Pickleball

Pickleball talent Quang Dương will compete in the VPC-Hà Nội Stage by Pharmacity on December 12-15 in Hà Nội. Photo of PPA

HÀ NỘI — The first stage of the Việt Nam Pickleball Open Cup (VPC) 2024 will be held from December 12 to 15 in Hà Nội.

The VPC-Hà Nội Stage by Pharmacity will feature 400 local and international athletes including national elite players competing at the Pickleball Bồ Đề Cluster.

Among them are Nguyễn Anh Thắng, winner of the World Pickleball Championship Series Asia-Pacific men's 35+; Trần Phương Anh, two-time gold medal winner at the WPC Series Hong Kong; and Phan Như Quỳnh and Trần Huyền Trang, two of the country's top female players.

'Prodigy' Quang Dương, champion of the Las Vegas Pickleball Tournament 2024 and world No 4, will be the most notable player at this inaugural event.

Competitors will vie for a total bonus of VNĐ500 million (US$19,700) in amateur and professional categories for men's and women's singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team events for different age groups.

Quang and players from the Professional Pickleball Association will also host talks and exhibition matches with Vietnamese athletes and supporters during the competition.

For the first time in Việt Nam, a camera AI system will be applied to ensure fairness.

The Open will be live aired on VTVcab's platforms like the ON Sports channel, App: ON and ON Sports TV, as well as on the ON Sports Youtube channel.

The VPC 2024 is organised by New Sports, a pioneer in developing basketball and baseball associations in Việt Nam, under the support of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam and the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports. VNS