In July 2025, Malaysia became the first country in Asia to host a Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour event — the PPA Tour Asia: Panas Malaysia Open 2025 — brought to the country by Panas Express founder Vincent Siow Wei Sern and his teams at Panas Express and 9Pickle.
The Malaysia Book of Records officially certified the achievement around 7 July 2025, recognizing Panas Express and Vincent Siow as the first to host a PPA Tour Asia stop anywhere in the region.
Why This Record Matters
Being first is different from being biggest. Malaysia didn’t just join the PPA Tour Asia calendar — it became the country where the tour began in Asia, a distinction that can’t be repeated by any other market.
What Followed
The Panas Malaysia Open set the stage for Malaysia’s rapid rise on the PPA Tour Asia calendar. By September 2025, the tour returned for the Panas Malaysia Cup — a $150,000 prize-pool tournament, one of the largest in PPA Tour Asia’s history, drawing top-ranked international professionals to Kuala Lumpur.
The Panas Malaysia Open 2025 drew backing from CelcomDigi as Official Connectivity Partner and BMW (via Millennium Welt) as Official Mobility Partner, alongside international equipment brands JOOLA, Facolos, Franklin Sports, and Paddletek — reflecting the scale of corporate interest the tournament attracted for Panas Express’s first PPA Tour Asia event.
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Panas Express set? The Malaysia Book of Records certified Panas Express and founder Vincent Siow as the first to host a PPA Tour Asia stop, following the PPA Tour Asia: Panas Malaysia Open 2025 in July 2025.
Who brought PPA Tour Asia to Malaysia? Vincent Siow Wei Sern, founder of Panas Express, alongside his 9Pickle team.
What came after this event? Malaysia went on to host the Panas Malaysia Cup in September 2025, with a total prize pool of US$150,000.
Source: Pickleball News Asia, “PPA’s First Event in Asia,” 9 July 2025; Malaysia Book of Records certification detail confirmed directly by Panas Express (Vincent Siow), July 2025.
