High Drama Expected as MB Vietnam Cup 2025 Unfolds with Top Seeds Set to Face Stiff Opposition
With finally settling on the hugely successful Panas Malaysia Cup 2025, pickleball fans in the region can now turn their attention to the MB Vietnam Cup 2025 that just unfurled at Tien Son Sports Arena in Da Nang in Vietnam.
Fresh from Malaysia, the world’s best are now diving headfirst into another week of elite competition on the PPA Tour Asia. This time around, pros like Eric Oncins and Tyson McGuffin will still be heavy favourites, especially after showing out in Malaysia what true top-tier pickleball talent looks like. However, they can also expect a tougher fight back from the best of Asia, who will look to stir things up with upsets along the way.
Eric Oncins Gets Top Seed and Is a Big Target
Eric Oncins faces a new kind of pressure this week. The Brazilian enters as the Men’s Singles top seed after claiming his first Championship Sunday triumph in Malaysia, where he and Tyson McGuffin captured Men’s Doubles gold in a marathon Final that could be the PPA Tour Asia’s match of the season thus far. Now, Oncins must handle the shift from breakthrough winner to the man everyone wants to beat.
The McGuffin-Oncins partnership reunites as second seeds in Men’s Doubles, looking to defend their Malaysia title immediately. Can they sustain the magic through consecutive tournaments, or will fatigue catch up to their momentum?
Blockbuster Women’s Clash Looms
The Women’s Singles draw could deliver the match of the tournament if top seed Kaitlyn Christian and fifth seed Yufei Long meet in the quarterfinals. Christian arrives with double gold momentum from Malaysia, while Long brings four PPA Tour Asia singles titles to the court. If their paths cross, it will be the PPA Tour’s no. 3 Women’s Singles player against Asia’s most successful female. Player. That alone makes this potential Christian vs. Long collision course worth keeping tabs on.
Vietnamese Stars Ready to Shine
The home crowd will have plenty to cheer about with strong Vietnamese representation across all events. Phuc Huynh enters as the fourth seed in Men’s Singles, and he’ll sure be riding high from his golden performance at the MB Vietnam Open just weeks ago. The Vietnamese star looks to deliver again on home soil.
His potential quarterfinal could feature 14-year-old sensation Tama Shimabukuro, who shocked Tyler Loong at the Sansan Fukuoka Open and continues his breakthrough tour.
Third seed Giang Trinh, whose championship journey began with his Panas Malaysia Open triumph in July, seeks to add a home title to his collection. On the women’s side, Ho Tam and Sophia Tran lead the Vietnamese contingent, with Tran teaming up in Mixed Doubles with tour gold medalist Vanshik Kapadia.
New Partnerships and Redemption Quests
Ben Johns continues his partnership experiments, teaming with Dekel Bar as top seeds in Men’s Doubles after his silver medal finish in Malaysia with Christian Alshon.
Mixed Doubles sees intriguing new combinations, including fourth seeds Danni-Elle Townsend and Zane Navratil. Fresh from Townsend’s stunning Women’s Doubles upset over Anna Bright and silver medal, along with Navratil’s bronze medal run in Men’s Doubles in Malaysia, the new team-up will be one to watch.
Hong Kong Open champion Wong Hong Kit seeks redemption as the second seed in Men’s Singles following his Malaysia Cup final loss to Christian Alshon.
