Team USA Takes Gold in Da Nang
A dominant Open Team victory capped a historic World Cup that brought nearly 5,000 athletes to Vietnam
By Darina Ayazbayeva • September 9, 2026 • 9 min read
Dominant Open Team victory
TEAM USA DID not need the singles matches.
Four matches into the Open Team final at the 2026 Pickleball World Cup, the championship was decided. The United States defeated host Vietnam 4-0, taking four consecutive doubles matches to claim the title in Da Nang.
Moments after the victory, player and captain Jack Munro reflected on what winning for his country alongside his teammates meant.
“We had to come represent, we showed out,” Munro said during the post-match broadcast. “I’m just grateful for you guys. I mean this is a moment that we’re going to remember, every single one of us.”
The championship capped a World Cup that brought international pickleball to Asia for the first time. Nearly 5,000 athletes representing 82 countries and territories participated across the broader event, according to the Da Nang government. The tournament included national team competition as well as individual events, bringing players from around the world to Vietnam.
For the United States, the week ended with the Open Team championship. For Vietnam, the final brought a runner-up finish after the host nation survived a dramatic road through the knockout rounds. But the 4-0 result told only part of Vietnam’s World Cup story. Heading into the final day of competition, Vietnam had already amassed 271 medals, including 116 gold, giving the host nation a commanding lead in the overall medal table.
A Historic World Cup for Asian Pickleball
The 2026 tournament marked the first time the Pickleball World Cup was held in Asia. Da Nang hosted the event from Aug. 30 through Sept. 6, with competition taking place across several categories.
The World Pickleball Federation recognized and supported the independently organized World Cup and described bringing the tournament to Vietnam as part of pickleball’s continued international expansion.
The scale of the event offered a tangible sign of that expansion. Nearly 5,000 athletes representing 82 countries and territories came to Da Nang for the World Cup.
The event also received two Guinness World Records during its opening ceremony. Organizers announced recognition for the pickleball tournament featuring athletes representing the most countries and territories and for the most valuable pickleball trophy.
Vietnam’s performance added another dimension to the World Cup’s Asian debut. Beyond reaching the Open Team final, the host country established a commanding lead in the overall medal standings. Through Day 6, Vietnam had collected 116 gold, 81 silver and 74 bronze medals for a total of 271, far ahead of every other country in the standings.
Vietnam also found success in the individual competition. Ly Hoang Nam captured the Pro Men’s Singles gold medal after dropping his opening game 6-15 to teammate Phuc Huynh. Nam came back to win the next two games 16-14 and 15-10, adding an individual championship before returning to the court for the Open Team final.
1,000 carats of lab-grown diamonds by Flawless Dang & Co. Photo credit: Kevin Dang
Champions Across the World Cup
The United States’ Open Team championship was one of five major team titles decided in Da Nang. Team USA defeated Vietnam 4-0 to capture gold in the Open category, with the host nation taking silver.
Brazil claimed the Senior 50+ world championship with a 3-1 victory over Spain, while the United States swept Australia 3-0 to secure the Masters 60+ title.
The United States also found success among the tournament’s younger players. Team USA defeated Vietnam 3-1 to win the Junior 18-and-under championship and swept India 3-0 for gold in the Kids 14-and-under category. Vietnam earned silver in the Junior division, while India finished as the Kids runner-up.
Across the five categories, the United States captured four team championships, with Brazil taking the remaining title in the Senior division.
USA Takes Control of the Final
The United States did not give Vietnam an opportunity to extend the championship tie to singles.
USA won the women’s doubles match 21-17 before adding another victory in men’s doubles. The Americans then won the first mixed doubles match 21-16 and the second 21-14, giving the United States the four match victories needed to end the final at 4-0.
The first mixed doubles match provided one of Vietnam’s best opportunities to change the direction of the final. Quang Duong and Sophia Huynh held a 16-14 advantage over the American pair before the United States closed the match with seven unanswered points to win 21-16.
Instead of cutting into the Americans’ lead, Vietnam found itself one match away from defeat.
The fourth victory came in Mixed Doubles 2, where Jack Munro and Katerina Stewart faced Ly Hoang Nam alongside Si Boi Ngoc. The American pair won 21-14, clinching the championship for the United States.
With USA already holding four victories, the scheduled women’s and men’s singles matches were no longer necessary.
