Bright sees bright future for pickleball

World No. 2 pickleball player Anna Bright believes the sport’s popularity in the Philippines will continue to soar after witnessing its growing local following firsthand.

Bright said the accessibility of pickleball courts, including those inside shopping malls, could encourage more Filipinos to take up the sport and help expand its spectator base.

“I knew pickleball was growing fast in the Philippines. I see all your messages, and I feel all your love and support, but coming here in person, it’s so, so, so different,” Bright said.

“Here, you have courts in malls, and there are tons of people watching and playing in Hong Kong. I think there’s so much more potential for the sport to grow quickly in terms of its spectator appeal.”

Bright also believes the emergence of more competitions, including the Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour, will sustain interest in the sport and attract more fans.

“As a spectator sport, I think pickleball is going to grow very quickly in Asia. It could even grow faster than in the United States, where we already have other big, established sports,” she said.

“The PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) is going to grow very quickly in Asia, and I think the Philippines will be a huge part of that. We’re so excited.”