KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — The Oriental Daily News Malaysia Open 2026 is already drawing strong early interest, with organisers urging players to sign up ahead of the June 5 registration deadline.

Oriental Daily News general manager Pattrik Ting said many teams have already registered, with doubles events proving particularly popular.

“We already have many teams registered, with most entries coming in for the doubles categories. With about 51 days left before the closing date on June 5, we urge everyone to register early,” he said at the official launch today.

Scheduled to take place at the Grand Pickleball Arena in Shah Alam from June 12 to 14, the tournament is expected to be one of the premier pickleball competitions in Malaysia this year.

With a total prize pool exceeding RM70,000, Ting expressed confidence that the event would attract strong participation and help elevate the sport locally.

“With RM70,000 in prize money, we are confident it will attract strong participation and elevate the tournament. We have four major categories across different levels,” he said.

The competition will feature Junior, Novice, Intermediate and Open divisions, catering to players of all skill levels.

Beyond cash prizes, participants can expect a range of rewards, including sponsored gear, eye massagers, shoes and other items.

“Apart from prize money, there are also shoes, eye massagers and more prizes to be won,” Ting added.

In terms of competition structure, the tournament will utilise the Baseline system integrated with DUPR ratings to ensure fair match-ups.

“We are using the Baseline system with DUPR ratings, which will allow players to be accurately placed in the appropriate level of play,” he said.

DUPR stands for Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating, a system used to evaluate skill levels and place players in appropriate categories.

Ting also highlighted the media reach behind the event, noting that Oriental Daily News brings significant digital influence beyond its print platform.

“Oriental Daily News isn’t just a news platform. Across our social media platforms — Facebook, Instagram and TikTok — we have a substantial and growing audience in Malaysia,” he said.

He revealed that in March alone, the publication recorded more than 700 million views on Facebook, 140 million on Instagram and 69 million on TikTok.

“These numbers show our potential reach under our editorial leadership. This will help increase readership throughout Malaysia and also amplify visibility for our sponsors and advertisers,” he added.

The event is backed by a wide range of partners, including gold sponsors redONE Mobile and Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre, with RHB Insurance as the official insurance partner and Honda Malaysia as the official car partner.

Media support includes Malay Mail, alongside The Sun, Borneo Post, Utusan Borneo and See Hua Daily.

Participants will also receive added perks, including goodie bags valued at over RM130 and complimentary refreshments, while shuttle services by Honda Malaysia will be provided from the car park to the venue.

More than just a competition, organisers say the Malaysia Open 2026 is designed as a celebration of sport and community, reflecting pickleball’s growing footprint in the country.

Registration can be done via the Baseline platform at https://mybaseline.live/tournaments/0e82a152-323b-46d2-95c5-8c6c9508f47e.