For Munro, the final meant contributing directly to the championship effort. He was part of the American lineup in both men’s doubles and the mixed doubles match that clinched the title.
“This is gonna be one of many,” Munro said after the victory. “We’re representing a team and our country.”
A Home Crowd in Da Nang
The final unfolded in front of a home crowd in Da Nang, with Vietnamese supporters filling the stands as their national team faced the United States for the title.
After the Americans secured the fourth victory and clinched the championship, players from both teams remained on the court as the post-match celebration began. Team USA gathered together to celebrate the gold, while the Vietnamese players remained nearby after their runner-up finish.
Even after defeating the host nation, the American team acknowledged the crowd and its opponent. Team USA thanked Vietnam for hosting the tournament and recognized the support from the stands.
“We want to thank Vietnam for hosting this beautiful, amazing event,” Shelby Bates, one of the team’s players, said. “To the fans for supporting Vietnam, we heard you for us too.”
USA’s Road to the Final
The United States arrived in the championship match having given its opponents few opportunities to slow it down.
Team USA opened the knockout stage with a 4-0 victory over Thailand before facing New Zealand in the Round of 16. New Zealand managed to take one match from the Americans, but the United States won the tie 4-1 and moved on.
The quarterfinal brought a stronger test. India had been one of the tournament’s top-performing teams, winning 17 of its first 18 matches before meeting the United States. But Team USA again allowed its opponent only one victory, beating India 4-2 to secure a place in the semifinals.
Only Hong Kong, China, stood between the Americans and the championship match. This time, there was no dropped match. The United States swept the semifinal 4-0, earning its place opposite host Vietnam in the final.
Across those four knockout ties, the United States compiled a 16-2 match record. Thailand and Hong Kong, China, were swept, while New Zealand and India each managed just one victory.
The Americans had reached the final without losing a team tie, and once there, they were even more decisive.
Four more victories against Vietnam were enough to turn their run into a World Cup title.
Vietnam’s Road to the Championship
The 4-0 final did not reflect how difficult Vietnam’s path to the championship match had been.
In the quarterfinal against Australia, Vietnam was pushed all the way to a deciding Final Battle. Australia took the women’s doubles match 21-11 before Vietnam responded with a 21-16 victory in men’s doubles. Vietnam won a mixed doubles match 21-13.
Australia recovered and eventually moved ahead 3-2 after winning women’s singles 21-14. Vietnam answered with a 21-13 victory in men’s singles, leveling the team competition at 3-3 and forcing a Final Battle.
The host team recovered, winning the Final Battle 21-16 and the quarterfinal 4-3 to remain alive in its home World Cup.
Vietnam’s semifinal against Japan unfolded very differently.
Ly Hoang Nam and Trinh Linh Giang opened with a 21-12 men’s doubles victory. Nam and Si Boi Ngoc followed with another 21-12 win in mixed doubles. Sophia Huynh and Ken Tam won women’s doubles 21-15, and Sophia Huynh and Quang Duong completed the sweep with a 21-17 mixed doubles victory.
Vietnam had beaten Japan 4-0. Because the host nation had already secured four wins, the singles matches were not played.
That sent Vietnam into the final against the United States, where the same 4-0 result would ultimately work against the host nation.
A Team Victory
After the final, Team USA player Shelby Bates shared her thoughts on the team.
“Coach did an amazing job, Coach Kyle. We put together an amazing team,” Bates said during the post-match broadcast.
She pointed to the team’s performance throughout the tournament rather than only the four victories in the final.
“Everybody did their job today,” Bates said. “Everybody did their job this entire week to get us here.”
Bates praised the team for its performance.
“Congratulations to my fire team,” Bates said. “I’m super proud of them, super proud of us to represent the United States.”
By then, the competitive part of the Open Team championship was over. USA had secured gold, Vietnam had finished second on home soil, and the American players were celebrating a championship decided before either singles match could begin.
Before the post-match interview ended, Bates was asked one more question: Was the United States ready to defend its title next year?
“Yes,” Bates said. “We are ready.”
About Darina Ayazbayeva
Darina Ayazbayeva is an editorial intern at Pickleball Weekly and a journalism student at Penn State University. Originally from Kazakhstan, she has experience in print, digital, and broadcast journalism through student media and reporting projects. She is particularly interested in sports, international stories, and multimedia journalism.
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