Sansan-sponsored pickleball player Nasa Hatakeyama achieves historic runner-up finish in PPA Tour Asia men's singles

Sansan-sponsored athlete Nasa Hatakeyama makes history

Professional pickleball player Nasa Hatakeyama, who holds a sponsorship agreement with Sansan, Inc.—a company with the mission of 'Creating innovation from encounters'—achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Japanese player to secure a runner-up finish in the men's singles at the 'PPA Asia 500 Panas Kuala Lumpur Open 2026.' The event took place from May 13 to 17, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tournament and performance

The 'PPA Asia 500 Panas Kuala Lumpur Open 2026' is a major event in the Asia tour of the PPA Tour, the world's premier professional pickleball tour, held at 9Pickle in Kuala Lumpur. The tournament attracted world-class athletes to compete in the high-level Asia tour event.

Hatakeyama participated starting from the qualifiers, defeating higher-ranked players, including those with professional tour contracts. Although he narrowly lost in the final against a top young player from Vietnam, he achieved a historic result as the first Japanese player to reach the runner-up position in men's singles at an international tournament.

Future outlook

Sansan is committed to the growth of pickleball as a professional sport. Starting July 1, the company will serve as the title sponsor for the 'PPA ASIA 500 Sansan TOKYO OPEN 2026 Produced by TBS' in Tachikawa, Tokyo. Additionally, the company is scheduled to open the 'Sansan Pickleball Court Ikebukuro' in July, which will be the first large-scale dedicated pickleball facility in Tokyo. This indoor/outdoor facility will be available to both professional and amateur players, serving as a hub to accelerate the sport's adoption and market expansion.