HANOI, VIETNAM – Semifinal Saturday at the MB Hanoi Cup 2026 will be remembered as the day Vietnamese pickleball truly arrived on the global stage. In a series of electrifying matches that silenced skeptics and sent the home crowd into a frenzy, local favorites dismantled world rankings to secure a historic all-Vietnamese Men’s Singles final.
The Giant Slayer: Hien Truong Upsets World No. 2
The headline of the day belongs to Vietnam’s top player, Hien Truong. In a rematch of the 2025 Hangzhou Open bronze medal match, Truong faced the tournament’s #1 seed and World No. 2, Federico Staksrud.
While Staksrud was the heavy favorite, Truong utilized the humid Hanoi conditions and a relentless attacking style to secure a stunning 11-7, 4-11, 11-5 victory. After a dominant second game from Staksrud, many expected the veteran to close it out, but Truong found another gear in the third, painting the lines and forcing errors from the world number two.
The result sends Staksrud to the Bronze Medal Match against Dylan Frazier, while Truong moves one step closer to his first major title.
An All-Vietnamese Final
The celebration for the host nation didn't stop with Truong. On the other side of the bracket, Hoang Nam Ly (fresh off a gold medal in Hangzhou) showed why he is considered a rising force in the sport. Ly cruised past the formidable Dylan Frazier with a clinical 11-5, 11-6 performance.
With both Truong and Ly advancing, Sunday will feature an all-Vietnamese Men's Singles final. Regardless of the outcome, a local hero will lift the trophy on home soil, marking a watershed moment for the sport's growth in Southeast Asia.
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