Days after surviving a car crash, Hong Kong, China’s Jack Wong Hong-kit reached the men’s singles quarterfinals at the Opendoor Pickleball World Championships in Farmers Branch, Texas. He beat Donald Young 12-10, 11-9 in the round of 16 before Hunter Johnson stopped his run with an 11-3, 11-6 win.
Wong also won his opening-round matches in men’s singles and mixed doubles, partnering Kei Sawaki. The quarterfinal finish came after a difficult week that included a winless MLP Nations Cup campaign for Team Asia International.
Coachino Insight
Wong’s run shows how a player can return to competition after a frightening setback. For coaches and clubs, it is a reminder to put athletes’ safety and wellbeing first.
The second stage of the Portugal Pickleball Tour 2026/27 is scheduled for November 14 and 15 at the University Stadium Tennis Complex in Coimbra. The event, organized by PTPICKLE – Associação Pickleball de Portugal, will offer singles and men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, with divisions across skill levels and senior age groups.
Results will count toward DUPR and the Portuguese circuit standings. Registration is open through November 8 at 23:59, with entries handled through RAQT.
Coachino Insight
The range of formats and senior divisions gives players of different ages and levels a chance to compete, while circuit points make the Coimbra stop relevant to national standings.
Two Mindanao provinces have announced tournaments offering more than ₱2.5 million in combined prize money. Sultan Kudarat’s national event, part of Kalimudan Festival 2026, runs from 14 to 16 November 2026 and will feature Vietnamese pro Quang Duong in an exhibition appearance.
Malitbog’s inaugural Mayor’s Cup is scheduled for 21 to 24 January 2027, with nine novice and intermediate divisions and ₱1 million in prizes. The announcements bring competitive opportunities and substantial prize pools beyond the Philippines’ major-city hubs.
Coachino Insight
The events offer players across Mindanao more chances to compete, including divisions for novice and intermediate skill levels, while putting local governments at the center of the region’s pickleball growth.
MLP Asia has unveiled the gold Championship Rings that its first-season winners will receive. The rings feature an orange enamel pickleball, navy details and clear stones; they will be presented on Super Saturday, 12 December, when the inaugural champions are crowned.
The season opens on 13 November, with teams playing across three weeks before the top four advance to the MLP Asia Finals 2026. The semifinals are scheduled for 11 December, ahead of the title matches.
Coachino Insight
The rings give MLP Asia’s inaugural title a visible prize, while its home-and-away team format brings league competition to venues across the region.
