The veteran pro felt the love in Malaysia. Now, he's signed a contract extension with the UPA to play 10 international events every year for the next three years.
Not too long ago, Zane Navratil flew halfway around the world, stepped onto a professional pickleball court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and reminded everyone why the sport's international expansion isn't just hype; it's the real deal.
In a new video posted to his YouTube channel , the veteran pro documents his journey to Malaysia for one of the PPA Tour's marquee international stops, capturing everything from the grueling 17-hour flight from Dallas to Hong Kong to the absolute chaos of meet-and-greets where he signed over 100 paddles in 10 minutes.
What emerges is a portrait of pickleball's explosive growth beyond American borders and the kind of celebrity status the sport's top players are starting to command.
100 paddles, 100 photos Navratil and his crew didn't just show up to play matches. They experienced Malaysia like tourists first, hitting up Batu Caves, the Monkey God Temple, and Chinatown with a local guide. They tried street food, got facials (with hilariously awkward language barriers), and even went go-karting with a view of the Petronas Towers.
But the real story isn't the sightseeing. It's what happened when pickleball actually arrived.
The exhibition match on Wednesday night, before the tournament even officially started, drew hordes of people.
The venue was packed. People were going wild for... FULL ARTICLE FOUND ON: https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/zane-navratil-takes-pickleball-global-inside-the-ppa-tours-historic-malaysia-stop/
