Pickleball

World No 1 pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters signs for a Vietnamese supporter at the Hà Nội MB Cup Meet and Greet event on March 31 in Hà Nội. — Photos courtesy of New Sports

HÀ NỘI — Preparation is complete and pickleball players are all fired up for the PPA Asia Tour Hà Nội MB Cup 2026, which will take place from April 1-5.

As the biggest international pickleball tournament in town, the cup is expected to host around 3,000 supporters at a time.

The world-class court is ready for action at the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Palace in Từ Liêm Ward. Clusters of interconnected spaces have been built following the PPA Tour model from the US, allowing several matches to take place simultaneously over the five-day tournament.

PlayReplay's AI technology will be used for the pickleball competition, applying an advanced automated line-calling and player-analytics technology designed to improve the accuracy and transparency of the matches.

According to organisers, international-standard lighting and sound systems have been installed to ensure the best performance from players and the best visual experience for supporters.

The Hà Nội event is the third PPA Tour Asia tournament in Việt Nam, after two others were hosted in HCM City and Đà Nẵng.  

Gabriel Tardio (left) takes a photo with a supporter.

This year's event has brought globally renowned players like Ben Johns, Gabriel Tardio, Tyson McGuffin, Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters to Việt Nam. The athletes have already taken part in a Meet and Greet event, sharing and taking photos with their supporters on March 31.

Johns is regarded as the greatest male pickleball player of all time. The 27-year-old from the US is ranked No. 1 in the world in the men's doubles and mixed doubles categories, winning more than 180 PPA Tour gold medals. 

Along with Tardio and Waters, he just lifted two trophies in the Veolia Texas Open in early March and will continue partnering up with these two players at the Hà Nội MB Cup, with their matches starting from the main rounds.

At just 19 years old, Waters is already a giant on the pickleball scene. She is a world champion and a true phenom in the sport, currently ranking in first place globally in women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

The US pickleball player has earned more than 180 gold medals and around 40 Triple Crown titles on the PPA Tour, setting a remarkable record.

In addition to the mixed doubles with Johns, she will play women's doubles with Bright.

Tardio ranks No. 1 in the world in men's doubles, along with Johns. At 20 years old, the rising star represents the new generation of elite talent, transforming from a tennis prodigy in Bolivia into one of the world’s top professionals. The Hà Nội MB Cup is the first event in Asia for Tardio, who plans to play 25 tournaments this year. 

Anna Bright answers a question from a supporter asking about players' friendships and rivalries in pickleball.

Bright is the world No. 2 in the women's doubles and mixed doubles. The 26-year-old player from the US attributes her success to her fast hands, consistency and good anticipation. She has previously won the Veolia Texas Open and Carvana PPA Mesa Cup.

For the host side, leading Vietnamese players like Lý Hoàng Nam, Trịnh Linh Giang, Ken Tâm and Sophia Phương Anh will compete in this opening stage of the PPA Tour Asia 2026.

Nam was the national No. 1 tennis player before switching to pickleball, where he quickly dominated the rankings.

He is currently in the PPA Tour's top 20 and Asian top three. His latest and best result was winning the PPA Tour Asia - Hangzhou Open title last December in China.

Nam will pair with Zane Navratil in the men's doubles and Regina Goldberg in the mixed doubles.

Giang was the first Vietnamese player to win a PPA Tour Asia event after his triumph at the Panas Malaysia Open last July, lifting him to the No. 1 position in Asia and top 10 in the continental PPA Tour.

He will compete in the mixed doubles event with Xiao Yi Wang. Giang and teammate Vanshik Kapadia are the No. 2 pair in the qualification round of the men's doubles and he is the No. 4 seed in the men's singles event.

Ken Tâm made her name internationally after winning the PPA Atlanta Pickleball Championships 2025 Women’s Singles 5.0 category. She also secured silver in the PPA Challenger Baton Rouge 2025 competition, along with medals at PPA Australia events. 

Sophia Phương Anh is one of the top Vietnamese players at the Hà Nội MB Cup.

Phương Anh is a talented young Vietnamese player who made the move from tennis to pickleball in 2022. She won the Jenius Bank Pickleball World Championships 2025 Singles 4.5 category and four golds at the World Pickleball Championship Series 2024 in Bali.

The final matches are scheduled for April 5, with a total of US$300,000 up for grabs while points will be given to players to upgrade their world ranking. — VNS