World Wants In as Hong Kong Registration Closes

Registration for the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam is now closed, and the response was huge. More than 460 players signed up in the first hour alone, with entries flooding in from five continents.

The tournament runs 19–25 October at Kai Tak Arena. It’s the first-ever PPA Asia 1500 event and the finale of the PPA Tour Asia in 2026, so it’s no surprise the world wants in.

A fast start

Within 30 minutes of registration opening, 280 players had signed up, and within 24 hours more than 730 were in. With limited spots up for grabs, the final count is yet to come, but the pickleball hype is real and the demand is off the charts.The entries kept rolling right up to the deadline, and by the time registration closed, more than 1,000 players from over 25 countries and territories had put their hands up, looking for a spot in the maiden 1500 event in Asia.

Hong Kong turned out, the world turned up

Hong Kong players came out in force, with more than 650 locals registering for a shot on home soil. The United States had the biggest international group, more than 70 players, most of them registered for the Pro events. The Philippines and Mainland China each put forward more than 50 players, with Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Japan and Vietnam not far behind.

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And the map keeps going. Players registered from Canada and Mexico, from the Great Britain, France, and Spain from New Zealand, and from as far away as Brazil and Bolivia.

From ages 9 to 70+

The youngest registered players are just 9 years old and the oldest is 71, with 82 juniors aged 18 and under looking to be in the mix. Women make up 40% of the registrations, and they’re spread right across the schedule, from the Pro Qualifiers to the amateur brackets.

Keep an eye on Vietnam, too. Its players are among the youngest registered, with half aged 23 or under, and most of them entered on the Pro side. Vietnam isn’t alone, either. Mainland China, the Philippines, India and Cambodia all registered young groups, with half their players aged 27 or under. The next wave of Asian pickleball is coming through, and plenty of it just signed up for Hong Kong.

Pros, amateurs and a lot of Mixed Doubles

All up, players lodged more than 2,100 entries across 40 events. More than 340 players registered for the Pro events, and close to 800 entered the amateur brackets. Mixed Doubles is the clear crowd favourite, with 685 entries across Pro and amateur play.

See you at Kai Tak

The final line-up and entry count is still to come, but the world has already gone all in on pickleball in Hong Kong.

Player announcements, lineups and more news is coming soon. Don’t miss out on seeing the action live, with tickets for the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam currently on sale now.