Vietnam’s Quang Duong lately took to Fb to share what’s arguably one in every of 2025’s boldest takes but: that, within the subsequent three years, almost half of all prime male gamers will likely be coming from Asia.
To be clear, this declare wasn’t made by Duong precisely, however by his dad, who’s technically simply as a lot part of Workforce QD as anybody. However the youthful Duong did share that Asia will likely be a extremely aggressive marketplace for the game in 2026.
“Wooow I’ve obtained quite a few updates in lower than 12 hours landed in LAX,” Duong wrote. “It’s official that Asia will likely be a extremely aggressive marketplace for pickleball in 2026. Dad mentioned inside three years or sooner, 50% of the highest male gamers will come from Asia. It will likely be an fascinating yr.”
Dissecting Workforce QD’s Claims
The primary declare, after all, is already occurring. The Asian pickleball market is rising, and it’s changing into extremely aggressive, with manufacturers like Franklin Sports activities and Facolos battling it out with world names reminiscent of JOOLA and Selkirk Sport to seize the largest chunk of what’s arguably a big and nonetheless rising market of gamers in Asia.
The second declare is a little bit of a scorching take, although Duong actually can qualify as among the many world’s greatest—his free company however. Moreover, latest victories by Hoang Nam Ly and Jack Wong Hong-kit in opposition to Federico Staksrud and Connor Garnett, respectively, would possibly recommend that Asian gamers actually are getting higher and perhaps on their approach to even higher heights.
The Asian Pickleball Rush
Moreover, Duong bared that he and his previous man beforehand requested former paddle sponsors and the professional tour to come back to Asia however have been “regarded down on.”
“FYI 2023 my Dad a number of instances requested my former paddle sponsors and professional tour come to Asia however they regarded down.. they didn’t care in any respect,” Duong additional wrote. “We got here to Vietnam in January 2024 and have a look at pickleball scene in Vietnam now. It’s humorous everybody now dashing to Asia.”
Curiously, the Vietnamese pickleball sensation didn’t title names in his publish. But when one have been to hazard a guess, there’s a superb likelihood the younger man was referring to Selkirk Sport, his paddle sponsor from 2023 to early 2025, and the PPA Tour, the place he performed for a few years earlier than his unceremonious exit. Each, by the way, at the moment are lively in Asia to a point.
It’s unclear what prompted Quang Duong, if any, to make these claims. Nevertheless it would possibly recommend that the younger man has entered his outspoken period.
