The PPA Tour Asia concluded its 2026 season in spectacular fashion at the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam, held at the Kai Tak Arena. Featuring a record-breaking $1.1 million prize pool and 1,500 ranking points, the tournament showcased a mix of dominant performances from established stars and breakthrough runs from emerging talent.
Key Storylines from the Hong Kong Slam
- Anna Leigh Waters' Double Gold: The world’s top-ranked player continued her dominance by securing two titles. She teamed up with Anna Bright to defeat Hurricane Tyra Black and Jorja Johnson (11-4, 11-6) in women’s doubles, and partnered with Ben Johns to take down Bright and Hayden Patriquin (11-4, 11-3) in mixed doubles.
- Staksrud and Patriquin’s Upset: In a major men’s doubles result, Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin defeated top seeds Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio with a score of 11-6, 11-8, preventing the world’s top-ranked duo from claiming the title.
- Hunter Johnson’s Singles Streak: Hunter Johnson secured another men’s singles title by defeating 15-year-old sensation Tama Shimabukuro 11-4, 6-11, 11-7. This victory follows his recent successes at the Las Vegas Open and the Australia Cup.
- Andie Dikosavljevic’s Breakthrough: Capitalizing on a bracket where top seeds were eliminated early, Dikosavljevic defeated Judit Castillo in straight games to claim the women’s singles championship, highlighting the growing depth of the international field.
- Johns and Waters Bounce Back: After a recent loss to Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin at the Las Vegas Open, Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters responded with a decisive 11-4, 11-3 victory in the Hong Kong mixed doubles final to reclaim their top-seed status.
- Noe Khlif’s Major Upset: In the men’s singles quarterfinals, Noe Khlif pulled off a significant surprise by defeating the world’s top-ranked singles player, Christopher Haworth, in straight games (13-11, 11-3).
- Tama Shimabukuro’s Consistency: Despite his loss in the final, 15-year-old Tama Shimabukuro solidified his status as a rising star by reaching the men’s singles final and completing his PPA Tour Asia "Dragon" medal collection.
- Sahra Dennehy’s Deep Run: California Black Bears standout Sahra Dennehy reached the women’s singles semifinals, though her quest to complete her own Dragon medal collection was halted by eventual champion Andie Dikosavljevic.
- Top Seed Shake-up in Women’s Singles: The women’s singles draw saw both top seeds exit before the semifinals. Judit Castillo eliminated top-seeded Kaitlyn Christian in the quarterfinals, while Dikosavljevic knocked out the second-seeded Chao Yi Wang.
With the PPA Tour Asia season now complete, the professional circuit turns its attention to Dallas, Texas, for the inaugural MLP Nations Cup, taking place from October 30 to November 1 at the Brookhaven Country Club.
