17-year-old athlete Phuong Anh has been selected for professional pickleball training in the United States.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Sophia Phuong Anh is one of two Vietnamese athletes selected to participate in the high-level professional training program called the UPA Asia Trailblazers Program.

The UPA Asia Trailblazers training program is a professional pickleball training program jointly implemented by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and the Asian Pickleball Federation (MLP Asia).

Sophia Phuong Anh (full name Tran Phuong Anh) is a promising 17-year-old pickleball player from Vietnam who has been officially selected for the prestigious UPA Asia Trailblazers program. Phuong Anh is honored to be one of only two female Vietnamese athletes (the other being Nguyen Thi Truc Tam) chosen to participate in this world-class program.

Athlete Phuong Anh is one of two Vietnamese female pickleball athletes selected by UPA Asia Trailblazers for a 3-month training program in the US (Photo: Provided by the athlete).

UPA Asia Trailblazers is the first professional training program organized by PPA and MLP Asia, aimed at discovering and nurturing pickleball talent in Asia. The program provides intensive three-month training in the USA with all expenses covered, helping Asian athletes develop professional careers in the international pickleball scene.

Twelve outstanding Asian athletes were rigorously selected to participate in a special 3-month training program in the United States. Phuong Anh was the youngest of the 12 athletes chosen for intensive training and to compete in four PPA competitions.

Upon completion of the program, graduating athletes will be signed to compete in the UPA Asia 2025-2026 tournament, participating in the series of 8 professional PPA & MLP Asia tournaments across Asia.

The UPA Asia Trailblazers program was launched with the mission of enhancing the competitiveness and recognition of Asian talent in the international pickleball scene, while promoting the sport's professionalization in the region. This is a golden opportunity for young talents like Sophia Phuong Anh to hone their skills and develop a professional career.

Let's take a look at some of Sophia Phuong Anh's impressive achievements.

Despite being only 17 years old, Sophia Phuong Anh has achieved many remarkable accomplishments on the international stage:

World Pickleball Championship Hong Kong (WPC):

* Women's Singles Champion 4.5

* Women's Doubles 4.5 Champion

Asia Pickleball Business Alliance 2024 China Open:

* Open Women's Doubles Champion

* Second place in the team competition

* 3rd place in the women's singles Open

* 4th place in mixed doubles

PPA TOUR Australia:

* Open Women's Singles Champion

* U16 Girls' Singles Champion

* Third place in the women's doubles Open

* Third place in mixed doubles Open

World Pickleball Championship Series Bali, Indonesia:

* Mixed Doubles 19+ Champion 9.0

* Women's Singles Champion 19+ 4.5

* U18 Mixed Doubles Champion 9.0

* U18 Women's Singles Champion 4.5

These impressive achievements helped Sophia stand out during the selection process and demonstrated her immense potential in the international pickleball scene.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/vdv-17-tuoi-phuong-anh-duoc-chon-dao-tao-pickleball-chuyen-nghiep-o-my-20250331232354275.htm