Cover 18-year-old tennis player Quang Duong is deep in preparation for his upcoming matches at the 2024 World Pickleball Championship in Texas, USA.
18-year-old tennis player Quang Duong is deep in preparation for his upcoming matches at the 2024 World Pickleball Championship in Texas, USA.
1 / 1
"The potential is enormous. I firmly believe pickleball will be included in the 2028 Olympics."
Despite securing a place in the semi-finals with an unbroken streak of victories in all three quarter-final matches, Quang Duong was unable to compete in the finals of the Lapiplasty 2024 World Pickleball Championship. Organised by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), this prestigious tournament brings together many of the world's top 10 athletes in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Quang, congratulations on breaking into the world’s top five after your impressive win at the PPA Tour—widely regarded as the most competitive pickleball tournament globally. Although you missed out on the finals, it remains an extraordinary feat for an 18-year-old who has only been playing pickleball for four years. How did your journey into the sport begin?
I injured my wrist while competing in the Men’s K25 Pro Tennis tournament in Newport Beach. My dad suggested I try a different sport, and pickleball was the lightest racket sport that didn’t cause me pain after 30 minutes of play. After just one day of practice, I was already beating many local professionals. Two weeks later, I played my first pro match at the PPA Atlanta Open—and that’s where it all started.
Above Pickleball player Quang Duong
Pickleball player Quang Duong
1 / 1
You have a background in tennis, table tennis, and padel before committing fully to pickleball. How do you compare these sports?
They are similar in some ways but also quite distinct. The closest to pickleball is paddle tennis, in which I rank among the best players in the world. Pickleball is easy to learn but incredibly difficult to master. Even top-tier tennis players continue to struggle after a year of transition. Many assume that Asians excel in pickleball because of its similarities to table tennis and badminton. However, a strong tennis foundation provides the greatest advantage in mastering the fundamentals, while table tennis enhances reflexes and hand-eye coordination, and badminton improves wrist action.
What physical and mental attributes are key to excelling in pickleball?
Physically, the strongest foundation comes from tennis, as I have competed at a very high level and trained with world-class coaches in both tennis and fitness. However, my mental strength is entirely thanks to my father’s training. Pickleball is an extremely psychological sport—perhaps even more so than tennis—because momentum plays a crucial role. Players must manage their emotions and regain composure within 10 seconds to prepare for the next shot.
Your father was a top junior table tennis player in Vietnam over 40 years ago. How has his expertise influenced your training?
Although my father was not a professional table tennis player, he was a top junior player in Vietnam and has an extensive background in multi-racket sports. His ability to analyse and incorporate skills from different disciplines has been invaluable to my training. Many PPA Tour professionals seek his advice or train with him. The challenge for me is that I am so accustomed to his coaching style that many of the drills have become too easy, which means he constantly has to innovate and create new ways to push me further.
Above Pickleball player Quang Duong
Pickleball player Quang Duong
1 / 1
You have defeated all the top players in the world—except Federico Staksrud. You’ve mentioned training hard to counter his style of play. How are you preparing to face him?
I believe I have the skills to beat Federico, but for some reason, I sometimes miss shots that I would usually make without fail. I’ve worked hard to correct these issues. There’s a reason he is the world’s number one player—it took him years to get there, and I need time to elevate my game to his level.
How do you balance daily life with pickleball training and competition?
My dad has structured my schedule since I was young, ensuring a balance of practice, study, sleep, and recovery. We’ve travelled the world for tennis, so the pickleball schedule feels relatively easy in comparison—especially since I don’t need to train as much.
Pickleball has become a sporting and entertainment phenomenon in Vietnam, rising to prominence in an incredibly short time. However, with its rapid growth have come controversies and misconceptions. What are your thoughts on the current public opinions surrounding the sport?
Misconceptions always arise when something is not fully understood. I actually see them as a positive sign—it means people are starting to take notice of pickleball. As the sport continues to develop, these misconceptions will naturally disappear. But honestly, what’s wrong with dressing up for pickleball? In the United States, professional female players dress modestly yet still look great. We need to move beyond appearances and focus on the essence of the sport.
Above Pickleball player Quang Duong
Pickleball player Quang Duong
1 / 1
Vietnam’s pickleball community is expanding rapidly. Do you have any plans to return to Vietnam for training sessions, events, or even to help establish professional competitions?
Absolutely. I love Asia, especially Vietnam, so I will return as often as my schedule allows. Asia will be my primary focus for the 2025 season.
As the world’s fifth-ranked pickleball player and the top player in Asia, are there any Asian competitors you’d like to face? Do you have a favourite athlete?
At the moment, Asian players are not yet at the level required for PPA competition, but that will change in the coming years. I think I could team up with my 13-year-old brother, Bao Duong, to compete in Asia. We play well together, so hopefully, in the next few years, we’ll have the opportunity to enter PPA tournaments as a pair.
Achieving so much at such a young age must come with challenges. Have you encountered any obstacles? And what are your long-term goals in pickleball?
We never train with specific results in mind or set rigid goals, so winning or losing doesn’t impact my approach to training or life. That said, my father still values elite performance above all else. To him, results are secondary—what matters is whether I meet his standard, which is perfection. I could lose 0-0 and still earn his praise, but if I win without playing at my best, he’ll be very strict with me.
How do you see the future of pickleball on a global scale?
The potential is enormous. I firmly believe pickleball will be included in the 2028 Olympics, which will significantly boost its popularity worldwide. The business side of pickleball is thriving, and I fully expect it to become the leading racket sport. It will surpass tennis.
Topics
