Houston Hammers Join Major League Pickleball as 21st Team for 2027

Houston Hammers set to join MLP in 2027

Major League Pickleball announced the Houston Hammers will join the league for the 2027 season as its 21st team. Hugh Zhang will lead the new ownership group. MLP said further details on player acquisition, keeper deadlines, the draft and the 2027 schedule would come in the coming weeks.

The ownership group plans to host a 2027 league event in the Houston market, maintain the CSP Champion senior team and have a Jr. Hammers team compete in Jr. MLP. Zhang said the goal is to build a Houston sports brand that develops local talent and brings professional, junior, senior and minor-league pickleball under one name.

More than 400 players open pickleball championship in Wonju

The 2026 Hotel IPARK Pickleball Championship opened Oct. 29 at Oak Valley Resort’s Pickleball Park in Wonju, South Korea. The four-day event, organized by the Korea Pickleball Association, drew more than 400 participants, according to Yonhap News and Topstar News.

Players are competing in more than 20 age- and skill-based divisions for singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Kangwon Ilbo reported that the tournament uses DUPR ratings to place players in divisions suited to their level, with winners receiving prize money, paddles and medals.

Waters and Bright win Hong Kong women’s doubles; Waters adds mixed title

Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright won women’s doubles at the PPA Hong Kong Slam, defeating Tyra Hurricane Black and Jorja Johnson 11-6, 11-4, Times Now reported. Waters then teamed with Ben Johns to beat Bright and Hayden Patriquin 11-4, 11-3 in mixed doubles. Waters did not lose a game during the tournament, held Oct. 19-25 at Kai Tak Arena.

The event was the first PPA Tour Asia 1500 tournament and the final stop of the tour’s 10-event 2026 season. Times Now reported that it offered a $1.1 million prize pool, the largest in Asian pickleball history. Waters thanked her partners, family, team, tournament staff and Hong Kong fans in an Instagram post.

Vietnam reaches World Cup final as Ly Hoang Nam eyes four titles

Vietnam’s national team beat Japan 4-0 in the Masters semifinal to reach the Pickleball World Cup final, according to the headline and summary carried by Skydoor, which attributed its report to 24h.com.vn. Ly Hoang Nam was positioned to play four matches in one day while pursuing four championships, the summary said.

The World Cup opened Sept. 2 in Da Nang, Vietnam, and brought together nearly 5,000 athletes from 65 countries and territories, Baolangson.vn reported. The event was the tournament’s third edition and its first in Asia; Vietnam entered 29 athletes across multiple divisions.

PPA Worlds food drive to collect donations for North Texas Food Bank

The Opendoor Pickleball World Championships and the North Texas Food Bank are holding a food drive Nov. 2-5 at Brookhaven Country Club, the PPA Tour announced. Fans, players and neighbors can donate nonperishable or canned food at the entrance to Pickleball Boulevard near the ticket booth. Expired items and food in damaged packaging will not be accepted.

The PPA Tour said donors can receive Pickleball Central discounts and enter a raffle for championship prizes. The tournament runs Nov. 2-8, and tickets start at $25. The North Texas Food Bank’s president, Trisha Cunningham, said nearly 800,000 people in the region face hunger, including 1 in 4 children.

MLP Nations Cup to kick off Pickleball World Championships

Major League Pickleball’s new Nations Cup is set to open the 2026 Pickleball World Championships, which run Oct. 30-Nov. 8 at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, The Kitchen Pickleball reported. The event features eight regional teams and 48 players.

Teams will play group matches on Friday and Saturday, with the top two from each group advancing to a single-elimination bracket on Sunday. The Kitchen reported that matches will be available on PickleballTV and its app.

Champaign pickleball complex to double to 16 courts

Eight new courts at the John Street Pickleball Complex in Champaign are expected to open to the public Saturday, bringing the facility’s total to 16, News-Gazette reported. Four of the new courts have shade structures. The expansion also includes lighting, restrooms and dedicated parking, with a grand opening planned for Nov. 14.

WCIA reported that the expansion cost $2 million. Pickleball player Debbi Young said the additional courts would help address demand at a facility where players often wait for an open court.

Manila to host two PPA Tour Asia events in 2027

The PPA Tour Asia will hold events in the Philippines for the first time, with the PPA Asia 125 scheduled for January 2027 and the PPA Asia 500 Manila Open for February, All-Star reported. Both tournaments are planned for Helios Beta, a 14-court venue in Bridgetowne, Pasig City.

Exact dates, ticket details and player lists have not been announced. The January event will offer ranking points and a path for strong finishers to qualify for the Manila Open, which is set to feature international professionals and qualified local players.

Anna Bright praises Filipino pickleball fans during Manila visit

PPA Tour player Anna Bright praised the Filipino pickleball community after a two-day visit to Manila, Daily Tribune reported. Bright, a 43-time PPA Tour titlist, had recently won women’s doubles at the Hong Kong Slam and met fans at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall before visiting local pickleball communities, shops and facilities.

Bright said DUPR’s latest 12-month user-growth data showed a 1,213% increase in users in the Philippines, making it the world’s fastest-growing pickleball market. She said the sport could grow quickly in Asia, where courts in malls draw spectators.

Victoriaville to hold first provincial tournament for players 50 and older

A recreational provincial pickleball tournament for men and women aged 50 and older is scheduled for Nov. 14-15 at Collège Clarétain in Victoriaville, La Nouvelle Union reported. Men’s doubles are scheduled for Nov. 14 and women’s doubles for Nov. 15. Players do not need to belong to FADOQ or the Victoriaville pickleball club.

The event is open to beginners and intermediate players, with registration open online through Nov. 9. Organizers require participants to play at least three games, and the registration fee is $30 per participant, La Nouvelle Union reported.

Ho Chi Minh City tournament expects more than 1,500 athletes

An international pickleball tournament is expected to draw more than 1,500 athletes to Ho Chi Minh City, according to headlines published by Laodong.vn.

Marblehead board overturns approval of private pickleball court

Marblehead’s Zoning Board of Appeals overturned the building commissioner’s decision on a private pickleball court on Schooner Ridge, finding that its noise violated the town’s nuisance bylaw, Marblehead Weekly News reported. Neighbors argued that repeated court noise disrupted their homes and posed a health risk.

At a hearing attended by more than 90 people, attorney Jonathan Paolini represented nearby property owners and presented recordings and noise measurements. He said noise during play rose 20 to 30 decibels above the neighborhood’s low ambient level.