Former coach wins first-ever world pickleball gold for Vietnam

Even though pickleball is a brand-new sport in Vietnam and has only gained traction in the country for a few months, it has shown rapid development and great potential at international competitions.

In Vietnam, former athletes and coaches like Vu have moved to this sport. Many Vietnamese players have registered for the 2023 World Pickleball Championship. Vu, a former national tennis coach, surprised everyone in his first international tournament with three wins and one loss to advance to the quarterfinals of the above-35 age group.

Vu once again made a surprise when he defeated Australia number five Michael Russ to reach the semifinals, where he faced India’s Dhiren Patel, who’s second in Asia in the above-35 age group.

With his determination, Vu excellently beat Patel 15-9 and entered the final to play against Vietnamese-Australian Thanh Huynh, who defeated Vu in the group stage.

It was an intense match and Vu came out on top, winning 21-18 to become the first Vietnamese player to claim a gold medal at the World Pickleball Championship.

In addition, another Vietnamese player, Phan Van Bao also brought Vietnam a silver medal in the above-19 age group.

The 2023 World Pickleball Championship is taking place Sept. 19-24, featuring more than 600 players in the world with different age groups and levels, from amateur to pro.