Harpreet Bajpayi dominates Madhya Pradesh Open 40-plus final 11-0

Harpreet Bajpayi did not just win the Madhya Pradesh Open 40-plus women’s singles final. She shut it down, blanking Shruti Sheth 11-0 at the Soft Serve Courts in Indore to produce the tournament’s most decisive result.

The scoreline carried real weight because the Madhya Pradesh Open was an Indian Pickleball Association-sanctioned PWR 400 event, giving the title ranking significance on India’s domestic circuit. Harpreet dictated the tempo from the very beginning, and in a veteran bracket that often turns on patience and one clean opening, she never let Shruti settle into the match.

That is what makes the 11-0 final so revealing. It can be read as a sign that Harpreet is operating at a level the rest of the 40-plus field has not yet matched. It can also be read as evidence that the category is still searching for more players who can turn a final into a contest rather than a procession. Either way, the result said something bigger than a trophy: the top of the bracket is capable of producing polished, ruthless play, but the gap beneath it still looks wide.

Shruti’s run through the event reinforces that point rather than softening it. She also appeared in the 30-plus women’s doubles final, where she partnered Swetal Desai in an 11-4 defeat to Manaswinee Hazarika and Durga Sur. Across two age-group finals at the same tournament, Shruti was a repeat contender, which suggests a women’s draw with recognizable names and crossover players, but not yet the kind of deep field that can absorb a player of Harpreet’s control.

The broader picture matters in a sport still building its base in India. The Madhya Pradesh Open ran from May 15 to May 17 in Indore, a city increasingly described as a pickleball hub and one that is also set to gain a new court. The Indian Pickleball Association says it is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Times Now reported that Indian Masters 2026 drew 161 entrants across age categories from 30-plus to 70-plus. Put together, those numbers show a sport expanding across age bands and cities, while Harpreet’s shutout showed that the 40-plus women’s game still has room to grow if it wants finals that are closer than 11-0.