Vietnamese rising star Quang Duong is in the middle of controversy again.
The 19-year-old pro drew the ire of the United Pickleball Association (UPA) after he played in a non-PPA professional tournament while vacationing in Vietnam this past weekend. He was subsequently punished for violating the exclusivity term of his contract with the PPA Tour.
Team QD Is on a Steep Learning Curve
Quang, as of publishing, has not released a statement regarding the sanctions. That notwithstanding, PNA believes it is vital that we add some context and our own opinion to the storm that has broken out around this young pickleball star.
First, we have experienced first hand that Duc Doung is currently the person in change of Quang’s career. This is not surprising, as his son is still very young. Nonetheless, it should be considered that any decisions that have led to Quang’s troubles have very likely been made by Duc and followed by his son. What is also unique to Quang’s situation is that when you see him travel across Asia, he is nothing short of a pickleball superstar over here, whereas back in the US, he is one of the super elite crowd but not anywhere near the level of support and fanbase that he has in Asia.
For Duc, this superstar status in Asia is opening commercial opportunities that far exceed what is available in the US. It’s a uique position that no other similar ranked PPA player has available to them. Combine this with the fact that this stardom is sudden and whilst Duc obviously has his son’s best interests at heart, and also wants to ensure they capitalise on the commercial opportunity in front of them in Asia, he is also on a steep learning curve. Nothing can prepare you for sudden celebrity where the world is seemingly knocking at your door.
All that said, we believe the Doung family should not lose sight of what has made him famous in Asia. It’s his results in the US PPA which has made him special over here, so they have to be careful not to “bite the hand that feeds them.” If Quang alienates the PPA and doesn’t compete against the best any more, he will find out how fickle supporters can be, and his star will fizzle as a result.
Likewise, if he gets distracted and doesn’t focus on training and improving in the PPA, the same thing will happen, and his relevance and the fans that follow with it will fade. Our advise? Yes, take advantage of the opportunities here but remain laser-focused on the what got you here, which is rising through the ranks of the US PPA. It’s his bread and butter, after all, and the more success he finds on the PPA, the bigger and shinier his star will be, here in Asia and everywhere else.
UPA Drops the Hammer on Quang Duong
Quang’s participation in the undisclosed tournament is a direct violation of the exclusivity clause of his PPA contract, which stipulates that signed players are not allowed to compete in non-PPA tournaments without the approval of the UPA.
This is exactly what happened to Quang, and as a result, the UPA has dropped the hammer on the young pickler. According to sources, the Vietnamese star will receive the following sanctions:
- Suspension for one PPA Tour tournament
- Suspension for one MLP event.
- $50,000 fine
These penalties could have far-reaching repercussions. For one, the Los Angeles Mad Drops, the franchise that made Quang the no. 7 pick in the 2025 MLP Premier Free Agency Draft back in March, will be without one of its star players. The team, incidentally, will play six games at MLP Phoenix this weekend.
In addition, Quang will miss the Select Medical Orange County Cup in June. The tournament is one of the year’s major competitions with the 1,500 points up for grabs.
To a certain extent, Quang’s sanctions are somewhat a slap in the wrist given how the case is a breach of contract. But these sanctions ought to serve as firm reminders to the young stars that his actions, regardless if the intentions are noble and good, will have corresponding consequences. And for a 19-year-old trying to build a sterling reputation in the world’s premier pickleball tour, those sanctions should be enough to keep the young man in line.
