Sofia Sewing Wins Triple Crown at Malaysia Open Pickleball Tour
The first-ever Global Pickleball Alliance Tour event, the 2026 Leapmotor APP Kuala Lumpur Open, really set the tone for international pickleball. This event brought together elite players from the US, Asia, and Australia, with some pretty unforgettable performances. Sofia Sewing stole the show, grabbing her first professional triple crown. Here’s a look at the highlights, standout players, and how it all played out.
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Global Pickleball Alliance: A New Era for International Competitions
The Global Pickleball Alliance launched with help from associations in nine countries. It’s aiming to boost the sport’s global profile. This tour is designed to unite top players worldwide and give them a fresh stage for real international battles.
Event Overview and Tournament Management
The 2026 Leapmotor APP Kuala Lumpur Open kicked off the Global Pickleball Alliance Tour. Organizers used Sport Sync Asia as the Tournament Management Software (TMS), which was a big shift from the usual platforms like Pickleball Tournaments or Pickleball Den. Sport Sync Asia lets you click on any match in a bracket and instantly watch a replay. No more digging through YouTube videos for the right moment—that’s a relief.
Key Highlights and Results
This tournament brought together established APP pros and some hungry international newcomers. That mix led to a few surprises, especially in the singles draws. Let’s break down what happened in each event.
Men’s Singles
The men’s singles featured the top eight seeds from the United States, including Ronan Camron, Ryler DeHeart, Brandon Lane, and Jack Foster. None of them made the finals. Instead, Hong Kit Wong from Hong Kong and Phuc Huynh from Vietnam—currently No. 1 and No. 3 on the PPA Asia tour—faced off for the title. Huynh came out on top, beating Wong with scores of 3 and 7. Ronan Camron took the bronze, overpowering Ryler DeHeart.
Women’s Singles
The women’s singles draw leaned heavily on the top APP players. Sofia Sewing, ranked No. 1, took down No. 5 Amanda Hendry in one semi-final. Kat Stewart, No. 2, knocked out No. 4 Domenika Turkovic in the other. In the final, Sewing edged out Stewart in a back-and-forth battle: (1), 6, 9. Turkovic beat Hendry to grab the bronze.
Mixed Doubles
Mixed doubles is a tough nut for new pros to crack, since the seasoned veterans usually control the action. Still, a few international teams made their mark. Xiao Yi Wang-Beckvall and Max Manthou fought their way to the quarter-finals. Jack Munro from Texas paired with Aussie Roos Van Reek and reached the semi-finals. In the final, Megan Fudge and her new partner Richard Livornese, the top seeds, lost to Casey Diamond and Sofia Sewing in three sets. That win sealed Sewing’s first pro triple crown—pretty wild.
Men’s Doubles
The men’s doubles draw had some creative team names and plenty of intensity. Top seeds Tanner Tomassi and Richard Livornese Jr. beat fellow APP pros Ronan Camron and Zachary Marceau in the semis. In the other semi, Jack Munro and Ryan Fu outplayed Max Manthou and Thomas Yu, who’s based in China. Munro and Fu then dominated the final, rolling over Tomassi and Livornese with scores of 8 and 2.
International Players and Emerging Talent
American players led most of the draws, but international talent started making waves—especially in singles. Asian players like Hong Kit Wong and Phuc Huynh are picking up singles play fast. Doubles is still a bit tricky for most international players, though there are exceptions, like Armaan Bhatia’s bronze at the 2025 US Open.
Women’s Doubles
In women’s doubles, APP co-No. 1 Megan Fudge and Sofia Sewing teamed up for the first time and took gold. They beat the No. 2 seeds, Kat Stewart and Amanda Hendry, in the final. International players showed up here too—Yu-Chieh Hsieh joined forces with APP veteran Susannah Barr to make the semis, and Roos Van Reek from Australia partnered with Shelby Bates to snag the bronze.
Looking Ahead: The Future of the Global Pickleball Alliance Tour
The Kuala Lumpur Open kicked things off with a bang, so the Global Pickleball Alliance Tour already feels like it’s on a roll. Next up is the 2026 APP Japan Sketchers TSU City Open, which is just two weeks away.
I’m curious to see how international players will stack up this time. Maybe we’ll see some fresh faces step up and surprise the seasoned pros.
If you’re looking for a detailed breakdown of results, check out the original article on Forbes. There are also resources like the APP International Schedule, APP Pro Tour Rankings, and Global Pickleball Alliance rankings if you want more insight into the international scene.