NY RIVALS TURN KL PARTNERS AS SEEDS LAND
| September 4, 2026
Two weeks ago they were staring each other down across the net at the Major League Pickleball Finals in New York. Now they are on the same side of it.
The seeds and player lists are out for the Leapmotor Kuala Lumpur Cup 2026, and it is topped by a partnership born out of a recent rivalry. Gabriel Tardio and Noe Khlif lead the Men’s Doubles seeds as the No.1 pair, weeks on from meeting in that MLP Finals showdown, a match Khlif and his team won.
Tardio, ranked World No.2 overall on the World Pickleball Rankings, headlines the PPA Asia 1000 stop as the top seed in both Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. The Bolivian already has an Asia title to his name from the MB Hanoi Cup earlier this year, and now he touches down in Malaysia for the first time chasing more. Khlif, meanwhile, makes his Asia debut fresh off that MLP title.
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The international names run deep. Augustus Ge, the world No.21, makes his own Asia debut and lines up at #2 in Men’s Doubles with Len Yang. On the women’s side, Kaitlyn Christian tops the Women’s Singles seeds with real Malaysian pedigree, having won Women’s Singles gold at the Panas Malaysia Cup 2025 and reached the final at the MB Hanoi Cup 2026. Alix Truong returns after a strong showing in Malaysia earlier this year at the Panas Kuala Lumpur Open 2026, and Chao Yi Wang, the women’s world No.11, adds further firepower.
Keep an eye out for the path to the podium, with the brackets dropping soon.
Tickets, meanwhile, are on sale now. From single-day Banger and Dinker general admission to the VIP Lounge and front-row Premium Courtside seats, there is an option for every fan, along with five-day season passes for the truly obsessed. Every pass includes access to Pickletown, the festival taking over the venue all week with food, games, giveaways and exclusive merch.
The Leapmotor Kuala Lumpur Cup 2026 runs September 9-13 at The Hood in Kuala Lumpur, with up to US$300,000 in prize money and 1000 ranking points on the line. Get tickets now.
