Uganda hosts seven countries in pickleball tourney

Players from seven countries took part in the Uganda Pickleball Open at the Old Kampala Sports Arena on September 18 and 19, 2026.

The two-day tournament drew competitors from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. They contested men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

Grivine Pepela won the men’s singles title, ahead of Raykhan Balina and Adrian Magandazi. Madia Namaganda took the women’s singles title, with Veronika Nakabira second and Lisa Amenya third.

Shafick Kabanda and James Mugula won the men’s doubles. Lisa Amenya and Salisha Chandra claimed the women’s doubles title, while Kabanda and Namaganda won the mixed doubles. Kabanda and Namaganda each finished the tournament with two titles.

Uganda Pickleball Association president Robert Bakaze said the turnout showed growing interest in the sport.

“The Uganda Pickleball Open demonstrated the tremendous potential of this sport in our country. Welcoming players from seven nations was an important milestone for us and reflects the growing interest in pickleball across Uganda and the wider region,” Mr Bakaze said.

“We congratulate all the winners and participants, and sincerely thank our sponsors and partners for helping us deliver a successful tournament.”

The association said it plans more competitions, player development programmes and community activities to introduce pickleball to more Ugandans.

One-sentence summary: Players from seven countries competed at the Uganda Pickleball Open, where Shafick Kabanda and Madia Namaganda each won two titles.