Ben Johns Raves About Vietnam’s Pickleball Scene, Enjoins Young Players to Never Lose Joy, Improve Core Skills
Southeast Asia had the pleasure of hosting some of the world’s top pickleball pros, but the star of stars was no doubt the GOAT himself, Ben Johns. And by all indications, Johns enjoyed his stay in Malaysia and Vietnam—so much so that he raved about the latter’s passionate pickleball scene.
“What stands out most about Vietnam is how excited everyone is. In the US, we have many tournaments and professional players, so fans are more accustomed to seeing us compete. It’s not that they’re less enthusiastic. It’s just more routine,” Johns said in an online talk with Vietnam’s Tuoi Tre (Youth). “But in Vietnam, events like this still feel special and rare. Watching American and Asian players compete together is thrilling. The atmosphere here reminds me of the early days of pickleball in the US—full of energy and excitement.”
Johns and his fellow US-based picklers should know, especially after 7,906 Vietnamese fans filled the Tien Son Sports Arena in Da Nang to witness Championship Saturday of the MB Vietnam Cup 2025.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Johns described Vietnam as being in “the most dynamic and positive growth phase” in Asia as it “is doing an incredible job, from expanding courts to increasing participation, and organising tournaments.”
Speaking of increasing participation, the MB Vietnam Cup 2025 showcased the best Vietnam has to offer, starting with Men’s Singles finalists Huc Puynh and Hien Truong. With pickleball’s explosive rise in Vietnam, it’s very likely that the next Puynh and Truong, or even Quang Duong, could be any one of the country’s growing number of young players.
Ben Johns Offers Sage Advice to Young Picklers
But as these younger players start rising up the ranks and getting into competitive pickleball, things can get a little bit complicated, what with all the outsized expectations, the pressure of winning, and the need to fulfil professional obligations. In short, it can be easy for younger players to lose sight of why they picked up a paddle to begin with: because pickleball is fun to play and is about having fun. Johns knows this better than anyone else, and so he dispensed some sage advice to young players.
“Always remember why you started. Because this sport brings joy. No matter your level, never lose that spirit,” he emphasised.
While maintaining that joyful spirit of playing is vital, Johns also reminded the upcoming generation of Vietnamese picklers to work on their game and on their core skills if they want to raise their level of play.
“Pickleball is really a race to see who learns faster. Technique, fitness, and mindset all matter, but the ability to absorb new things quickly is what sets you apart,” the GOAT pointed out. “All those things matter, but the core is still improving your pickleball skills every single day.”
For his part, Johns told the audience that he trains nearly every day, making sure to balance practising on the court with working out at the gym, getting enough rest, and following strict nutrition.
No wonder then that Ben Johns has reached the very pinnacle of pickleball. And with the advice he gave to Vietnam’s young players and the incredible job being done by the country’s pickleball stakeholders in growing the sport, maybe one day a Vietnamese pickler will ascend to the same rarefied air Johns is in right now.
