Pickleball beyond the US: Spain crowns Pickle Pro Tour champions, Copenhagen opens a six-court arena, Skechers launches paddles

Pickleball news from outside the United States this week was a mix of results, venues and products. In Spain, the national tour crowned its season champions. In Copenhagen, a former factory hall became a six-court arena. In Malaysia, a footwear brand launched paddles. In South Korea, a new online shop opened for club players. None of these stories is large on its own, but together they show how the sport is being built out in Europe and Asia: federations, local clubs, big retailers and small start-ups all moving at once.

Spain: Pickle Pro Tour crowns its 2026 champions in Manresa

The Cervezas Victoria Pickle Pro Tour, the official pickleball circuit of the Spanish tennis federation (RFET), finished its regular season with the finals of the Barcelona Open, Marca reported on October 19. The five professional finals were held at Shooter Club Pickleball in Manresa, and Bálint Bakó and Sabrina Méndez each won two titles.

The results, as Marca gives them: - Men's singles: Bakó beat Pep Canyadell 21-13, 21-17. - Women's singles: Méndez beat María Pintor 21-16, 21-22, 21-11. - Men's doubles: Jorge Rodríguez and Bakó beat Ignasi de Rueda and Canyadell 22-20, 21-22, 21-18. - Women's doubles: Méndez and María Costantino beat Pintor and Clara Contis 21-14, 21-15. The same two pairs had met in the final at the Costa del Sol Mijas Open. - Mixed doubles: Claudia Caymel and Canyadell beat De Rueda and Costantino 21-11, 17-21, 21-18.

The tour's own season titles are a separate matter from single events. Ignasi de Rueda was named the men's Pickle Pro Tour 2026 champion, and Méndez the women's champion. De Rueda also won the men's doubles season title, Méndez and Costantino the women's doubles title, and Jesús García and Costantino the mixed doubles title. Marca notes that the declaration of Spanish national champions, meant for Spanish or resident players with the best performance over the season, will come after the tour's rankings are coordinated with the federation.

One more event remains. The Madrid Master Final runs December 11 to 13, with the top eight players in each category competing for the title of National Pickleball Master. Madrid will also host the season awards, including the Premios Pickles.

Copenhagen: six courts in an old tunnel factory

A report in the Copenhagen Post, republished by the site Dangdi, says a new indoor pickleball arena opened at Tunnel Arena in Nordhavn on Saturday, October 17. It has six courts inside the former Tunnelfabrikken hall, which, according to the report, made tunnel parts for the Øresund link in the 1990s.

The arena was built by the club Danske Pickleballers, which says it did so to meet strong demand. Founder Joachim Litman, who discovered the sport in New York in 2024, told the paper he liked the low cost and the friendly feel. He started the club with two friends in public parks, and it now has more than 100 members in the city. Games are run in Danish and English.

The opening day ran from 11:00 to 20:00 at Oceanvej 1. Entry was 25 Danish kroner with paddles and balls included. The program had a ribbon cutting at 13:00, free coaching at 13:45, a match between top Danish players at 16:30 and a social game with a DJ at 17:15. The report frames the arena as a cheap way for people to stay active through the winter. The source is a short republished item, and it gives no information about regular court prices or hours after opening day.

Malaysia: Skechers launches its first paddles

Pickleball News Asia reported on October 19 that Skechers has launched its first pickleball paddle collection in Malaysia, after already selling shoes and apparel for the sport. The company has sponsored the Skechers International Pickleball Tournament - Malaysia Edition, held in May.

There are three products. The SKX Titans Silver Titanium Carbon costs RM309 and is listed by the brand as approved by USA Pickleball, with a polypropylene honeycomb core and a round shape. The SKX Titans 12K Carbon costs RM269 and has a 12K carbon fibre face with a frosted surface for grip. A bundle set costs RM459 and includes three balls, a drawstring bag and a carbon fibre paddle, listed as USA Pickleball approved. The two Titans paddles are sold at selected Skechers Concept Stores in the Kuala Lumpur area, including 1 Utama, Pavilion KL and Suria KLCC, and online at skechers.com.my. The bundle is sold only at selected outlet stores.

The site's own assessment is that the pricing is aimed at newcomers and club players, and that only players will show whether the paddles compete with specialist brands. We would add that the "approved" claim is the brand's, and approval is best checked on the USA Pickleball list for the specific model before buying for sanctioned play.

South Korea: a specialty shop opens

NoCut News reported on October 19 that Wow Management Group, led by CEO Jang Sang-jin, officially opened Happickle (happickle.co.kr), an online store for pickleball equipment aimed at club players. The company says it will start with its own brand and expand to paddles, balls, apparel and accessories from other domestic and international brands. A company representative said pickleball is "moving beyond a passing fad," and referred to reports that the K-pop group BTS has taken up the sport, a claim that comes from the company's own statement rather than independent reporting.

What the pieces add up to

Each story is at a different layer. In Spain it is competition infrastructure: a ranked tour tied to the national federation, with a season-ending master event. In Denmark it is venue supply, solved by reusing an old industrial building. In Malaysia and Korea it is retail, with a global footwear brand and a start-up both targeting beginners and club players. What is missing from all four reports is numbers: participation counts, sales or court utilization. The picture is of an early build-out, not a measured market.

Sources checked 20 Oct 2026.