Pickleball fever sweeps Vietnam, from street courts to the global stage

發佈日期: 2025-12-22 20:35

TVB News

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In recent years, Vietnam has been swept by a pickleball craze. 

With its relatively easier-to-learn rules and minimal demands on space and equipment, the sport has struck a chord with Vietnamese people -- young and old. 

In the sixth episode of "Visions of Vietnam" series, Jacky Lin visited local courts and spoke with Vietnam's rising pickleball star.

Conceived in 1965 in the US, pickleball blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. 

Played with these paddles and plastic balls, it requires relatively smaller courts and simpler rules -- making it accessible for beginner players. It has also become one of Vietnam's fastest-growing new athletic pursuits among locals and expats.

Hongkonger Sam, who works in Vietnam, says badminton has traditionally been very popular in Hong Kong and pickleball's hybrid nature is key to its versatile appeal to all racket sport players.

KEZIAH, French Student: "There's a lot of Vietnamese who play pickleball, and they invite me to play. And the good thing about that is it's really accessible."

TIMOTHEE, French Student: "When we go on the street, you see a lot of Vietnamese with the bag with the pickleball racket inside it. I think it's a huge culture here."

Today, Vietnam has an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 regular pickleball players with more than 250 clubs nationwide. 

In Vietnam, the popularity of pickleball has also fuelled the sales of equipment and gear, which hit 20 million U.S. dollars over the first six months of this year, which also marks a 13-fold increase year on year.

In recent years, several Vietnamese players have made their mark on the global stage. 

Among them is 17-year-old Sophia Tran, who currently tops the women's singles rankings among Vietnamese players on the PPA Asia professional pickleball tour.

SOPHIA TRAN PHUONG ANH, Vietnamese Pickleball Professional Player: "Just about one or two years ago when I first started, I was struggling to find somebody who even knows about pickleball. But now, so many great players, players who just switch sports, nice people, they open their own courts so I can come and train with them."

Having played against Hong Kong's Jack Wong, who tops the men's single and doubles rankings in the PPA Tour Asia Sophia believes Hong Kong's pickleball scene is promising as well.

SOPHIA TRAN PHUONG ANH, Vietnamese Pickleball Professional Player: "Asia and Hong Kong start to recognise pickleball more. I think that Hong Kong does have a lot of potential."