Ryan Ng Selected for UPA Asia Trailblazers, Eyes Pro Career
What's the Score?
Ryan Ng, a 21-year-old pickleball player from Singapore, has been selected for the inaugural United Pickleball Association (UPA) Asia Trailblazers Programme, marking a significant step towards his dream of turning professional. One of 12 Asian players chosen for the all-expenses-paid, three-month stint in Arizona, Ng will receive intensive training, mentorship, and the opportunity to compete in PPA Tour and MLP events. Having transitioned to pickleball from tennis, Ng, a multiple medal winner in the region, is set to leverage this program to elevate his game and represent Singapore on the international professional circuit.
Hit it deeper!
Ryan Ng, a 21-year-old athlete from Singapore, is on the cusp of potentially achieving a dream he never thought possible: becoming a professional athlete. Ng, who initially played tennis from the age of six, made the switch to pickleball three years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, his dedication to his "new-found love" has earned him a coveted spot in the first-ever United Pickleball Association (UPA) Asia Trailblazers Programme.
Ng is the sole representative from Singapore in this inaugural batch of 12 players selected from over 100 applicants across 13 territories in Asia. The program is designed to accelerate the development of Asian talent and aims to position pickleball as a leading sport across the region. The selected players, including others from China, Taiwan, Macau, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan, are set to embark on a three-month intensive experience in Arizona. This comprehensive program is all-expenses-paid and will provide participants with intensive training, mentorship from professional players and coaches, and crucial exposure through competition in top-tier events like the PPA Tour and MLP events. Ng is scheduled to join the program on May 5, just two days after completing his national service commitments.
For Ng, his selection came as a surprise, as he had simply been "trying my luck" when applying. He expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity, viewing it as a great honour to be the only Singaporean selected and a source of pride to represent his country on the international stage. This honour also comes with a "sense of responsibility," as Ng recognises that when competing in the US, he will be playing not only for himself but "also for my country". Ng is already an accomplished player in the region; he is the 2025 Singapore Pickleball Open mixed doubles champion and a men's singles bronze medallist from the same event. He has also reached the podium in numerous other domestic and overseas tournaments across the region. His goal for the Trailblazers program is clear: to "make the most out of this programme and strive to be the best that I can".
A key component of the program is competing in professional events. Ng's first assignment on the PPA (USA) calendar will be the Atlanta Slam, scheduled for May 12-18. This is a highest-tier event that attracts top professional players such as men's world No. 1 Federico Staksrud and women's top-ranked Anna Leigh Waters. Ng acknowledged that his national service commitments had limited his training time to only two or three sessions per week, meaning he would need to quickly elevate his level upon joining the program. He stated that facing the Atlanta Slam "right out the gate" means he needs to take things "one step at a time" and focus on "sharpening my game" while in the US. He also noted that consistency has been an issue due to less frequent play, but being in the US, he expects to play significantly more, potentially "six days a week".
Ng's transition to pickleball occurred when he and his father had difficulty booking tennis courts during the pandemic. Since picking up the sport, he has been "hooked," developing his skills partly by studying videos online. When asked about players he models his game after, Ng mentioned being referred to as a "banger," someone who hits the ball hard, and suggested former tennis players known for power, like Andy Roddick or Pete Sampras. The source notes the rapid global growth of pickleball, including in Singapore, where there are approximately 5,000 active players. The sport's appeal has even attracted former tennis stars like Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, with Agassi recently making his professional pickleball debut at the US Open in April. Ng commented on this trend, seeing it positively as giving retired athletes a "second life" and demonstrating that it's acceptable to transition to and fully embrace a new sport like pickleball. If you enjoy it, "why not go all the way?" he added.
At the conclusion of the three-month UPA Asia Trailblazers Programme, successful participants are eligible to receive two-year UPA Asia professional contracts. These contracts would grant them the opportunity to compete at PPA and MLP Asia stops, with the first scheduled for early July. The fact that the PPA and MLP merged in 2024 under the parent company UPA further highlights the strategic significance of this program in integrating Asian talent into the major professional circuits.
The World Pickleball Verdict
Ryan Ng's selection for the UPA Asia Trailblazers Programme is a testament to his potential and the growing recognition of Asian talent in the global pickleball landscape. The program itself signifies a focused, well-funded initiative by the UPA to cultivate international players and integrate them into the professional circuits, acknowledging the strategic importance of Asian markets for the sport's global expansion. For Ng, this represents a golden opportunity to receive elite training and gain invaluable competitive experience against top players in the US, something that was previously constrained by his national service. His transition from tennis and rapid rise in regional pickleball, coupled with his stated determination and sense of national pride, make him a compelling figure to watch as he aims to become a full-fledged professional and represent Singapore on the international stage. The program structure, which includes contracts for successful participants and integration into PPA and MLP events, provides a clear pathway for players like Ng to pursue a professional career, reflecting the increasing maturity and professionalisation of the sport worldwide.