Inaugural Borneo International Pickleball Open Draws 536 Players to Kota Kinabalu
The first Borneo International Pickleball Open brought 536 players from Malaysia, Singapore, the US, China and Taiwan to The Good Club in Kota Kinabalu, home to a new RM3 million-plus court complex.
Sabah hosted its first Borneo International Pickleball Open from 16 to 18 October 2026, and the three-day tournament attracted 536 players from Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, China and Taiwan. The event was officiated by Datuk Josie Lai, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, and was co-organised by Borneo Kelab Rekreasi Pickleball and Megas Mind Creative & Development with support from the ministry and Explore Sabah.
Play took place at The Good Club in Kota Kinabalu, which now houses Sabah's largest pickleball building. Club director Ryan Chu said its nine courts, six indoor and three outdoor, cost more than RM3 million and opened only a month earlier to be ready for the tournament. Organising chairwoman Datin Elaine Fong Yee Ling encouraged overseas players to explore Sabah's food and sunsets, and thanked partners including Tourism Malaysia Sabah, the Sabah Tourism Board and equipment partner Protech Sports.
The opening featured invitation matches with Hong Kong celebrity Hugo Wong and Malaysian pickleball personality Perry Kuan. American player Robert McManus from Tennessee said the turnout showed how quickly pickleball is catching on in Sabah, a sign of the sport's growing footprint across East Malaysia.
Source: Jesselton Times