‘Too Small’: Quang Duong’s Dad Comes Clean on Sypik Deal, Hopes Son Is Compensated Accordingly
A couple of weeks ago, Vietnamese pickleball sensation Quang Duong shocked the sport when he signed with Vietnam-based pickleball brand Sypik. The signing comes on the heels of Quang’s split with Selkirk Sport, wth whom the youngster has had a testy relationship with over the past year.
With Quang signing a new deal with a different brand, it appears all is water under the bridge now, allowing the young sensation to focus on his fast-rising career as a pro.
One Unhappy Camper?
However, it seems there’s someone who might be a bit unhappy with the terms of Quang’s deal with Sypik, and it’s none other than the young pro’s father-cum-coach, Duc. The elder Duong, in an interview with The Dink Pickleball, spilled the beans on the deal, which he also described as being “too small.”
“I will be honest, it is a half-million-dollar deal. Too small for us. Too small,” said Duc, who also stated in the same interview that pickleball’s value is much, much bigger in Asia than in the US. It is for this reason he believes his son must be compensated better.
“I think the value of Asia is 10 times bigger than that (the US). So, it is not about the money, it is about the value of the market.” Quang’s father claimed as he batted for his son to be compensated accordingly given Asia’s growing pickleball landscape.
What Does the Future Hold?
Additionally, Duc admitted that Quang had many other suitors but chose Sypik nonetheless. Duong, currently ranked seventh in the PPA Tour, signed with Sypik to follow through on his long-term vision of promoting pickleball, the fastest-rising sport in the world, in Asia. It is also his way to give back to Vietnam, his home country.
Given Quang’s apparent committment to support local and Duc’s apparent ambivalence to the financial terms of the Sypik deal, it will be interesting to see how the young phenom’s association with the Vietnamese brand will play out. That is especially the case when one considers his sometimes rocky relationship with his previous sponsor, Selkirk Sport.
