World pickleball No. 1Anna Leigh Waters(19) finally makes her international-stage debut. She announced her entry into the "PPA Tour Asia MB Hanoi Cup 2026," opening on Tuesday, April 1 at the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Arena in Hanoi, Vietnam, bringing a big buzz to the pickleball world.
Tournament overview: the largest Asian tournament ever starts tomorrow
The PPA Tour Asia MB Hanoi Cup is held April 1–5, 2026 at the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Arena in Hanoi, Vietnam. Total prize money is $300,000 (about ¥45 million), and it's positioned as a "1000 tournament" awarding 1,000 PPA Tour Asia ranking points. With about 700 registered players, it's the largest field in PPA Tour Asia history.
The singles winner's prize is $4,500. Across all events, including women's doubles and mixed doubles, Asia's top players and international stars clash.
ALW arrives in Asia for the first time — "My international debut in Hanoi"
Drawing the most attention at this tournament is Anna Leigh Waters's (ALW) first appearance in Asia. For her — winner of over 190 gold medals and reigning as world No. 1 in all PPA Tour events — this is her first overseas trip.
At the Hanoi tournament, ALW is scheduled to compete in two events:women's doubles (partner: world No. 2 Anna Bright)andand mixed doubles (partner:Ben Johns）). She herself commented, "Having my international debut stage be Hanoi is one of the highlights of my career," emphasizing the importance of sports diplomacy in Asia.
For ALW, who signed a sponsorship deal with Nike in January 2026 and just announced a long-term paddle contract with Franklin Sports, this Asian debut is a fitting stage to kick off her new setup.Having also shown her presence at the recent Greater Zion Cup,how ALW performs in Hanoi is worth watching.
Notable competitors: international stars such as Gabriel Tardio and Tyson McGuffin gather
Besides ALW, top pros compete on the men's side, including Gabriel Tardio, Hayden Patriquin, Tyson McGuffin, and Federico Staksrud. On the women's side, Tyra Black competes, and in mixed, Dylan Frazier and others also take part.
Also, Tama Shimabukuro, who draws attention from Japan's pickleball world, is expected to take part in related events,the PPA Asia Sansan TOKYO OPEN scheduled for July in Tachikawaand it's also drawing attention as a warm-up heading toward it.
A clinic in Ho Chi Minh City after the Hanoi tournament
After the Hanoi tournament ends, ALW plans to hold a clinic-and-showcase event jointly with Franklin Sports in Ho Chi Minh City on April 6–7. By creating a chance to directly coach emerging pickleball players in Asia, she shows a stance of actively engaging in the international spread of the sport.
FAQ
Q. Where can I watch the MB Hanoi Cup 2026?
A. The venue is the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Arena in Hanoi, Vietnam. In addition to watching on-site, live streaming is planned on the PPA Tour Asia official site (ppatour-asia.com).
Q. Will Anna Leigh Waters compete in singles?
A. At this Hanoi tournament she's scheduled to compete in women's doubles and mixed doubles; singles has not been confirmed at this time.
Q. Will there be Japanese players competing?
A. As one of Asia's largest tournaments, Japanese players' participation is anticipated. For details, please checkthe PPA Tour Asia official site.
Source references:
andPPA Tour Asia official: The Queen of Pickleball Is Coming
andPickleball.com：ALW to make international debut
andThe Dink：ALW International Debut
