Malaysia celebrates historic breakthrough as APP Asia Penang Open crowns new pickleball stars

GEORGE TOWN – Malaysia announced itself as an emerging force in professional pickleball after a string of impressive performances at the Leapmotor APP Asia Penang Open 2026, highlighted by Aiman Hamdan becoming the nation's first professional medallist at an APP Asia Tour event.

Held at Pickle By The Sea along Penang's Gurney Drive, the five-day tournament attracted 1,386 player participations from 22 countries, including more than 100 professional athletes competing for a prize purse of USD35,000. As the second stop of the inaugural APP Asia Tour, the event further cemented Malaysia's role as the tour's headquarters and one of Asia's fastest growing pickleball destinations.

The tournament produced several landmark moments for Malaysian players, who consistently challenged higher-ranked international opponents and demonstrated the country's growing depth in the rapidly expanding sport.

Former national tennis player Khoo Er Yang delivered one of the tournament's biggest upsets when he defeated top seed Jack Foster of the United States in a thrilling three-game Round of 16 match, winning 11-6, 7-11, 11-9 to advance to the quarterfinals.

The following day, Dylan Ooi added another memorable victory for the home contingent by recovering from the loss of the opening game to defeat Australia's third seed Brian Tran 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, joining Khoo in the last eight.

Malaysia's success extended to the doubles competition, where brothers Chan Guo Jing and Chan Ren Chern stunned seventh seeds Jai Grewal of New Zealand and Minh Le of Vietnam in the Round of 32, further underlining the country's growing competitiveness on the professional circuit.

The week reached its high point for the host nation when Aiman Hamdan secured the bronze medal in the Men's Pro Singles competition, becoming the first Malaysian to reach the professional podium at an APP Asia Tour event. His achievement is widely viewed as a significant milestone for Malaysian pickleball, reflecting the rapid improvement of local players as the sport continues to expand across the country.

Vietnam's Quang Duong claimed the Men's Pro Singles title after defeating China's Phoenix He in the final, while Aiman completed the podium with bronze.

While Malaysia celebrated its breakthrough, the tournament belonged to Dutch star Roos Van Reek, who produced one of the most remarkable performances seen on the APP Asia Tour.

Van Reek completed a historic Triple Crown by winning the Women's Pro Singles, Women's Pro Doubles and Mixed Pro Doubles titles during five demanding days of competition. She first captured the singles crown before partnering Vivian Glozman to victory in the Women's Pro Doubles. She then teamed up with Australia's Jack Munro to win the Mixed Pro Doubles title, becoming the first player in APP Asia Tour history to win three professional gold medals at a single tournament.

Her dominant display showcased exceptional consistency, endurance and versatility, firmly establishing the Dutch player as one of the leading figures in professional pickleball in Asia.

In the Women's Pro Singles competition, Van Reek defeated Yu-Chieh Hsieh of Chinese Taipei to claim gold, with Australia's Selina Turulja taking the bronze medal.

The Penang Open is the second event on the inaugural APP Asia Tour, which aims to create a structured professional circuit across the region while providing Asian players with greater opportunities to compete against leading international athletes. With Malaysia serving as the tour's headquarters, the event highlighted the country's ambition to become a regional hub for professional pickleball through investment in elite competition, athlete development and international partnerships.

The performances of Malaysia's players, combined with record participation and growing international interest, suggest the country's influence in one of the world's fastest growing sports is set to continue rising in the years ahead.