This action came two days after the US Pickleball Association (UPA) terminated Duong's professional contract on July 12th.

The Vietnamese-American athlete allegedly missed the Major League Pickleball (MLP) tournament held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from July 9th to 13th, while participating in an event in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam, on July 12th. The UPA cited Duong's violation of his exclusive commercial contract with the association by not attending the tournament without prior notification.

Quang Duong has been removed from his number 6 ranking in the men's singles by the US Pickleball Association (UPA).

This is not Duong's first disciplinary action. In May 2025, he was fined 50,000 USD and suspended by the UPA after returning to Vietnam to participate in a charity exhibition tournament not part of the PPA Tour. At that time, the UPA warned that any further violations could lead to contract termination.

The UPA is the governing body for pickleball in the US, responsible for rule-making, licensing, and overseeing tournaments, including the two leading tournaments, the PPA Tour and MLP. Duong signed an exclusive contract with the UPA, obligating him to participate in UPA events. Absences require valid reasons and prior notification.

Currently, Duong's profile has been removed from the Professional Pickleball Association's database, losing his 6th place ranking in the PPA Rankings. 35-year-old Tyson Mcguffin has taken his place. Before this incident, Mcguffin had 5,150 cumulative points, while Duong had 5,450.

The removal of his profile and contract termination will prevent Duong from participating in upcoming UPA events in the US.

Duong is currently in Vietnam with his father and brother, engaging in activities with Vietnamese pickleball fans. While the UPA claims they were not informed of this trip, Duong Duy Duc, Duong's father, insists he had requested permission from the UPA for his son to return to Vietnam for injury treatment and miss the MLP event. He stated he would authorize a lawyer to work with the UPA to resolve the matter.

Quang Duong during a men's singles match at a tournament under the US Pickleball Association (UPA). Photo: FBNV

Quang Duong during a men's singles match at a tournament under the US Pickleball Association (UPA). Photo: FBNV

Duong Thien Quang, born in 2006 in Manhattan Beach, California, has Vietnamese parents. His father is a former table tennis player. From a young age, Duong was introduced to racket sports like tennis, table tennis, and padel.

Initially, he tried tennis and table tennis before discovering and playing pickleball in 2020. Upon turning professional, he achieved impressive results in international pickleball tournaments, climbing to 6th in the world in men's singles according to the PPA Rankings by July 2025.

The 19-year-old talent is beloved by the Vietnamese pickleball community after frequently returning to his homeland to compete, interact, and share his expertise. He has contributed to raising the profile of Vietnamese pickleball internationally.

Besides pickleball, the young Vietnamese-American athlete also plays tennis and practices martial arts for physical fitness, but not professionally.

Duc Dong