In addition to Ben Johns, the player with over 180 PPA Tour titles, the inaugural PPA Asia Tour 2026 event will bring together a host of prominent names, including Gabriel Tardio, Hayden Patriquin, Tyson McGuffin, Federico Staksrud, Tyra Black, Dylan Frazier, and female player Anna Bright.
Major Vietnamese stars such as Ly Hoang Nam, Trinh Linh Giang, Phuc Huynh, Ken Tam, and Sophia Tran Phuong Anh will also participate. As of 6/3, the system has recorded nearly 700 registered athletes, the highest number ever in the PPA Tour Asia system.
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Ben Johns (in red) and international pickleball stars will compete in the PPA Asia Tour - Hanoi Cup 2026. *Photo: PPA* |
The PPA Asia 1000 - Hanoi Cup 2026 marks the third PPA Tour Asia event held in Vietnam, following previous stops in TP HCM and Da Nang in 2025. The tournament is scheduled from 1-5/4 at the My Dinh National Sports Complex's Indoor Athletics Palace in Hanoi, which has a capacity of approximately 3,000 spectators daily. Ticket prices range from 130,000 VND for general admission to 20 million VND for courtside seats (adjacent to the center court). Courtside tickets for the final day sold out within one hour of sales opening.
The total prize money for the Hanoi Cup is approximately 300,000 USD, with the singles champion receiving 4,500 USD. Athletes who sign a contract with PPA Pro will receive an additional 33-100% of their prize money.
The year 2026 marks the first year PPA Tour Asia unifies its ranking point system with the Carvana PPA Tour. Athletes competing at the Hanoi Cup 2026 will earn points directly on the world ranking board. The champion receives 1,000 points, the runner-up 800 points, third place 400 points, and fourth place 200 points. Athletes reaching the quarter-finals, round of 16, and round of 32 will receive 100, 50, and 25 points respectively. This mechanism offers clearer opportunities for competition and international integration for Vietnamese and Asian athletes.
The biggest disappointment for Vietnamese spectators at the Hanoi Cup is that young talent Quang Duong will not participate due to contractual disputes and personal strategies, despite numerous efforts from all parties. This is considered the sole drawback in an event otherwise seen as perfect in terms of scale and athlete roster.
By Vy Anh
