Tong Nhat Minh and the journey to the top of Asian pickleball

When pickleball, a relatively new sport in Vietnam, began to attract attention among young people, few people expected that a "cross-skilled" player from table tennis could create such a buzz so quickly.

Table tennis and pickleball options

The nickname "Minh Tit Kamito" of Tong Nhat Minh has become quite familiar in the Vietnamese pickleball community, although a few months ago, this young man, who had not yet turned 18, was still only attached to... table tennis. Directly guided and accompanied by his father, Minh picked up a racket at the age of 3, played for the T&T club (the predecessor of the People's Police Club - T&T) and won 2 bronze medals at the National Youth Table Tennis Championship.

Fate brought Minh to a new direction when pickleball spread strongly in the community. At first, Minh was not very interested even though his father and friends invited him to the field. But after a while of getting acquainted, he felt he could not leave the attraction of pickleball. "He was so addicted that he gave up table tennis to devote all his time to pickleball" - Mr. Tong Duc Thuan, Minh's father, shared.

Overcoming difficulties in continental tournament

The championship of the U18 men's doubles at the PPA Tour Asia did not come easily. In the final match, Minh and his partner Le Xuan Duc were completely overwhelmed by the home team of Malaysia, Irfan Kamil - Ithan Kamil, in the first set and lost 1-11. In the second set, they continued to be behind 0-5. However, with their bravery and resilient fighting spirit, the two young Vietnamese players rose up strongly. They came back to win a dramatic victory to be crowned the first tournament of the PPA Tour system held in Asia.

Before entering the international arena, Nhat Minh and Xuan Duc made waves in the domestic pickleball world when they defeated two senior players, Phuc Huynh (ranked 2nd in Asia - DUPR rankings) and Do Minh Quan (ranked 6th in Asia) at a domestic tournament. Nhat Minh himself also holds 2 domestic singles championship titles, showing his rapid progress and remarkable ability to adapt to the new sport.

Solid foundation

Coming from table tennis, a sport that requires high reflexes and sensitivity, Minh quickly mastered the techniques and gameplay of pickleball. Moreover, regularly practicing with seniors such as Ly Hoang Nam or Trinh Linh Giang in the Kamito team helped Minh accumulate real-life experience and perfect his competitive spirit.

"Pickleball is an accessible sport, but to play well, you need to practice a lot. I was lucky to practice with famous senior players, so when I entered the international arena, I was not surprised," Minh modestly shared after the tournament.

Tống Nhật Minh và hành trình đến đỉnh cao pickleball châu Á- Ảnh 1. — Tong Nhat Minh, Trinh Linh Giang and Le Xuan Duc (from right to left) won 2 gold medals at PPA Tour Asia. Photo: KAMITO

In addition to the U18 men's doubles championship, Minh also surprisingly won a silver medal in the U18 men's singles at the PPA Tour Asia even though he only participated to test his skills.

Considered one of the brightest talents of Vietnamese pickleball, Tong Nhat Minh is not in a hurry to set a goal of pursuing a professional career. "I still prioritize studying, I only practice pickleball outside of school hours. Balancing between studying and competing is what I always try to do" - the Asian junior men's doubles champion shared.

However, seriousness, progressive spirit and daily hard work are the solid foundation for Minh to aim for future heights - whether in pickleball or any other path.

Good news for Vietnamese pickleball

Pickleball has been on the rise in Vietnam over the past 2 years, as a series of famous tennis players such as Ly Hoang Nam, Trinh Linh Giang... have switched and achieved high rankings on the global DUPR rankings and PPA Tour - the world's leading professional tournament system.

With achievements such as the PPA Tour Asia professional men's singles gold medal of Trinh Linh Giang or the U18 men's doubles championship of Tong Nhat Minh - Le Xuan Duc, Vietnamese pickleball is proving its real potential if properly invested.

Developing young people, even including this sport in the school physicaleducation program, can be a strategic direction for the country's sports industry. The case of Tong Nhat Minh shows that with a good foundation, great passion and a suitable environment, young talents can absolutely reach the continental level.