Philippines Phenom Strikes Gold as Country’s First-Ever International Tournament Announced
by Joe James
What’s the Story?
Filipina athlete Anna Clarice Patrimonio recently secured silver and gold medals at the WPC Asia Pickleball Open, which took place at the Greta Resort and Sport Club in Pattaya, Thailand.
The achievement comes after her gold and bronze win at the 2025 World Pickleball Championship in Vietnam.
At the Asian Open, Patrimonio won gold in the Women’s Singles 19+ Open category, defeating Mihika Yadav, as well as partnering with
Indonesia's Karina Dwipayani to claim silver in the Women’s Doubles 19+ Open category, reaching the final before ultimately losing.
Patrimonio’s performances are set to elevate her Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) of 5.099 in doubles and 4.924 in singles.
In other news, One Pickleball Hub Bacolod, a club in the Philippines, will host its first-ever Bacolod International Pickleball Tournament Invitational 2025 in July.
The inaugural event offers ₱400,000 ($4,000) in cash prizes, making it one of the biggest pickleball tournaments in the Philippines and is open to high-level local players and international pickleball stars.
Featuring open categories of men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, entrants will pay ₱2,000 ($40) per player, with an option to register for a second category at a reduced fee.
With only 20 slots open per category, winners will receive prizes equivalent to $1000, marking this tournament as a major moment for the Philippines’ pickleball scene.
Going Deeper
Pickleball has been making waves in the Philippines since 2016, first appearing through a clinic run in Cebu.
A year later, the first established playing venue in the country opened at the LDS Church on Buendia Avenue in Makati, where people played regularly until street pickleball was established.
In April 2018, the founders of the Philippine Pickleball Association (PPF) set up their Facebook page and began playing street pickleball weekly.
Over time, the club grew to four courts and 30 players joined.
Due to the early success of street pickleball, the PPF registered the official organisation in 2019 and hosted its first inter-club tournament.
Fast forward to 2024, and the Philippine Olympic Committee recognised the PPF as the National Sports Association (NSA) for pickleball in the Philippines. Now, The PPF has expanded to 211 registered member clubs, encompassing over 13,000 members nationwide.
The PPF is currently run by Mike Johnson, founder and current chairman, Armand Tantoco, President, Red Dumuk, Secretary General, and Coni Ibañez, Treasurer.
Facilities, unlike in some countries can be found all over the country. In August 2024, Robinsons Malls initiated a program to incorporate pickleball courts across their 52 malls, enhancing accessibility for enthusiasts.
Other notable facilities include the Zone Sports Center, in Makati City, which offers six indoor pickleball courts and the Hemady Sports Plaza in Quezon City, giving players the choice of four dedicated courts.
Free clinics are also dotted around the country as well, keeping the game accessible to all.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The Philippines has been privy to a rapid rise of pickleball in the country, showing the sport’s undeniable accessibility. Appearing with just a free clinic way back in 2016, the sport’s accessibility financially and its low barrier to entry make the increase of facilities and tournaments inevitable, as shown with courts in shopping and sports centres.
As detailed here, the Philippine Pickleball Federation has put in tireless work to grow the game, from street pickleball to now fully formed infrastructure and tournaments and has been rewarded with official recognition by the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Having a star like Anna Clarice Patrimonio, who transitioned from tennis to pickleball, helps to establish and develop the sport much more easily, and her already successful career is one to follow closely.
The first-ever Bacolod International Pickleball Tournament Invitational is an exciting development, and the scope for international players is great for boosting the profile of the sport in the Philippines. But more recognition is required to truly establish the game here and in some rural areas, further from city centres find the sport less accessible, and this will have to be solved to sustain the sport’s momentum.
But, the trajectory looks to be heading upwards, and with the commitment of the PPF, it is safe to say this will continue, but always staying on top of support and infrastructure will be key.