A few years ago, pickleball was still seen as a niche sport most people stumbled upon through TikTok clips or random weekend courts.
Now? It is quickly becoming one of Malaysia’s fastest-growing competitive sports.
And the numbers from the Skechers International Pickleball Tournament Malaysia Edition 2026 say it all.
Held at Tomaz Pickleball Club from 8 to 10 May, this year’s tournament drew a massive 1,282 players from 14 countries, making it the biggest edition since the tournament first began four years ago.
Players from Australia, China, Japan, Thailand, the United States, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and several other countries competed across 29 categories for a share of the RM100,000 prize pool.
That is a 38% increase in participation compared to last year and honestly, it says a lot about where pickleball is heading right now.
What stood out most this year, however, was not just the scale of the competition, but the new generation stepping onto the court.
For the first time in years, the tournament reintroduced its Junior (U18) category, welcoming young players into an official DUPR-rated competitive environment.
A total of 34 junior players registered, with the youngest competitor aged just 11 years old.
And if that does not tell you how quickly the sport is evolving in Malaysia, nothing will.
According to Stephanie Chang, the return of the junior category was something the organisers had been looking forward to for a long time.
“Pickleball in Malaysia is no longer just a sport for one generation,” she said during the tournament’s press conference.
The tournament also featured official Skechers athletes Colin Wong, Delia Arnold and Toi Sieu Ee — all familiar names within Malaysia’s growing competitive pickleball scene.
Colin Wong, who recently earned a spot in the UPA Asia Trailblazers Class of 2026 and is now competing on the professional circuit in the United States, competed in the Men’s Doubles 19+ Open category.
Meanwhile, Delia Arnold and Toi Sieu Ee one of Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pairings competed in the Women’s Doubles 35+ Open division.
For Delia, one of the most exciting parts of the tournament is the diversity of players sharing the same space.
“You learn a lot just by watching how others play, especially styles you do not get to see in your regular training circle,” she shared.
And because every match contributes to a player’s global DUPR rating, the stakes go beyond simply winning medals.
This year’s tournament saw more than 1,600 matches played across singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories further cementing how serious the competitive scene has become.
Among the standout winners was Phoenix He, who claimed the Open 19+ Men’s Singles title, while Jas Almaguer emerged victorious in the Women’s Singles category.
But one of the most memorable moments came from the Junior U18 division, where Dzarif Dzakwan B Azizul Azhar won both the Boys’ Singles title and the Doubles U18 category alongside his brother, Dzikri Dzakwan B Azizul Azhar.
Sibling goals, honestly.
Beyond the tournament itself, Skechers also showcased its Viper Court pickleball footwear collection, designed specifically for competitive play, quick movement and long rallies.
The lineup included:
- Viper Court Pro 2.0
- Hands Free Slip-ins Viper Court Elite 2.0
- Viper Court Rally
- Viper Court Reload
With pickleball continuing to explode globally and increasingly becoming part of Malaysia’s urban sports culture this year’s tournament felt less like a niche sporting event and more like proof that the country’s pickleball movement has officially entered its next era.