The move came just two days after the US Pickleball Association (UPA) officially terminated the professional contract with the tennis player born in 2006. According to UPA, Quang Duong did not participate in the MLP tournament held from July 9 to 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, without prior notice, and appeared at an exchange event in Khanh Hoa on July 12. UPA said that this action violated the terms of the exclusive commercial contract he signed with the organization.
This is not the first time Quang Duong has been in trouble with UPA. In May 2025, he was fined 50,000 USD and temporarily suspended from competition after returning to Vietnam to participate in a charity tournament outside the PPA Tour system. At that time, the UPA warned that any repeat violations would result in a termination of the contract.
As a result of the latest decision, Quang Duong's file was deleted from the database of the Professional Pickleball Athletes Association. He also lost 6th place on the PPA Rankings, giving way to 3-year-old veteran tennis player Tyson Mc Guffin, who was 300 points behind Quang Duong.
Quang Duong is currently in Vietnam with his family to attend some sports exchange activities. His father, Mr. Duong Duy Duc, said he had asked UPA for permission to take his son home for injury treatment and not participate in the MLP tournament. He also said he would authorize lawyers to work with UPA to clarify the incident.
Quang Duong's full name is Duong Thien Quang, born in California in a Vietnamese family, and was exposed to rackets and table tennis before switching to pickleball in 2020. Although he is still very young, he has made a name for himself in the international arena with his fiery playing style and impressive achievements, reaching the top 6 in the world at the age of 19.
In addition to his international career, Quang Duong is also a familiar face in pickleball exchange activities in Vietnam, contributing to promoting the movement and connecting the domestic sports-loving community with the world.
