The MB Hanoi Cup 2026 brackets have landed, and it's clear: the PPA Tour Asia isn't pulling any punches, setting the stage for an explosive start to the season where upsets aren't just possible—they're probable!
Key Tournament Insights:
- Top seeds in every category face immediate, formidable challenges, with no easy paths to the finals.
- Star-studded rematches, like Wang vs. Dennehy, are slated for early rounds, adding immense tension.
- PPA Tour Asia debutants, including Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns, are thrust into the deep end.
- The doubles draws are stacked, promising fierce battles for supremacy from the very first serve.
Singles Showdowns: A Gauntlet for Top Seeds
Men's Singles: No Easy Ride to the Summit
Even with Federico Staksrud and Christian Alshon anchoring opposite halves, their routes to the final are anything but smooth. Staksrud’s section is particularly brutal, featuring a potential quarter-final clash between Connor Garnett, the Sansan Fukuoka Open Triple Crown winner, and Jay Devilliers, a PPA veteran making his Asia debut.
Adding to the intrigue, Hong Kit Wong, who sensationally dominated the Vibrant Linping Hangzhou Open last year—including a decisive 11-4, 11-3 victory over Garnett—looms as a major threat. If Wong rediscovers that form, Staksrud could face an unexpected early test.
The bottom half offers no solace for Christian Alshon, who shares his quarter with rising teenage sensation Tama Shimabukuro. While Dylan Frazier, another Asia debutant, might seem to have a clearer path, the unpredictable nature of the PPA Tour Asia guarantees no free passes.
Women's Singles: Fahey's Formidable Path
Top seed Kate Fahey hasn’t been handed any favors. Her section is teeming with 2025 Asia standouts, most notably a potential Round of 16 battle against three-time PPA Tour Asia Women’s Singles champion Yufei Long. This is hardly an ideal scenario for the world No. 2’s Asia debut.
All eyes will also be on the quarter featuring Chao Yi Wang and Sahra Dennehy, setting the stage for a dramatic rematch of the Hangzhou Open final from just three months ago. Dennehy was dominant in that encounter, securing back-to-back Asia golds. However, Wang will be desperate to flip the script, and the possibility of this showdown occurring before the semi-finals only amplifies the excitement.
Elsewhere, Kaitlyn Christian must navigate past Judit Castillo in her quarter, while Brooke Buckner appears to have drawn the most favorable initial path among the top seeds in her first Asia appearance.
Doubles Drama: Clash of Titans & Rising Stars
Women's Doubles: Waters & Bright Lead a Stacked Field
The top seed pairing of Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright marks Waters' highly anticipated international debut. Standing as the No. 2 team are Tyra Hurricane Black and Catherine Parenteau on the opposite side of the draw.
A potential final between these two formidable duos would undoubtedly electrify the crowd, but their journey is fraught with danger. Brooke Buckner and Chao Yi Wang are strategically positioned in Waters and Bright’s quarter, indicating a stern challenge as early as the last eight. Regular Asia contenders Ting Chieh Wei and Yufei Long, alongside the Townsend/Dennehy partnership, further reinforce an already fiercely competitive field.
Men's Doubles: Johns and Tardio Eye Gold
Top billing in Men’s Doubles goes to Gabriel Tardio and Ben Johns, who enter as the undisputed No. 1 seeds. Johns came agonizingly close last season in Asia, earning silver and bronze, but a coveted gold medal has remained just out of reach. The No. 2 pairing of Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin are widely considered their most significant rivals.
The top half promises a thrilling quarter-final showdown between Collin Johns and Len Yang against Dylan Frazier and Eric Oncins, with Johns and Yang carrying strong momentum from recent performances in the United States. In the bottom half, Tyson McGuffin and Riley Newman are projected to meet Pham and Connor Garnett. Meanwhile, Jay Devilliers and Pablo Tellez could find themselves clashing with the second seeds.
Intriguingly, McGuffin and Oncins clinched back-to-back Men’s Doubles gold at the MB Vietnam Cup and Panas Malaysia Cup last year. This season, they’re on opposing sides of the draw, paired with different partners, adding a compelling layer to the competition.
Mixed Doubles: The Ultimate Test of Synergy
The marquee Mixed Doubles team sees Anna Leigh Waters partnering with Ben Johns, forming an undeniable powerhouse. On the opposite side, Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin anchor the draw as the No. 2 seeds.
Should the top seeds hold their ground, the semi-finals promise to be absolute fireworks. Waters and Johns could face a formidable challenge from Tyra Hurricane Black and Gabriel Tardio. Simultaneously, Bright and Patriquin may have to overcome Kaitlyn Christian and Christian Alshon in what would be another electrifying battle for a spot in the final.
The Stage is Set: Hanoi Beckons
The excitement for the MB Hanoi Cup 2026 is palpable. Play kicks off at the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Arena in Hanoi, Vietnam, from April 1–5. With draws this intense, fans can expect nothing short of a pickleball spectacle. Get ready to witness history!
