SEEDS LOCKED, HEAT LOADED: LINEUP IN FOR KUALA LUMPUR

The Panas Kuala Lumpur Open 2026 arrives at 9Pickle from May 13-17, bringing US$50,000 in prize money and 500 ranking points as the latest PPA Asia 500 stop on the calendar. The seeds are locked in and the draws are loaded. Here’s what to watch out for.

Chao Yi Wang still chasing gold

Chao Yi Wang sits at the top of the Women’s Singles draw, and the storyline that trailed her through 2025 follows her into Kuala Lumpur. Wang may have secured a hat trick of Women’s Doubles gold last year from the MB Vietnam Cup, Panas Malaysia Cup and Vibrant Linping Hangzhou Open, but in singles the medal still eludes her. Once again in Kuala Lumpur there is no easy path and nowhere to hide.

Meanwhile Yufei Long knows something about Malaysian courts. The Panas Malaysia Open 2025 champion returns to the country where she lifted one of her three Women’s Singles golds last season. She lands at the #3 seed. With no golds in the back half of the 2025 season, Long will be keen to bring some alchemy back at the second PPA Tour Asia stop of the year.

New name at the top of Men’s Singles

The Men’s Singles draw has a new name leading the pack. Hien Truong takes the #1 seed for the first time. The Vietnamese star has two silvers and bronze to his name in the event, so will be hoping to back up the top billing with a maiden gold.

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Giang Trinh will have something to say about it though. The #5 seed arrives as the only player in the Men’s Singles draw with a Malaysia title already in the cabinet. Trinh lifted the trophy at the Panas Malaysia Open, where PPA Tour Asia first launched in 2025, and is back in the city for a title defense. But the draw goes deep with the likes of Hong Kit Wong at #2 looking for a second PPA Asia gold, and even Zane Navratil down at #7 seed bringing plenty of big-time experience to the court.

Doubles draws loaded with titles

The Women’s Doubles headliners need no introduction. Chao Yi Wang and Alix Truong lock in as the #1 seeds. The duo last teamed up in Asia at the Vibrant Linping Hangzhou Open and walked away with gold. The partnership rolls on as the pair to beat in Kuala Lumpur. Behind them at #2 is a reunion worth circling: Ting Chieh Wei and Yufei Long. Wei has three Women’s Doubles golds from four finals, with one of them being with Long at the Sansan Fukuoka Open. The pairing also recently made a run to the quarterfinals at the MB Hanoi Cup earlier this month, so a on their way to finding their feet to the podium this season.

Men’s Doubles carries its own fun for the fans. Hien Truong and Quan Do won gold at Hangzhou, taking down the top-seeded Federico Staksrud and Armaan Bhatia in the final. In Kuala Lumpur, they sit at the #5 seed. Meanwhile, four pairs are ahead of the Hangzhou champions is Bhatia himself who enters as the #1 seed, this time alongside Tama Shimabukuro. Collin Johns and Len Yang slot in at #2 and have been clocking in plenty of court time in the USA of late. Eunggwon Kim and Hong Kit Wong — with a swag bag of medals to their names but no gold — hold the #3 seed.

Don’t miss out on seeing all the pickleball in person and get a ticket now. Action runs from May 13-17 at 9Pickle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

_{Find the Entry and Seeding Regulations here.}