Shanghai Pickleball Legends Tour comes to an end

The Pickleball Legends Tour 2025 concluded on Saturday at Shanghai Jingwu Gymnasium.

The tournament, which took place from March 26 to 29 with events in Vietnam and China, gathered top pickleball players from around the world. It offered spectators a high-level exhibition of the sport and marked a significant step in promoting pickleball in China.

Legendary tennis players Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf led their respective teams in doubles, singles and mixed doubles matches, captivating the audience with their skills and sportsmanship.

JOOLA-signed players such as Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Tyson McGuffin, Brooke Buckner, and Zoey Wang participated in the Shanghai leg of the tournament. 

The tournament, guided by the Chinese Tennis Association and the United Pickleball Association(UPA) and organized by the Great Sports Media and the Hongkou district's sports bureau, highlighted the sport's potential in China.

Kimberly Koh, managing director of UPA Asia, emphasized that while pickleball has a long history, it is relatively new to China and Asia. 

"We really want to showcase what pickleball is. It has a lot of potential to grow in China and the rest of Asia," she said, "Our first step is to educate people about the sport and raise awareness. Then, we hope that after witnessing this tournament, people will be inspired to give it a try themselves".

Agassi and Graf, both new to pickleball, expressed their enjoyment of the sport and its potential to break cultural barriers and bring people together. 

For Agassi, pickleball is an easy game to learn and not intimidating for beginners. "But then as you get to the highest levels, it becomes so specialized."

"It breaks cultural barriers, brings people together, and I think it's healthy for people's body and mind," said Agassi, adding that it gives them the motivation to promote the event globally.

Graf, making her first trip to Shanghai, was impressed by the city's growth and the fans' enthusiasm. "The fans here are incredible. You can feel their support, and it's been a lot of fun to play in front of them," she said.

Ben Johns, widely regarded as one of the greatest pickleball players of all time, expressed confidence in the sport's growth and potential in China. "I think the future of pickleball, especially here, is extremely bright. I think you have so many good table tennis players and tennis players with a strong racquet sports background in the country that pickleball seems like a natural fit. I think you guys will be extremely good at it," he said.

"And as far as the Olympics go, I don't know what the timeline is for that, but I would say it is inevitable that it will get there," Johns added.