The Philippines is out to make heads turn when it vies in the tough, 70-nation Pickleball World Cup from 30 August to 6 September in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Pickleball is currently the world’s fastest-growing sport and the Philippines is definitely in the mix, experiencing a local boom that can be compared to that of badminton years ago.

“That is why eyes are on us. They want to see what we can bring. And many will be surprised,” said Philippine Pickleball Federation president Shery Cu during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission media room.

Cu was joined at the forum by national team players Ruben Gonzales, former member of the Philippine Davis Cup team in lawn tennis, Nik Isagan, Kelsey Laurente and Fatima Amirul.

The Philippines will field a total of 38 players vying in the Open division, Under-18, Under-14, Kids and Seniors divisions of the event that drew over 4,000 participants.

Cu said the team was formed after almost six months of local competitions, and while some slots were openly selected based on the players’ current standing, some made it via tryouts.

“We want to make an impression. We are hoping for a podium finish. We expect a good finish in this World Cup,” added Cu in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

Teams to beat in the event that was held in Peru and the United States in the past two years include Vietnam and the United States. This year’s staging is considered as the most competitive in the history of the event.

“It’s an honor to represent the Philippines in pickleball now. I’ve been with the national tennis team since 2010 and this is my first time to play for our country in pickleball,” said Gonzales, a two-time gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games.

“There’s a high chance but it’s going to be tough because there are many powerhouse teams like the US and Vietnam,” said Isagan, who was also into lawn tennis before switching to pickleball in 2023.

“We will do our best and bring that gold medal back home,” said Laurente.