Armaan Bhatia has continued to demonstrate his fiery form in international pickleball as he clinched his second consecutive APP Tour title at the Newport Beach Open on Monday morning. Armaan beat Poland's Patrick Kawka in the final, as he aspires to spend extended time in the United States to train and compete. In May, during his last event on US soil, he clinched his breakthrough APP title at the New York City Open, becoming the first Indian pickler to achieve the feat. He pulled off a massive upset to clinch the title, defeating Alex Crum, who recently signed a PPA Tour deal, 15-10, 27-25. He also added a bronze in men’s doubles, rounding out another stellar weekend.

Prior to the final in New York, Armaan finished as the runner-up at the Vlasic Classic in Cincinnati, becoming the first Indian pickler to win a silver medal on the APP Tour, a major professional pickleball tour in the US, after a loss to Grayson Goldin.

His consistency on the APP Tour and other pickleball events in the USA has been remarkable. Earlier this year, he won a bronze medal at the US Open Pickleball Championships in men's doubles with Harsh Mehta, showing his versatility.

At the 2025 Stage 1 D-Joy Pickleball Tour in Vietnam, he won the gold medal in mixed doubles, further solidifying his reputation as an all-event player.

The current APP Tour No. 13 and India No. 1, Bhatia, a JOOLA-sponsored athlete, remains clear about his vision - he wants to play on the PPA Tour, the most competitive pickleball league in the world, which provides a level of financial stability, along with the franchise-based Major League Pickleball.

“I have been in conversation with the PPA and the UPA for a bit and then we have not spoken a lot in the recent few weeks. But I am keen to play,” Bhatia told The Dink Pickleball vodcast. Bhatia is not currently eligible to play on the PPA Tour as he is an unsigned player.

“My team and I are reviewing all possibilities to see what is going to be the best for me through this year. But if that does not happen this year, I am happy doing the APP and the international stuff for this year and then we can see what next year holds for me,” he added.

With APP Next Kansas City up next, starting July 17, Armaan Bhatia will be determined to assert his dominance on the tour to strengthen his case before he lands a PPA Tour deal.