INAUGURAL OCBC-GREAT EASTERN PICKLEBALL OPEN DRAWS MORE THAN 1,000 PLAYERS

Winners of Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge 2026

At a glance

• More than 1,000 players competed across four tournament categories for over $100,000 worth of prizes.
• Competitors ranged from 13 to 75 years old, including players from Australia, India and Thailand.
• Winners included first-time champions, colleagues, family members, and seasoned players with international tournament experience.

Singapore, 25 October 2026 – More than 1,000 players took to the courts at OCBC Arena, The Kallang, from 23 to 25 October for the inaugural OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open, one of Southeast Asia's largest pickleball tournaments. Four pairs of champions were crowned across the Novice, Open, Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge and Bank of Singapore Invitational Championship categories after three days of competition in front of close to 1,000 spectators.

The tournament attracted participants from a wide range of age groups and backgrounds, highlighting pickleball’s growing popularity across generations. The youngest competitor was 13 years old, while the oldest was 75. Several parent-child pairs also took to the courts together, combining competition with family bonding. The event also drew players from overseas, reflecting its regional appeal and providing local competitors with the opportunity to compete with international opponents.

Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Brand and Communications, OCBC, said: “The vibrant turnout at OCBC Arena showcases just how popular pickleball is across generations and nationalities. We have players from as far away as Australia and India, a 75-year-old grandfather who only discovered the sport a few months ago, and many participants who were introduced to it during the OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Series workshops this year. This perfectly captures what we were aiming for: Community, inclusivity and fun for everyone. Today’s successful conclusion of our inaugural event signals a strong start to our support of pickleball.”

Mr Sam Ho Soo Hock, the oldest participant in the tournament, said: “Just a few months ago, I had never played pickleball. Today, I competed in my first tournament after joining the senior's pickleball programme. Playing against new opponents, including many who are younger than me, was both challenging and rewarding. The experience reminded me that it is never too late to try something new. Through pickleball, I have become more active and made new friends. The enthusiasm and passion of the other players has also inspired me to keep improving and playing pickleball for a long time.”

He was among 10 beneficiaries from Care Corner Seniors Services who competed in the Novice category after participating in the #OCBCCares Seniors Pickleball Programme. The initiative provides free pickleball training to 100 seniors over two years to promote active ageing and social connectedness.

Among those who travelled to Singapore for the tournament were colleagues Mr Soham Nitin Jane, 23, and Mr Arsh Ravi Pakhare, 26, who advanced to the Round of 16 of the Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge despite entering the tournament as a newly formed partnership. Hailing from India, the former competitive tennis players only recently took up pickleball and had trained together just three times before travelling to Singapore for their first-ever pickleball tournament. Mr Jane said: “Pickleball is growing quickly in India, but opportunities to compete in tournaments of this scale are still quite rare. We had heard a lot about Singapore’s vibrant pickleball scene, so we saw this as the perfect chance to test ourselves against a strong field. Everything ran smoothly from the competition schedule to the player experience, which allowed us to focus on enjoying the matches and challenging ourselves on the court.”

Thai national Ms Punnee Amornviputpanich, 56, made the trip from Thailand to Singapore to compete in her first-ever pickleball tournament. A retiree who also enjoys trail running and diving, she travels around the region to play pickleball socially and was inspired to make her competitive debut after learning about the OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open. She shared: “I’ve travelled to Singapore and other countries to play pickleball socially, but I had never entered a tournament before. When I read about the event, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to take that next step. The Novice category made competition feel accessible for players like me, while the scale of the event gave me the confidence to travel from Thailand for my first competitive experience. It has been a wonderful experience, and I hope to participate again next year.”

The pickleball court has become a regular bonding ground for father-and-son pair Mr Anuj and Armaan Girotra, who have competed in three tournaments together since taking up the sport less than two years ago. Mr Anuj Girotra, 52, has even gone on to start a pickleball interest group in his community, where he and 16-year-old Armaan play weekly with neighbours spanning multiple generations. Reflecting on their tournament experience in the Novice category, he said: "I've always believed sport is one of the best ways for children to build resilience and learn how to handle setbacks. In our first match, we lost by a single point and I was disappointed, but it was Armaan who reminded me to reset and focus on the next game. That moment showed me how much he has grown through sport. As a parent, I've always encouraged my sons to spend more time outdoors instead of in front of screens. Sport has been their entertainment growing up. In my community group, our players range from 12 to 80 years old, yet everyone is able to play, connect and build meaningful friendships. That's something truly unique about the sport."

Champions crowned across four categories

More than 600 matches were played over three days of competition at OCBC Arena, The Kallang – the tournament’s official venue partner. The following teams emerged as champions:

The full list of winners (1st to 4th placing) can be found in Annex A.

Mr Jimmy Setiawan Simon, 49, and Mr Raymond Leong, 51, first met on a pickleball court a year ago. After discovering they were alumni of the same university course, the pair began playing together regularly in social games and at an alumni homecoming event, a partnership that culminated in the Novice category title at their first tournament together. On what the result meant to him, Mr Leong said: “Winning our first medal together feels incredibly rewarding. Although we have only been playing together for about a year, we’ve learned a lot from one another and developed a good understanding on court. Every match presented a different challenge, and we had to adapt our game against a variety of opponents. In the quarter-finals, we faced a pair of young and energetic players with powerful shots, which really tested us. Thankfully, we managed to stay composed and come through with the win. I’m grateful that pickleball helped Jimmy and me reconnect, and it makes this achievement even more special that we were able to share it together. We’re definitely looking forward to competing in more tournaments as a pair.”

Experience shone through for tennis coaches Mr Ralph Kevin Barte, 37, and Mr Christopher Encarnacion, 28, who achieved their first podium finish together in the Open category, having partnered in just three tournaments to date. The pair met through the tennis community and began competing together, steadily building their partnership through local and overseas tournaments. Prior to this event, they each had also competed in tournaments in Vietnam and Hong Kong, gaining valuable experience against international opponents. Their breakthrough result came after a series of closely contested matches, with the duo overcoming early nerves to secure their maiden medal together. Mr Barte shared: “This is our third tournament together and our first time finishing on the podium, so it feels very special. We were quite nervous at the start, but we gradually settled into our game and gained confidence with each match. Many of our matches were closely contested, and we were grateful to perform well when it mattered most. The conditions were also very comfortable and allowed us to focus on enjoying the competition.”

Cousins Mr Basil Yeo, 18, and Mr Ng Ka Wei, 21, who are also colleagues at Zenith Education Studio, won the Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge as team “Zenith Interns”, marking their first title together. Having grown up playing table tennis side by side, the pair had entered just one pickleball tournament before, bowing out in the group stage. This time, they went all the way, with Mr Ng also reaching the Open category final. He shared: “We put in a lot of work before the tournament, especially in the final week when we trained every day and practised on courts that matched the tournament conditions. Sharing this win with Basil was particularly meaningful because it reminded us of our years training together in table tennis. We each have our roles on court. I cover the left side, while Basil is always looking for opportunities to intercept and attack, which makes us a really good pair.”

Collectively, winners walked away with more than S$100,000 worth of prizes, including JEN Singapore Orchardgateway wellness annual passes, Subaru car rental credits, JOOLA paddles and cash. The full list of prizes can be found in Annex B.

Group stage matches for the Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge and Bank of Singapore Invitational Championship were played on 23 October, followed by the Group stage matches of Novice and Open categories on 24 October. 96 teams advanced to compete in the Knockout Stages on 25 October.

Strong demand saw both the Novice and Open categories reach full capacity within the first two weeks of registration.

Annex A - List of winners

Annex B - List of prizes