Vietnam's Quang Duong is the leading name at the first Sabah Open Pickleball Championships, which began on Thursday at Replay Karamunsing in Kota Kinabalu.
According to Pickleball News Asia, 538 players have entered the four-day tournament, which offers a RM100,000 prize pool spread over 11 categories. Replay Karamunsing is running the event in partnership with Borneo Vision Holiday Sdn. Bhd.
Quang, who is ranked first in Asia and sixth in the world, is accompanied by his brother Bao Duong and compatriot Sophia Tran Phuong Anh. Speaking at a press conference, the Vietnamese trio praised Sabah's coastline and the welcome they had received. Quang expressed hope that his appearance would help raise the state's profile internationally as a destination for the sport.
The field also includes American Roman Estareja and Indonesia's Frisandyo Fauzan, along with several Malaysian names. Former national tennis player Neem Shamsuddin and local player Steffan Alex are competing, as is former national squash player Jessica Keng, one of a number of athletes from other racket sports to have moved into pickleball.
Organising chairman Lamardani Jonaeli said the ambition is to establish the Sabah Open as an annual international event based at Replay. Encouraged by the response to the debut edition, organisers intend to expand the tournament next year by introducing further categories, with the aim of drawing more leading overseas players.
Tourism is a central part of the plan. Borneo Vision Holiday managing director Wilson Ngu described the concept as "sport tourism", combining competition with travel. He said the growing global popularity of pickleball could be used to attract visitors to Sabah, showcase its scenery and culture, support the local tourism industry and open up fresh opportunities for the sports community.
The state government was represented at the press conference by Joseph Ivor Bachee, chief assistant secretary at Sabah's Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy Ministry.