The Philippines is your first-ever PCL Asia champs after beating Vietnam, 3-0, in the finals of the inaugural season.

Nik Isagan, Ken Unique dela Cruz, Fatima Amirul, and Medeline Saraza comrpised Team Philippines, with Kim Saraza as the coach and Tina Mariano serving as team manager. The Filipinos finished Season 1 with six wins, with the lone blemish a draw against their Vietnamese counterparts.

That draw, it turns out, foreshadowed what would be a dramatic conclusion to the tournament, as both countries gave their all in a scintillating battle for top honours.

Team Philippines dispatched Hong Kong in the semis, while Vietnam outlasted Guangzhong to arrange a Philippines versus Vietnam finale.

The Comeback That Swung the PCL Asia Finals

Early on, it looked like Vietnam was primed to win the first match, racing out to a 20-16 lead in a race-to-21. But dela Cruz and Isagan refused to falter, saving several match points before ultimately prevailing, 23-21, in a thrilling comeback. The win gave the Philippines a 1–0 series lead and momentum. ‍

Amirul and Saraza then gave the Philippines a commanding 2-0 series lead with a 21-14 victory in women’s doubles, pushing the Filipinos on the verge of the title. They didn’t waste any time, with Amirul and Isagan combining in the first mixed doubles match of the series to beat their Vietnamese counterparts, 21-16, and complete the sweep.‍

With the sweep of Vietnam, the Philippines clinched the championship of the inaugural PCL Asia. Saraza and Amirul, who were arguably the Philippines’ best players in the tournament, were adjudged as joint MVP.

Amateur Pickleball in Asia: Getting a Leg Up with the PCL

While it may not be as prestigious as the pro level, PCL Asia has nonetheless provided an excellent avenue for Asia’s amateur picklers to test themselves against one another in a tournament-style setting that requires lots of talent and a level of preparation usually seen from the pros.

With Season 1 a relative success, best believe that Season 2 is primed to be even bigger and better than its predecessor, which saw pickleball teams from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Guangzhong, Beijing, Shenzhen, Singapore, and Malaysia vie for the championship.

But for now, PCL Asia Season 1 is a wrap, and the Philippines will have bragging rights for the time being.