The most recent PPA Tour Asia event — the MB Hanoi Cup in Vietnam — featured many of the top players from both the U.S. and overseas.

The results showcased what many fans and pundits have been saying for a few years now — it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world (and specifically Asia) catches up to the U.S.-based pros.

Although the late rounds in doubles and women’s singles featured almost exclusively U.S.-based players, there were several close matches between Asia-based teams and the top U.S. stars. And in men’s singles, the tournament produced an all-Vietnamese final between Hien Truong and Hoang Nam Ly, despite the fact that 3 of the top 10 men’s singles players on the PPA Tour were in the field — No. 2 Federico Staksrud, No. 4 Christian Alshon and No. 10 Dylan Frazier.

Find full results from the event here.

In her weekly newsletter, No. 2 women’s pro Anna Bright said one of the things that stood out during the event was the “us vs. them” dynamic that was building throughout the tournament.

“This week was so cool as it was my first time really feeling national camaraderie and pride, and like I was playing for something more to an extent,” Bright said. “I have long been a fan of Federico, but being one of the few people cheering for him when he played (Hien Truong) was a really cool experience. It was awesome to see a stadium full of people cheering for their countryman against an outsider.”

Bright said she found herself pulling for several U.S.-based players that she normally wouldn’t cheer for or be particularly invested in.

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“The us/them dynamic was really fun, and it wasn’t negative at all,” she said. “It was just something new for me, and really makes me excited for when real country vs. country event types are possible.”

We’ve already seen some international team competitions, most notably the Pickleball World Cup, but the big dream for many in the pickleball industry is seeing the sport in the Olympics. There are still several steps pickleball will need to take over the next few years to be in consideration for the Olympics, but events like the one last week in Vietnam offer a glimpse of what could be if the sport is able to take the next step internationally.

Anna Bright’s weekly newsletter — Brighter Pickleball — covers pro tournaments, Bright’s take on relevant news and the occasional tip to help you up your game. Subscribe to the Brighter Pickleball newsletter here and find more Anna Bright content on her YouTube page.