Hoang Nam celebrates after winning the PPA Tour Asia in Hangzhou on 6/12.

Hoang Nam's confidence peaked after defeating world number two Federico Staksrud in the semifinals. Facing Jack Wong, considered one of the region's strongest players and also a former tennis professional, Hoang Nam dominated the match, securing a decisive two-set victory.

Jack Wong started strong, quickly building a 4-point lead. However, the deficit did not faze Hoang Nam. The 28-year-old calmly adjusted his strategy, anticipated his opponent's net play, and then scored four consecutive points to equalize the score.

Regaining control, Hoang Nam played more aggressively, capitalizing on precise ball placement to continuously score points. He concluded the first set with an 11-4 victory, marking an impressive comeback with an 11-point streak.

Jack Wong appeared rattled after the losing streak. The Hong Kong, China player attempted to rally in the second set, at one point narrowing the score from 1-8 to 4-9 with a few accurate plays. Hoang Nam showed slight complacency while holding a significant lead, leading to some unforced errors. Nevertheless, the Vietnamese player's composure emerged at the right moment. Hoang Nam quickly regained control and closed out the set 11-4, securing a 2-0 overall victory.

Hoang Nam's decisive point.

This championship in Hangzhou marks Ly Hoang Nam's first PPA Asia Tour title since transitioning from tennis to pickleball, a sport combining elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, which is rapidly gaining popularity in Asia. This achievement also signifies a brilliant stride for Vietnamese pickleball on the international stage, confirming the potential of the nation's athletes. To date, Vietnam's four top players: Ly Hoang Nam, Truong Vinh Hien, Phuc Huynh, and Trinh Linh Giang, have all won titles on the PPA Asia Tour.

Although the latest to venture into pickleball among the "Big 4," Vietnam's former number one tennis player is making rapid progress. Hoang Nam will receive 1,800 USD in prize money and 1,000 PPA Asia Tour ranking points for his championship win on 6/12.

The PPA Asia Hangzhou leg took place from 3-6/12 at the Liping Sport Center, gathering 372 players. This was the final stop of the 2025 PPA Asia tour system. The tournament featured a total prize pool of 50,000 USD.

Nhan Dat