1. How did you get into Pickleball?
I first came across pickleball while I was doing my internship in Vietnam. I was exploring Ho Chi Minh City when I saw a group of locals playing, and I just jumped in quite shamelessly to give it a try. It was a very random moment, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. At that time, the sport wasn’t as established in Singapore yet, so when I came back, I made the effort to find places to play, mostly small recreational sessions at public badminton courts. That’s really how I got drawn into the community. Since then, I’ve been playing consistently each week and have taken part in both local and overseas competitions.
2. What inspired you to organize your own Pickleball competition?
Blazing Sevens really came from wanting to bring together two things I care about; Pickleball and event management. I’ve organised fashion and lifestyle events before, and I wanted to challenge myself by applying that same level of thought and detail to a sports setting. Pickleball felt like the most natural place to start, because it’s where I’ve personally found a sense of community and belonging. What makes this tournament a bit different is that it was designed quite intentionally. I wanted to create a space where stronger amateur and experienced players could actually have more competitive games, so the rating band was set higher than what you usually see. It being a one-day event was also an attractive point because many players are working adults or parents, and committing an entire weekend can be quite difficult. The venue choice was also important. Having an indoor, air-conditioned space right next to Expo MRT made it a lot more comfortable and accessible. The sponsors were another meaningful part of the event. Many of them weren’t typical commercial sponsors, but individuals and brands from around the region - including Vietnam and Malaysia, who genuinely believe in the sport and what it can do for people. We even had support from those in the wellness space, like psychologists who see the value of sport beyond just competition. That shared belief made the whole event feel more purposeful.
1. How did you get into Pickleball?
I first came across pickleball while I was doing my internship in Vietnam. I was exploring Ho Chi Minh City when I saw a group of locals playing, and I just jumped in quite shamelessly to give it a try. It was a very random moment, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. At that time, the sport wasn’t as established in Singapore yet, so when I came back, I made the effort to find places to play, mostly small recreational sessions at public badminton courts. That’s really how I got drawn into the community. Since then, I’ve been playing consistently each week and have taken part in both local and overseas competitions.
2. What inspired you to organize your own Pickleball competition?
Blazing Sevens really came from wanting to bring together two things I care about; Pickleball and event management. I’ve organised fashion and lifestyle events before, and I wanted to challenge myself by applying that same level of thought and detail to a sports setting. Pickleball felt like the most natural place to start, because it’s where I’ve personally found a sense of community and belonging. What makes this tournament a bit different is that it was designed quite intentionally. I wanted to create a space where stronger amateur and experienced players could actually have more competitive games, so the rating band was set higher than what you usually see. It being a one-day event was also an attractive point because many players are working adults or parents, and committing an entire weekend can be quite difficult. The venue choice was also important. Having an indoor, air-conditioned space right next to Expo MRT made it a lot more comfortable and accessible. The sponsors were another meaningful part of the event. Many of them weren’t typical commercial sponsors, but individuals and brands from around the region - including Vietnam and Malaysia, who genuinely believe in the sport and what it can do for people. We even had support from those in the wellness space, like psychologists who see the value of sport beyond just competition. That shared belief made the whole event feel more purposeful.
3. How did you work out your entry fees VS what the participants are getting i.e. goodie bag, player welfare, prizes etc?
To be very honest, I didn’t go into this thinking about profit at all. It started as something I genuinely wanted to bring to life, and also a way for me to test the waters for potentially bigger and better events in the future, both for myself and for the community I’ve gotten to know through pickleball. I tried to price the entry fee at a point that felt fair, not too high to turn people away, but enough to cover the basic costs of running the event. With the support from sponsors, I was able to channel more into the players’ experience, whether through prizes, goodie bags, or simply making sure things ran smoothly and comfortably. At the end of the day, I just wanted participants to feel like it was worth their time, and that there was genuine thought put into taking care of them.
4. What challenges have you faced in organizing this event?
There were definitely quite a lot of challenges, especially running most of this on my own. There are many small moving parts in a tournament that people don’t always see like the logistics, scheduling, coordination, and they all add up. Even simple things like transport became a challenge. I don’t have my own vehicle, so moving equipment and prizes around while trying to keep costs low wasn’t easy. I was very fortunate to have people around me who stepped in to help when they could. On tournament day, one of the bigger challenges was managing time and match flow. With multiple categories running and games occasionally going longer than expected, the schedule started to get quite tight. It required a lot of real-time adjustments and clear communication with players to keep things moving without compromising the experience too much. It was quite stressful at the moment, but having a supportive team on the ground made a big difference. Looking back, it wasn’t perfect, but I’m grateful we managed to pull through and deliver a complete event.
5. What was Success to you?
For me, success is quite simple. It’s knowing that I did my best, and that participants left feeling like they had a good experience. I don’t think any event can be completely perfect, especially when it’s your first time doing something like this. But as long as I’ve done my due diligence and genuinely tried to take care of the players, that matters more to me. Any feedback, whether positive or negative, is something I take seriously and see as part of the process of improving.
6. Do you see such localised competitions as a long-term, sustainable Business idea?
I do think there’s potential for this to grow into something sustainable. The pickleball scene in Singapore is still developing, and there are always new players who want opportunities to compete. At the same time, I think it’s important to evolve formats. Not everyone is ready for higher-level competitive play, so there’s definitely room to explore more entry-level or beginner-friendly versions. We’re already seeing that work well in other parts of Asia, and I think Singapore can move in that direction too. It’s not the easiest space operationally, but if done right, there’s definitely something there.
7. A seasoned player told us that he doesn't take part in competitions in SG coz it's just playing people on Reclub with added hassle. What would you say to that?
I think that’s a fair perspective, and I can understand where it’s coming from. The local scene is still relatively small, so naturally you do end up seeing familiar faces across different competitions. But at the same time, I also think that’s part of what makes the community what it is. It's quite close-knit, and that has its own value. The difference, for me, comes down to how the competition is structured and delivered. When it’s done well, it should feel different from just regular games, whether it’s the level of play, the format, or the overall experience. Also, we’re starting to see more international players coming in from countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and The Philippines which adds a new dimension to the competition. I think that’s a sign that the scene here is growing, and there’s still a lot of room to build on it.
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