WPBL Season 2: Former wimbledon champion Hoang Nam Ly joins Chennai Super Champs - Check full squad

The second season of the World Pickleball League begins on January 27.

As the World Pickleball League returns for its second season on January 27, Chennai Super Champs have strengthened their international core with the addition of one of Southeast Asia’s most accomplished racket-sport athletes.

Hoang Nam Ly, Vietnam’s highest-ranked male tennis player of all time and a rising force on the PPA Asia pickleball circuit, has joined hands with the franchise for WPBL Season 2.

At 28, Ly arrives with a resume that bridges two demanding worlds. Before pickleball, he built a distinguished tennis career, becoming the first Vietnamese player to win a junior Grand Slam title when he clinched the boys’ doubles crown at Wimbledon in 2015.

In 2022, he reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 239, the highest ever achieved by a Vietnamese male player, firmly placing him in his country’s sporting history.

That elite foundation has translated seamlessly into pickleball. Currently ranked No. 3 in men’s singles on the PPA Asia Tour and inside the world’s top 50 in men’s singles, Ly has established himself as one of the sport’s most technically sound and tactically aware competitors in the region.

“I started with tennis, but when I discovered pickleball, I immediately felt a different kind of joy. The speed, the strategy, and the community drew me in.

With my tennis background, I adapted quickly, and now I want to keep pushing myself while inspiring others to pick up the sport,” Ly said ahead of the season.

On court, his game reflects that evolution. A right-hander with a preference for the drive, Ly combines quick reflexes with precise net control.

Also Read: WPBL Season 2: Louis Laville aims for title with Hyderabad Superstars in ‘one of the most well-run leagues’

Patient in dinking exchanges, he waits for openings before unleashing powerful drives and smashes, switching smoothly between defence and attack. His DUPR ratings, 5.8 in singles and 5.9 in doubles, show a balanced skill set across formats.

In the context of the Chennai Super Champs, Ly’s arrival adds a layer of composure and versatility. The franchise values players who can adapt to different match situations, and Ly’s ability to read the game and adjust tempo makes him a strong fit for the team-based demands of the WPBL.

“The WPBL is an exciting league because every match matters and every point carries weight and pressure here, given the fast-paced and high-octane nature of the competition. You are playing alongside and against players from all over the world, and that environment pushes you to improve very quickly,” he said.

Beyond rankings and results, Ly carries a wider purpose. Having already broken barriers in Vietnamese tennis, he sees pickleball as another platform to grow the sport in his region and beyond.

With WPBL Season 2 set to bring higher intensity and deeper competition, Hoang Nam Ly steps into Chennai Super Champs colours as a decorated athlete, but also as a player driven by progress, adaptability, and the belief that sport can open new pathways, on and off the court.

Chennai Super Champs Full Squad:

• Sonu Kumar Vishwakarma (India)
• Ava Cavataio (USA)
• Tanner Tomassi (USA)
• Hoang Nam Ly (Vietnam)
• Quan Do (Vietnam)
• Rika Fujiwara (Japan)
• Domenika Turkovic (Croatia)
• Carlota Trevino (Mexico)

Head Coach: Johnny Goldberg (USA)

Chennai Super Champs WPBL Season 2 League Fixtures:

• 27 Jan – 8:20 pm – Chennai Super Champs vs Dilli Dillwale
• 29 Jan – 8:20 pm – Chennai Super Champs vs Mumbai Pickle Power
• 30 Jan – 6:05 pm – Chennai Super Champs vs Rajasthan Titans
• 02 Feb – 6:05 pm – Chennai Super Champs vs Bengaluru Jawans
• 04 Feb – 8:20 pm – Chennai Super Champs vs Hyderabad Superstars
• 06 Feb – 6:05 pm – Chennai Super Champs vs Pune United

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