amenya. Grivene Pepela and Salisha Chandra completed the podium.

Uganda Pickleball Association president Robert Bakaze said there is growing interest in the paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played with a perforated plastic ball on a badminton-sized court.

Paddelle, Talent Africa Group, First Financial Foundations, Pickled Gems, Teuton Sports, and UK Pickleball Shop sponsored the event.