Singapore to host first PPA Tour Asia pickleball event in July 2026
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Singaporean pickleball player Ryan Ng (left) training alongside fellow UPA Asia Trailblazer Kim Eunggwon during a stint in the United States in 2025.
PHOTO: UPA ASIA
- Singapore will host its first PPA Tour Asia tournament, the PPA Asia 500 Singapore Open, from 23-26 July 2026. This US$70,000 event places Singapore on the regional professional pickleball circuit.
- The 2026 PPA Tour Asia calendar significantly expands across the region, culminating in a US$1.1 million Hong Kong Slam. It also includes the PPA Asia 125 series for emerging talent.
- Singaporean professional Ryan Ng eagerly anticipates playing at home, believing it will elevate local standards and inspire new players through exhilarating, fast-paced professional events.
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SINGAPORE – The pickleball boom in Singapore will intensify in 2026, with the Republic to host its first Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour Asia tournament in July.
Named the PPA Asia 500 Singapore Open, the July 23-26 tournament is the sixth of 10 stops on the regional professional circuit’s 2026 calendar, which was unveiled on Feb 25.
The season begins with the April 1-5 MB Hanoi Cup and culminates in the Oct 19-25 Hong Kong Slam, which features a prize purse of US$1.1 million (S$1.39 million) and is set to be the largest professional pickleball tournament staged in Asia.
Singaporean pickleball professional Ryan Ng is excited by the prospect of playing on home soil in front of family, friends and the community that has supported him in his sporting journey.
Noting that he previously would have had to travel across the region to participate in world-class events, Ng said: “Hosting a PPA Tour Asia Event in Singapore also demonstrates that Singapore is now part of the global professional pickleball circuit.
“This kind of exposure is not only going to increase exposure for pickleball in Singapore, but it is also going to raise the local standard, inspire younger players, and allow local players to have a chance to watch the best in Asia live.”
In addition to the US$70,000 Singapore event, there will also be tournaments in Vietnam (two), Malaysia (two), Macau, China (two) and Japan, each with prize pools ranging from US$50,000 to US$300,000.
Before the Singapore Open, the Republic will also host a PPA Asia 125 event – PickleSlam 2026 – from April 11 to 19.
The PPA Asia 125 series runs alongside the PPA Tour Asia and acts as a pathway for emerging talent to compete at an elite level.
Players competing in pro divisions earn up to 125 ranking points in the PPA Tour, with tournament champions also securing free entry into the next PPA Asia 500 event.
Launched in 2025, the PPA Tour Asia’s inaugural season featured seven events across Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and China.
The PPA and Major League Pickleball (MLP) fall under parent company United Pickleball Association (UPA), following their merger in 2024.
The former is an individual bracket-style tour, while the latter focuses on team-based professional pickleball formats.
In a previous interview with The Straits Times
It launched the UPA Asia Trailblazers Programme in 2025, a three-month initiative designed to provide selected players from Asia with top-tier training at world-class facilities.
They will also get the opportunity to compete in the PPA Tour and MLP events.
Participants receive mentorship and clinics from leading coaches and US professionals, and get the opportunity to compete in the PPA Tour and MLP events.
Ng, who is part of the inaugural batch of Trailblazers
Singaporean pickleball professional Ryan Ng is looking forward to having a PPA Tour Asia event in the Republic.
PHOTO: UPA ASIA
The 22-year-old said: “The biggest takeaway for me has been the level of play and intensity at the professional level.
“The pace of play is much faster, and the margins are much tighter – it really forces you to elevate every part of your game, be it technical, mental, or physical.
“There will be explosive rallies, long strategic dink battles, and a level of athleticism that many of the recreational players may not have had the chance to see up close before.”
On the events for the season, Koh said: “The 2026 calendar reflects the incredible growth of professional pickleball across Asia.
“We’re expanding into new cities and bringing the PPA experience to more players – both pros and amateurs – across the region.
“With the Hong Kong Slam set to bring together the sport’s top stars, passionate fans, and world-class entertainment, it’s the perfect finale to what promises to be a landmark year for the sport.”
