Quang Duong's Comeback Run Ends in the World Cup 2026 Semifinal
Andrew LeeVietnamese athlete Quang Duong, a member of the Wika Pickleball team, fought his way through a stacked Men's Singles Open draw at the Pickleball World Cup 2026 in Da Nang before running into the semifinal wall. He was stopped by fellow Vietnamese star Ly Hoang Nam, but not before putting together one of the more dramatic individual runs of the tournament.
Two Comebacks in One Run
Duong's path to the semifinal was built on resilience as much as raw form. In the Round of 32, he dropped the first set 11-15 to Kunldip Mahajan before rallying to close out the match 15-10 and 15-8, sealing a 2-1 win. Along the way he also picked up a straight-sets win over Kento Tamaki, 15-10 and 15-10, and another result that carried him into the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinal brought a second comeback. Facing Arjun Singh, Duong lost the first set narrowly, 14-16, before turning the match around with 16-14 and 15-6 to close it out 2-1 and book his place in the semifinal.
Stopped by a Fellow Vietnamese Star
The semifinal against Ly Hoang Nam ended Duong's run, and Wika Pickleball framed the exit positively, noting he could hold his head high for having fought with everything he had. The team's own post adds that there is more ahead for him, with Duong set to soon return to compete for Vietnam's national team at the World Cup 2026, moving from the individual singles bracket into national team competition.
Duong wasn't the only Wika Pickleball Team athlete on court in Da Nang. Teammate Patrick Kawka opened his own Men's Singles Open qualifying campaign with a 21-12 win over Armando Ferreira, playing with the same Wika QD Air 2 paddle Duong uses, a solid showing for the brand's wider roster at the tournament.
Wika also used the tournament window to spotlight the support behind Duong's competitive drive, posting a tribute to his father's presence courtside as a steadying influence through the high-intensity week.
This article is based on social media posts and historical data tracked by Pickle361.
