The inaugural Oriental Daily News Malaysia Open 2026 wraps up in Shah Alam, drawing hundreds of players and highlighting the sport’s rapid rise.
THE inaugural Oriental Daily News (ODN) Malaysia Open 2026 concluded successfully at the Grand Pickleball Arena, drawing hundreds of participants nationwide and underscoring the rapid rise of pickleball in Malaysia.
Held from June 12 to 14, the three-day tournament featured a RM100,000 prize pool and saw players competing across Junior, Novice, Intermediate and Open categories.
The closing ceremony was attended by representatives from the Malaysia Pickleball Association (MPA), Oriental Daily News, Agrobank, redONE Mobile, Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre and the Shah Alam City Council.
Among those present were MPA Ad-Hoc Committee Member Datuk Wan Khalik Wan Mohamed, Oriental Daily top management representative Adeline Lau, Agrobank Head of Group Marketing & Communications Intan Syazwani Isa, redONE Mobile Chief Sales Officer Ben Teh, Oriental Daily News Executive Director Ding Lee Leong, Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre Hospital Director Tan Suet Guan and Shah Alam City Council representative Mandy Ooi.
The tournament was supported by redONE Mobile and Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre as Gold Sponsors, while Agrobank, Honda Malaysia and RHB Insurance also served as official partners.
Oriental Daily Sdn Bhd Director of Editorial Coordination Pattrik Ting said the event reflected strong industry collaboration and growing interest in the sport.
“We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all our sponsors for making this event possible, especially our Gold Sponsors, redONE Mobile and Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre, as well as Agrobank, Honda Malaysia and RHB Insurance for their valuable support and confidence in us,” he said.
He added that the tournament was designed not only as a competition platform but also to foster community, learning and friendship within the growing pickleball scene.
Malaysia Pickleball Association representative Datuk Wan Khalik Wan Mohamed said the strong youth turnout signalled a positive future for the sport.
“Many people still see pickleball as a sport for older adults, but the strong participation from children and young players here shows the sport is growing. This is a positive sign for pickleball,” he said.
He added that continued development could see the sport eventually included in major events such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and possibly even the Olympics.
A total of 10 championship categories were contested, with winners emerging across junior, novice and open divisions.
Among the champions were Khai Jie and Asher Chen (Men’s Doubles Novice), Ethan Chan (Junior Boys Singles) and Shahara Antartika with Avril Foong (Women’s Doubles Intermediate).
Pauline Ng Jia Hui stood out with a double victory, winning both the Mixed Doubles Intermediate and Mixed Doubles Open titles.
Organisers said the strong turnout and sponsor support had laid a strong foundation for future editions, further boosting the development of pickleball in Malaysia.
