PPA Panas Malaysia Cup: US Stars Face Rising Global Pickleball Talent
What's the Score?
The PPA Tour’s international expansion has landed in Malaysia for the Panas Malaysia Cup, pitting elite US professional players like Ben Johns, Kaitlyn Christian, and Christian Alshon against top talent from the Far East, including athletes from Australia, China, and Vietnam. While US players have historically dominated these international events, observers predict that the Singles bracket offers the greatest potential for an upset by non-American players. The event will determine if the global field is ready to break the US hold on gold medals.
Hit it deeper!
The Panas Malaysia Cup provides a crucial litmus test for the rising global standards of pickleball. Although foreign players such as Federico Staksrud and Catherine Parenteau have achieved top-ten rankings on the US PPA Tour, the international PPA events have, thus far, been primarily dominated by players from the US tour. The expectation in Malaysia is that US-based players are likely to sweep the medals.
However, the Singles events offer the most exciting storylines. In Men’s Singles, US top seeds Christian Alshon and Tyson McGuffin are favoured, along with Grayson Goldin. Yet, former professional tennis player Wong Hong Kit (Hong Kong) is considered a major non-American threat who could deliver an upset. The Women’s Singles features threats from a trio of Australian players—Andie Dikosavljevic, Nicola Schoeman, and Sahra Dennehy—who have shown progress previously in Australia. Additionally, Roos Van Reek of the Netherlands poses a significant challenge, having already won the Women’s Singles gold at the Hong Kong Open in August.
The Doubles events showcase mixed dynamics. In Men’s Doubles, the partnership of Ben Johns and Christian Alshon is heavily favoured as the top seed and is considered a combination that would be difficult for anyone in the world to beat. An interesting Asian pair to track is Kim Eunggwon (South Korea) and Wong Hong Kit (Hong Kong), who finished second in Men's Doubles at the Hong Kong Open and are predicted to reach at least the semifinals.
Women’s Doubles is viewed as an unpredictable bracket, characterised by an "international flair" due to many US tour players choosing non-American partners. The #1 seed pairs Anna Bright with Roos Van Reek (Netherlands), demonstrating this global mixing. Other examples include US players Liz Truluck and Alix Truong partnering with players from Taipei. Conversely, the Mixed Doubles draw is deemed highly predictable, with the team of Anna Bright and Ben Johns (#1 seed) widely expected to take home the gold medal.
The overall prediction for the tournament remains a medal sweep by US-based players. Yet, there is strong anticipation for the emergence of players from countries like China, particularly given their long history of dominance in table tennis. While the day for non-US dominance is predicted to arrive soon, observers are eager to follow the action in Malaysia and root for potential upsets against the US elite.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The Panas Malaysia Cup is a critical checkpoint for the PPA Tour’s international strategy, demonstrating a genuine effort to expand the sport globally while simultaneously revealing the current US competitive advantage. The high potential for upsets in Singles, driven by cross-sport athletes like former tennis pro Wong Hong Kit and regional champions like Roos Van Reek, proves that the talent pool is maturing rapidly. However, the pairing of US tour stars with international partners in Women’s Doubles suggests that, for now, international talent needs the structure and power of the US circuit to compete at the highest level, making the final outcome in Malaysia a probable sweep for US-based players until new stars fully emerge.