MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam Attracts Over 800 Players, Shows Sarawak Is Budding Hotbed for Sports
Now it can be told: The MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam organised by the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) was a resounding success.
Held from 13 to 19 October 2025 at Pikabol, Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia, the MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam brought together over 800 players and 26 teams from both Peninsular and East Malaysia, along with international participants representing 10 countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, India, Vietnam, and the United States. The tournament concluded over the weekend and offered up a cash prize pool of up to MYR100,000 to the winners.
The week-long event also featured a special “Meet & Dink” appreciation session attended by none other than YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim bin Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts, Sarawak. The Minister’s presence is testament to the local and national governments’ unwavering commitment to positioning Sarawak as a vibrant sports tourism hub.
“The MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam was envisioned to harness the power of sports tourism and position Malaysia as a vibrant hub for wellness and active living,” said MATTA President Nigel Wong. “We identified pickleball as more than just a sport. It is a bridge between generations, a celebration of movement, and a driver of community through travel.”
The MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam was made possible thanks to the strong support of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Malaysia; Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak; Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Sarawak; Sarawak Tourism Board; Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau; BE Sarawak; WAK Festival; The Podium Project; Malaysia Pickleball Association; Sarawak Pickleball Association; and Kuching Pickleball Association (KPA).
The tournament also received sponsorship from the following:
- Official Platinum Sponsor: U-Mobile
- Gold Sponsors: RHB Bank Berhad, WTK Holdings Berhad, and HotelPlanner
- Silver Sponsors: Grab, Zeitgeist Inspira Technologies, and Selkirk Sports Malaysia
- Official Pickleball Sponsor: Facolos
- Supporting Sponsors: Somersby, F&N, Sportsdeal, Pikabol, Meritin Hotel, and BW Cleaning Services
Wong added that the MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam “marks the birth of a new tradition, one that champions healthy competition and embodies the unity and spirit that define our nation” and “is just the beginning of something truly special.”
Translation: Next year’s MATTA Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam will be bigger and better than the one MATTA just hosted.
