Inaugural OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open Draws Over 1,000 Players as Southeast Asia’s Racket Sport Craze Hits The Kallang

SINGAPORE — Over 1,000 players took to the courts at the OCBC Arena from 23 to 25 October 2026 for the inaugural OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open, cementing its status as one of Southeast Asia’s largest pickleball tournaments.

Across three days of high-intensity play, close to 1,000 spectators watched more than 600 matches unfold. Four pairs of champions were crowned across the Novice, Open, Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge, and Bank of Singapore Invitational Championship divisions, splitting a prize pool valued at more than S$100,000. The haul included JOOLA paddles, cash, Subaru car rental credits, and JEN Singapore Orchardgateway wellness annual passes.

Demand for the debut tournament was overwhelming, with registration slots for both the Novice and Open categories selling out completely within two weeks of launch.

Intergenerational Appeal: Competitors Aged 13 to 75

The tournament spotlighted pickleball’s distinct accessibility, drawing participants aged 13 to 75 along with several parent-child pairs.

The oldest competitor in the field, 75-year-old Mr Sam Ho Soo Hock, made his competitive debut in the Novice category just months after discovering the sport. Mr Ho was one of 10 beneficiaries from Care Corner Seniors Services competing under the #OCBCCares Seniors Pickleball Programme, a community initiative funding free training for 100 seniors over two years to foster active ageing and social wellness.

"Just a few months ago, I had never played pickleball. Today, I competed in my first tournament after joining the senior's pickleball programme," said Mr Ho. "Playing against new opponents, including many who are younger than me, was both challenging and rewarding. It is never too late to try something new."

Father-and-son duo Mr Anuj Girotra (52) and Armaan Girotra (16) also featured in the Novice division. Having picked up the paddle under two years ago, the pair now runs a weekly intergenerational community interest group back home.

"In our first match, we lost by a single point and I was disappointed, but it was Armaan who reminded me to reset and focus on the next game," shared the elder Girotra. "In my community group, our players range from 12 to 80 years old, yet everyone is able to play, connect, and build meaningful friendships."

Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Brand and Communications at OCBC, noted: "The vibrant turnout at OCBC Arena showcases just how popular pickleball is across generations and nationalities... Today’s successful conclusion of our inaugural event signals a strong start to our support of pickleball."

Regional Magnet: International Players Converge on Singapore

Reflecting Singapore’s emerging status as a regional racket sports destination, the tournament welcomed overseas competitors from Australia, India, and Thailand.

Former competitive tennis players Mr Soham Nitin Jane (23) and Mr Arsh Ravi Pakhare (26) flew in from India, advancing to the Round of 16 in the Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge despite having logged just three joint training sessions beforehand.

"Pickleball is growing quickly in India, but opportunities to compete in tournaments of this scale are still quite rare," said Mr Jane. "We had heard a lot about Singapore’s vibrant pickleball scene, so we saw this as the perfect chance to test ourselves against a strong field."

Thai retiree Ms Punnee Amornviputpanich (56) travelled to Singapore to make her competitive tournament debut after playing socially across Southeast Asia. "The Novice category made competition feel accessible for players like me, while the scale of the event gave me the confidence to travel from Thailand," she remarked.

Tournament Champions and Key Highlights

Following two days of group fixtures, 96 teams progressed to the knockout rounds on 25 October.