Grand Rally Pickleball Open 2025: The Grand Rally Pickleball Open 2025 took place from July 11 to 13 at Grand Rally in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Nearly 1,000 players joined the tournament. With support from BYD Sime Motors and other partners, the event delivered high-level games and strong local participation across all categories.
Aiming for Excellence
Ken Kong and his team at Grand Rally Pickleball had clear goals. They wanted to showcase their 17 indoor courts, invite top international talent, include intermediate players, and create a mix of competitive matchups. The tournament achieved all of this, with events running smoothly and finishing on time.
“We managed to run the whole tournament on time, with very few delays, and barring a very few small, isolated incidents, we gave the nearly 1,000 competitors an excellent few days of competition and, most importantly, an enjoyable experience,” said Melina Hwang, Director at LinkedUp and tournament organiser.
Men’s Open Singles: Malaysia vs India
In the men’s singles, Malaysia’s Syed Uzair Sufi and Muhammad Aiman reached the semifinals, where they faced India’s Sonu Kumar Vishwakarma and Tejas Ravindra Mahajan. The Indian players advanced to the final and Sonu won gold with a strong backhand shot on match point.
The close semifinals showed how much the Malaysian players have improved. They are no longer overwhelmed by international players, and the gap in skills is getting smaller.
Men’s 50+ Doubles: Malaysia Shines
The 50+ men’s doubles featured several exciting matches. Lim Kim Jim and John Wong just missed a medal, losing a close match to Indonesia’s Edy Kurniawan, who played with impressive energy.
Danny Tan (Tan Tian Yaik) and Liew Kim Tu won gold, adding another podium finish to Danny’s long list of victories in the senior division. He proved again that he is one of Malaysia’s top 50+ players.
Mixed Doubles: Stars from Across Asia
The mixed doubles category saw top talent from across Asia. Taiwan’s Neilson Chen and India’s Isha Lakhani wowed the crowd. Neem Shamsuddin, a Malaysian player who has competed on the PPA Tour, praised their skill level.
Malaysia’s Jimmy Liong and Mia bt Azizul Azhar reached the final, where they faced Australia’s Mitchel William Donald Hargreaves and China’s Yufei Long. The international pair won gold, showing fast reactions and accurate shots that inspired the crowd.
Corporate Support Makes It Possible
Ken Kong explained that a tournament of this size needs strong sponsors. Several local and global brands supported the event, including Franklin, Starbucks, Tuff, Canton Boy, KGB, and The Fat Fish. The main sponsor was BYD Sime Motors.
“BYD’s commitment to the sport demonstrates their ambition to push beyond societal benefit from an electronics or renewable energy standpoint,” said Ken.
BYD Sime Motors said they see value in supporting lifestyle events. “As the distributor, BYD Sime Motors sees value in partnering with lifestyle events like this—especially with pickleball growing in popularity in Malaysia. It’s a great way for us to connect with a broader and more dynamic audience.”
When asked why pickleball, BYD responded: “Pickleball is fun, active, and inclusive—these are values that resonate with our brand. Our partnership with Grand Rally goes beyond this tournament. In two weeks, we’ll host a new car launch where pickleball is part of the lifestyle experience with our new launch car.”
One of the cars on display was the BYD Atto 2, which is built to suit an active lifestyle.
A Strong Finish to Three Exciting Days
The final day ended with a team event featuring top-rated players. Teams had a mix of elite and local players, giving everyone a chance to learn and compete. The high skill level kept the crowd excited as they watched top players go head-to-head.
Ken Kong and his team reached their goals, offering a well-run tournament, international-level games, and a great experience for local players and fans. With this success, many look forward to the next Grand Rally event.
News in Brief: Grand Rally Pickleball Open 2025
The Grand Rally Pickleball Open 2025 was held from July 11–13 in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Nearly 1,000 players joined. With elite players from Asia and strong support from BYD Sime Motors, the event showed that Malaysia can host top-tier pickleball tournaments that match international standards.
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