The PPA Tour Asia, the Asian version of the PPA Tour, the world's premier and most dramatic pickleball circuit, is run by UPA Asia. It kicked off in early July of this year with four Open-level tournaments in Malaysia, Hong Kong (China), Fukuoka (Japan), and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam).
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Ben Johns is currently the world's number 1 pickleball player. (Photo courtesy of PPA Tour) |
Ben Johns is currently the world's number 1 pickleball player. (Photo courtesy of PPA Tour)
The first Cup-level tournament of the PPA Tour Asia, the Vietnam Cup 2025, will take place at the Tien Son Sports Palace and Tuyen Son Sports Village (Da Nang) from 30/9 to 4/10. The tournament boasts a total prize pool of 150,000 USD.
The Vietnam Cup 2025 is expected to attract over 120 professional athletes and 1,000 amateur players from Vietnam and abroad, competing in singles and doubles matches. The organizers have confirmed the participation of several top-ranked players, including Ben Johns, Federico Staksrud, Anna Bright, Tyson McGuffin, Tyra Hurricane Black, Zoey Chao Yi Wang, Kaitlyn Christian, and Alix Truong.
Points from the 2025 PPA Tour Asia tournaments will contribute to a separate ranking, where players compete for the title of number one in Asia. According to UPA Asia, the tournament organizer, this structure offers maximum participation opportunities for athletes, thereby expanding the sport's reach across the region.
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In recent years, pickleball has experienced significant growth in many Asian countries, including Vietnam. In 2024 alone, UPA reported that pickleball in Vietnam grew by over 152%, with over 16 million people regularly playing.
The Vietnam Cup 2025 is the 4th tournament of the PPA Tour Asia to be exclusively broadcast on FPT Play. FPT Play has previously broadcast the Hong Kong Open (21-24/8), Sansan Fukuoka Open (26-31/8), and MB Vietnam Open (4-7/9).
Meanwhile, Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB) became the title sponsor of the tournament after signing a strategic cooperation agreement with UPA Asia in Hanoi on 17/9.
Quang Dung
