THE Philippines is out to make heads turn when it vies in the tough 70-nation Pickleball World Cup that starts Sunday and ends Sunday in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Pickleball is currently the world’s fastest-growing sport and the Philippines is in the mix, experiencing a local boom that can be compared to that of badminton years ago.
‘That is why eyes are on us. They want to see what we can bring. And many will be surprised,’ Philippine Pickleball Federation president Shery Cu told last week’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Media Room.
Cu was joined at the forum by national team players Ruben Gonzales, a former member of the Philippine Davis Cup, and Nik Isagan, Kelsey Laurente and Fatima Amirul.
The Philippines will field 38 players vying in the Open, Under-18, Under-14, Kids and Seniors divisions of the event that drew more than 4,000 participants.
Cu said the team was formed after almost six months of local trials and while some slots were openly selected based on the players’ current standings, some made it via tryouts.
‘We want to make an impression. We are hoping for a podium finish. We expect a good finish in this World Cup,’ added Cu in the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.
Teams to beat in the event that was held in Peru and the United States in the past two years include Vietnam and the United States.
‘It’s an honor to represent the Philippines in pickleball now,’ said Gonzales, a two-time gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games. ‘I’ve been with the national tennis team since 2010 and this is my first time playing for our country in pickleball.’
‘There’s a high chance but it’s going to be tough because there are many powerhouse teams like the US and Vietnam,’ said Isagan, who was also into tennis before switching to pickleball in 2023.
‘We will do our best and bring that gold medal back home,’ Laurente said.