Hawk-Eye Powers India’s World Pickleball League with Innovative Technology
Mumbai, 29th January 2025: The World Pickleball League, which has taken the Indian sports ecosystem by storm, has partnered with Hawk-Eye to infuse tactical brilliance into the league, aiming to reduce human errors and enable flawless decision-making.
Having transformed multiple sports, including Football, Tennis, Badminton, and India’s most beloved sport – Cricket, Hawk-Eye is now redefining the game in India’s fastest-growing sport – Pickleball.
A historic first: Hawk-Eye technology is being used to ensure fair and accurate play. For the first time in Pickleball, the WPBL has teamed up with the providers of Hawk-Eye technology for fair and precise line calls. Each team will have two challenges per tie, with successful challenges retained. Additionally, the league will feature linesmen for every match, ensuring a level playing field for all competitors.
Gaurav Natekar, CEO and Co-Founder of the World Pickleball League, said, “We are grateful to Hawk-Eye for choosing to partner with the World Pickleball League, marking a historic first for the sport. Their cutting-edge technology is set to transform the Pickleball experience, enhancing accuracy, fairness, and engagement for players and fans alike. This collaboration isn’t just a milestone for our league—it’s a leap forward for the global Pickleball community as we embrace innovation to shape the future of the sport.”
Segolene Stephenson, Head of Commercial, Growth Sports at Hawk-Eye Innovations, added, “At Hawk-Eye Innovations, we are committed to revolutionising sports with cutting-edge technology, and are proud to partner with the World Pickleball League for their inaugural season. World Pickleball League are using the same innovative technology as VAR in football, we are honoured to work together with the league to enhance the accuracy and fairness of officiating in this rapidly growing sport”
Conceptualized by former Indian tennis players Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, the WPBL introduces a timed format for its matches, with each game lasting 15 minutes. Each tie features five matches across different categories—men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Players have only 10 seconds between points, ensuring non-stop thrilling pickleball action while eliminating any chances of time-wasting.
Owned by Sony Corp, Hawk-Eye Innovations is a sports technology company that specializes in tracking and officiating technologies, the technology has made its debut in the world of pickleball through WPBL.