The wait is almost over as nearly 300 players gear up for the inaugural ArenaPlus-KaTribu Pickleball Tournament on Friday at The Dink Lab Elite inside All Home in Kawit, Cavite.
Dubbed the “Dink-dependence Day Showdown,” the tournament coincides with the Philippines’ 128th Independence Day celebration and is expected to bring together athletes, sports leaders, government officials, sponsors, and members of the rapidly growing pickleball community for a full day of competition and camaraderie.
The tournament will officially begin at 8 a.m. with a ceremonial serve led by DAILY TRIBUNE President Willie Fernandez, former Senator Cynthia Villar, ArenaPlus Head Erick Su, Philippine Pickleball Federation President Shery Anne “Shawie” Cu, and four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Bien Zoleta.
Candidates from the 2026 Miss Earth pageant are also expected to attend the event, adding to the festivities surrounding one of the country’s biggest community pickleball gatherings to date.
The tournament is supported by ArenaPlus, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and JC Premiere, with additional backing from the Villar Foundation, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the Department of Finance, Pag-IBIG Fund, Mama Lou’s, Cebu Pacific, Hotel 101, Aeropostale, and The Bistro Group.
The awarding ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m., with PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, and DAILY TRIBUNE Sports Editor Julius Manicad expected to lead the presentation of trophies, medals, and cash prizes.
Champions across the beginner, novice, low intermediate, and high intermediate divisions will receive P15,000, while first and second runners-up will take home P10,000 and P5,000, respectively.
Beyond the competition itself, participants will also have opportunities to win raffle prizes, including round-trip airline tickets to Japan courtesy of Cebu Pacific, hotel accommodations from Hotel 101 and Okura Hotel, and pickleball paddles from HEAD.
“We wanted to make this inaugural tournament a memorable experience for everyone involved,” Manicad said.
“Beyond the competition, our goal is to bring the pickleball community together, celebrate the sport’s growth, and create an event that players will look forward to year after year.”
Registered participants will also receive official tournament shirts, loot bags, meal stubs, and sponsor giveaways from brands including Ground Up Coffee, Boleros, Mang Guabao, Philip Morris, Pascual Laboratories, Bioessence, Axe, Rexona, Closeup, Siomai King, Ooh Cha, DITO, Ta-FBDI, Castro, Mondelez, Coca-Cola Philippines, Guevarra’s, Joola, and Akari.
Players themselves are equally eager for the competition, with many increasing their training schedules in preparation for the event.
“With the DAILY TRIBUNE tournament coming up, my preparation has focused on playing as much as possible in open sessions to improve my court movement,” said Karl Tan, who will compete in the men’s low intermediate division.
“It’s a great opportunity not only to compete but also to meet fellow players and strengthen the sense of community within the sport.”
As pickleball continues to gain momentum across the country, organizers hope the tournament will serve as another step forward in growing the game and bringing more Filipinos into the sport.