RED ROCKS, GOLD MEDALS: UPA ASIA TRAILBLAZERS OFF TO A FLYING START
| March 30, 2026
The UPA Asia Trailblazers Class of 2026 have announced themselves on American soil.
Set against the striking red-rock landscapes of southern Utah, the Greater Zion Cup at Black Desert Resort provided a stunning backdrop for the Trailblazers’ first Carvana PPA Tour event of this US immersion. And they made the most of it — competing in Pro main draws alongside the world’s best and collecting medals across five 5.0 skill events.
Taking on the best
Trailblazers earned spots in Pro main draws at one of the biggest stops on the 2026 PPA Tour calendar, with all of the sport’s top players on show and 1,500 ranking points on the line for gold.
Three Trailblazer pairings competed in the Mixed Doubles Pro main draw: Julian Chow and Tya Karina Aditya, Dang Ngo and Anni Xie, and Syed Uzair and Mihae Kwon. In Women’s Doubles Pro, Tang Nok Yiu and Mihae Kwon earned a main draw berth and advanced to the Round of 32 before falling to eventual silver medalists Parris Todd and Kate Fahey.
The standout moment came when Syed Uzair and Mihae Kwon stepped onto court against World No.1 pairing Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters — who went on to claim the Mixed Doubles gold medal. The ultimate test at the highest level, and exactly the kind of exposure the Trailblazers Program is built around.
Singles domination
The Trailblazers saved their most emphatic statement for the 5.0 skill events, and the singles results told the story.
In the Men’s Singles 5.0, Julian Chow took gold, Colin Wong claimed silver, and Syed Uzair earned the bronze — a clean 1-2-3 podium sweep. In the Women’s Singles 5.0, Mihae Kwon and Tang Nok Yiu contested an all-Trailblazers final, with Kwon taking gold and Tang Nok Yiu earning silver.
More medals in doubles
The momentum continued into doubles play. Colin Wong and Syed Uzair paired up to win Men’s Doubles 5.0 gold, while Tang Nok Yiu and Mihae Kwon took silver in the Women’s Doubles 5.0. Anni Xie and Tya Karina Aditya added a bronze in the same event. In Mixed Doubles 5.0, Syed Uzair and Mihae Kwon rounded out the week with a bronze medal.
About the UPA Asia Trailblazers Program
The UPA Asia Trailblazers Program identifies and develops Asia’s most talented pickleball athletes through fully funded immersions in the United States. Trailblazers receive two-year UPA Asia Pro Contracts to compete on PPA Tour Asia, world-class coaching, media training, and the opportunity to compete on the Carvana PPA Tour alongside the sport’s best.
