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Day 1 of the PCL Asia Season 1 Grand Finals opened on August 9, 2025 at Ramsports Pickleball Stadium in Shenzhen, and it delivered. Eight club teams from across Asia earned their spots through national and regional qualifiers, converging on a purpose-built venue in Longhua District.
The teams brought distinct styles into one arena, underscoring PCL Asia’s community-driven vision for the sport. The result: a clean, competitive opening day that showcased skill, sportsmanship, and cross-border camaraderie. By day’s end, the Philippines had surged into the early lead—setting up a compelling finish on Sunday.
A short exhibition break featured matches with PCL Asia Founder Steve Kuhn, invited guests, ambassadors, and other players—adding a light, fan-friendly touch without overshadowing the main draw.
Tournament Format
Each team match features four games—men’s doubles, women’s doubles, Mixed A, and Mixed B—with A and B using different pairs. Games are to 15 with rally scoring, win by two (21-point cap; 21–20 max), mandatory side switch at eight, and one 30-second timeout per team; all four are played regardless of score, so a 2–2 draw can stand. The table awards two points for 3–1/4–0 wins, one for 2–2 draws, and none for losses; ties break by total games won, head-to-head, point differential, then random draw.
What We Saw On Court
With four guaranteed games per match and no freeze, momentum swung fast. Men’s and women’s doubles laid the platform; Mixed A and B then turned into pressure cookers, especially with the 21-point cap inviting late charges. The standings tell a story: the Philippines converted big runs into a hefty point differential, while Vietnam and Guangzhou stayed within striking range by banking game wins even in split results.
Day 1 Standings — Aug 9
All eight clubs logged multiple tight sets, but the Philippines created early daylight.
The field reflects PCL Asia’s cross-border build-out—China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines—coming through city and national finals into a single continental weekend.
Why Shenzhen, Why Now
Ramsports’ new pickleball stadium at Mission Hills MH Mall opened in January with ten courts (four under retractable roofs) and fan-friendly broadcast capability—exactly the kind of stage the league wanted for its first Asia finals.
“Shenzhen is a key hub for pickleball in China,” said Alex Yuan, Ramsports Group president, underscoring the city’s role in accelerating the sport’s growth.
Founder Steve Kuhn framed the weekend’s vibe in simple terms: “It’s club vs. club… joy… community pride.”
The PCL Asia Season 1 Finals
Sunday, August 10, brings the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship match to crown Season 1—with medals for champions and silver, two bronze medals, plus four excellence awards at tournament close. PCL Asia is building a long-term, continent-wide platform for amateur and semi-pro clubs—the Grand Finals are its first big proof of concept.
Matches for August 10 are ongoing; we’ll have our Season 1 champions by day’s end.
